Government to hold talks on ending ‘exploitative’ zero-hours contracts

HAYSIE

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/government-to-hold-talks-on-ending-exploitative-zero-hours-contracts/ar-AA1qLm0h?ocid=msedgntp&pc=NMTS&cvid=14bc707a42954b269f9fcc727d55a228&ei=66#fullscreen

HAYSIE

@TheEdge949 will be happy.

TheEdge949

HAYSIE said:

@TheEdge949 will be happy.

I feel that anybody with a modicum of social awareness would be happy. Zero hours contacts are simply modern day servitude with no real protection for the workers.

Doubleme

I have had several zero hour contracts before I even made threads on this before. My thoughts are that zero hour contracts should be strictly regulated but not outlawed.

I do find it convienent been able to choose when I work but what has happened before and is not on is when people expect me to be available for work whenever they say.
I think if someone expects workers to accept no hours one week but 80 the next and expect that the workers have no right to turn down any offered work that is unacceptable. It has the option to put workers in poverty and offers no economic stability. eg if I have to be available whenever then I am forced to turn down other work for a maybe.

However if the deal is they can offer work and the worker can turn that work down for any reason then I dont see the problem. I just think that a company offering zero hour work should face legal ramifications for pressuring workers into been available for work that may not be offered if that could deny the worker of making plans for alternative work or social/free time etc.

Essexphil

Doubleme said:

I have had several zero hour contracts before I even made threads on this before. My thoughts are that zero hour contracts should be strictly regulated but not outlawed.

I do find it convienent been able to choose when I work but what has happened before and is not on is when people expect me to be available for work whenever they say.
I think if someone expects workers to accept no hours one week but 80 the next and expect that the workers have no right to turn down any offered work that is unacceptable. It has the option to put workers in poverty and offers no economic stability. eg if I have to be available whenever then I am forced to turn down other work for a maybe.

However if the deal is they can offer work and the worker can turn that work down for any reason then I dont see the problem. I just think that a company offering zero hour work should face legal ramifications for pressuring workers into been available for work that may not be offered if that could deny the worker of making plans for alternative work or social/free time etc.

Completely agree.

Zero hours contracts can work really well. But it is important for there to be a commitment of zero hours on both sides.

There is a simple solution for employers who want more commitment. Commit to offering the person a certain number of hours per week or month.

Where people on a zero hours contract average more than an agreed number of hours per week over, say, a 3-month period, then they should also get a right to pro rata paid holiday. Also there should come a stage when this worker should have a right to a formal contract of employment, once a certain number of hours, and a certain amount of time has existed for the zero hours contract.

TheEdge949

Essexphil said:

Doubleme said:

I have had several zero hour contracts before I even made threads on this before. My thoughts are that zero hour contracts should be strictly regulated but not outlawed.

I do find it convienent been able to choose when I work but what has happened before and is not on is when people expect me to be available for work whenever they say.
I think if someone expects workers to accept no hours one week but 80 the next and expect that the workers have no right to turn down any offered work that is unacceptable. It has the option to put workers in poverty and offers no economic stability. eg if I have to be available whenever then I am forced to turn down other work for a maybe.

However if the deal is they can offer work and the worker can turn that work down for any reason then I dont see the problem. I just think that a company offering zero hour work should face legal ramifications for pressuring workers into been available for work that may not be offered if that could deny the worker of making plans for alternative work or social/free time etc.

Completely agree.

Zero hours contracts can work really well. But it is important for there to be a commitment of zero hours on both sides.

There is a simple solution for employers who want more commitment. Commit to offering the person a certain number of hours per week or month.

Where people on a zero hours contract average more than an agreed number of hours per week over, say, a 3-month period, then they should also get a right to pro rata paid holiday. Also there should come a stage when this worker should have a right to a formal contract of employment, once a certain number of hours, and a certain amount of time has existed for the zero hours contract.

That is all well and good and if that were the case then I would agree with you Phil. However most zero hours contracts are used by the agencies who have no concern for the people they send into companies. If you don't turn up you are given no more hours but if you turn up you can be sent home after 1 or 2 hours with the subsequent taxi fare costing more than you just earned.

All the major warehouses in Stoke and there a many employ a minimum number of workers and use agencies for the rest. Working hours regs are often fudged, circumvented or just ignored. The workers daren't say anything because they know that the phone will not ring after if they do. Many are called in on rest days with the threat of sanctions if they refuse, overtime is expected to be worked as and when with no increase of base level pay or time off in lieu and don't even try to get a holiday.