It Ain't Broke Ed!

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27152757
I know several people on zero hours contracts and they love it. So why is Red ED going to meddle? Most seem to like them:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27154498

[Gromit]

Most of the benefits of zero hours contracts are for the employers. Employees get little security, often no sick pay, and their earning are irratic changes from month to month.
People have been refused mortgages because they are on Zero hours.

The contracts are used by about 1% of the UK workforce, so I am not sure why Ed thinks it is a priority or a vote winner.

[Ratty2E]

The people you know must be very lucky Tora, as Gromit says they are mainly of benefit to the employers. If they decide not to give you any hours they can but you can't claim benefit as you are employed and if you leave you still have nothing because you've made yourself unemployed. I think they should be made illegal.

[jno]

Most seem to like them

lol, two people on the BBC website is "most"?

[ummmm]

They only truly work if the company you work for has plenty of work.

I was zero contracted working in a psychiatric hospital but you were almost guaranteed work 7 days a week. We also got holiday pay every quarter worked out by your average earnings. If they all worked like that then it's a great but sadly it doesn't.

[woofgang]

Its blooming annoying that employers have misused them. In the NHS we used to use them to keep people on the books and avoid having to do all the induction, health interview, CRB nonsense every time they wanted to work.

[ummmm]

Do the NHS not use bank staff? Isn't that the same thing?

[ChillDoubt]

I don't believe so ummmm.
Bank staff don't have a contract, they're employed by an agency.

[Canary42]

It ain't broke Ed. TTT knows several people who love it.


Right Wing politics in action.

[ummmm]

Not always, Chill. I was employed by the hospital as bank staff. Bank staff were zero contracted but like I said before shifts were guaranteed.

[ChillDoubt]

I guess each Trust is different then ummmm.

[woofgang]

private agencies charge for their services, as did the NHS version (not sure if that is still going) Doing a direct zero hours contract with the employee used to be much cheaper and there was much less paperwork.

[Kromovaracun]

"I know several people on zero hours contracts and they love it."

Gosh, I guess that must disprove every single argument against them then.

[mushroom25]

my company used to employ a good few of its drivers on zero hours contracts - there was always a shortage of drivers with specific local knowledge so no shortage of work, and it suited them because they didn't need full time employment, as most were effectively retired.

due to the stigma attached to zero hours, we've had to move away, and all our part time drivers are now contracted to do 30 shifts a year - although they'll always exceed that.

[DaisyNonna]

Some local authorities employ home tutors on zero hours. Frightening if you are the only earner. Never know when you will be earning, makes Job Centre claims very difficult.

[tonyav]

Exactly, Daisy, thats why desperate Dave likes it.

[pixie373]

Bank staff keep their contracts if they work once in 13 weeks, so don't need to reapply. I was on a zero hours contract, which was fine when there was a lot of work, but not if it drops. You basically have all the risks of being self-employed, without the benefits.