Zero Hours Contracts - Pleased or Not

[Bigthumb]

There is a lot of shouting about this subject at present from the political commentators, trying to score points.

It seems to me that people who are casual workers are the only people who would benefit from being on such a contract. People like students and casual bar staff. I'm sure nobody would argue with this as these people don't necessarily want to be tied down.

It may also be a perfectly legitimate way to try new people out for unskilled jobs for a few weeks, but in my view keeping someone who wants permanent work to be employed on a Zero Hours contract is nothing more than abuse.

 

There are plenty of folk who have full time jobs who also work zero hour contracts. Work a 5 day week and do a bit of helping out a few hours a week.

There are many jobs that wouldn't exist without zero hours contracts. Those jobs like extra staff needed for a couple of days setting up a carnival or a beer festival.

Many folk don't want full time work but are happy to take a few hours to get themselves out of the house from time to time. They don't have to work if they don't want to.

 

But allowing folk who do want to work zero hour contracts the flexibility to do so actually frees up full time jobs for those who want them. Sadly many who bleet on about ZHC don't want full time jobs anyhow. So the employer has to advertise in Poland for folk who do.

[muddycoffee]

Abuse of what? Their rights?

I heard on the radio this week, a few people calling in who had been on such contracts. One chap was a warehouse worker on a fork truck. The employer wanted to keep him on a zero hours contract and minimum wage. There was plenty of work but unless he signed a waver to forgoe some of his statutory rights he didn't get any hours.

The man clearly wanted a permanent contract and a full time job, but they wanted to employ him on that basis where he got no employment rights.

As soon as he could, he got a proper job and the company later lost their contract with ASDA due to the poor working conditions that it forced some of their workers to have.

 

It does appear that these bad cases are not all that common. I'm very aware that just repeating anecdotes from MPs surgery sessions is not a clear view of the overall working population.

 

It was also interesting to hear Vince Cable saying that when they got into government they had a big review into the issue and it was a much smaller problem than was rumoured with very many employees happy with the arrangement, leading to them not banning such contracts at that time.

 

It is probably the case that the real problem is terrible employers rather than Zero Hours contracts per se.

[RonJeremy]

I heard on the radio this week, a few people calling in who had been on such contracts. One chap was a warehouse worker on a fork truck. The employer wanted to keep him on a zero hours contract and minimum wage. There was plenty of work but unless he signed a waver to forgoe some of his statutory rights he didn't get any hours.

The man clearly wanted a permanent contract and a full time job, but they wanted to employ him on that basis where he got no employment rights.

As soon as he could, he got a proper job and the company later lost their contract with ASDA due to the poor working conditions that it forced some of their workers to have.

 

It does appear that these bad cases are not all that common. I'm very aware that just repeating anecdotes from MPs surgery sessions is not a clear view of the overall working population.

 

It was also interesting to hear Vince Cable saying that when they got into government they had a big review into the issue and it was a much smaller problem than was rumoured with very many employees happy with the arrangement, leading to them not banning such contracts at that time.

 

It is probably the case that the real problem is terrible employers rather than Zero Hours contracts per se.

 

Quite. They are not a new thing and it is quite easy to find a disgruntled employee anywhere. Particularly one who has left. I know bosses can be annoying. But there are good employers and if they ban these contracts then it will make a mess of a lot of good businesses and good jobs.

Hopefully milliband won't be elected and people can carry on employing people to do work as both parties seem happy to now.

 

---------- Post added 04-04-2015 at 14:27 ----------

 

Also.

I don't agree with Vince much, but he spoke sense on this matter on any questions today (yesterday). I didn't catch what IDS said.

Edited April 4, 2015 by RonJeremy

[ricgem2002]

Some people just like bashing private sector companies and they aren't even the biggest users of ZHC.

Public and voluntary sector employers are more likely to use zero hours contracts than those in the private sector, according to research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

hopefully this will change

[Chazndave]

Nothing at the moment. Sorry.

 

---------- Post added 04-04-2015 at 11:45 ----------

 

 

Are you looking for full time, part time or casual (ZHC)

 

Part time however prefer perm. Thanks

[ricgem2002]

Part time however prefer perm. Thanks

zero hours with him im afraid

[RonJeremy]

zero hours with him im afraid

 

Nice try pal.

[ricgem2002]

Nice try pal.

come again :hihi:

[RonJeremy]

come again :hihi:

 

Nice try pal.

That easier?

[ricgem2002]

Nice try pal.

That easier?

erm no but care to divulge:hihi::hihi: