We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies. Accept Learn more

ZERO HOURS JUSTICE
  • Home
  • HELP & HELPLINE
  • About Us
    • Our Purpose
    • Who we are
  • ZHJ IN THE NEWS
  • Blog
  • Useful Links
  • Client Stories
  • CONTACT

Blog

BBC INTERVIEWS HIGHLIGHT PROBLEMS WITH ZERO HOURS CONTRACTS

28/7/2021

 
By Pravin Jeyaraj
On the day that Labour announced its proposals for the "the Future of Work", which include the right to flexible working from day 1, BBC's Radio 4's Today Programme spoke to two zero hours workers about their experiences. 
Picture
Heidi Henders, 24, worked in retail on zero hours contract. Although she had no guaranteed hours, she consistently worked for around 20 hours a week. She was sacked when she spoke up about unfair treatment:
I'd worked there for about a month and we had a dispute about uniforms. They were saying we have to provide our own uniform, including shoes. So I spoke up and said, 'No, that's illegal, you can't do that'. And then I was let go instantly, because I didn't have a contract, so I had no rights to challenge it [the dismissal]."
When asked about what should the future of work" entail, Heidi said: 
I think a lot of it comes down to stability and security. I don't think the problem is work being flexible. People should be able work and earn enough money and also have time to exist outside of their job. Also, I think, people's rights need to be recognised. To do that, people need to come together into unions and unions need to recognised across every industry, especially in hospitality and other kinds of precarious work."
Malo Manning, 21 is a customer support officer for the Home Office. She was guaranteed a minimum of six hours a week but usually worked 20-25 hours a week. In her case, the flexibility of a zero hours contract suited her, as she was a student and had additional financial support. But she said there were definite problems with zero hours contracts:
I think there should be tighter regulations about the idea of moving existing employees from full-time contracts to zero hours contracts, because that would allow companies to usher them from a full set of rights to 'self-employed', which strips away a lot of [those rights]. I also think that, instead of zero hours contracts, there should be this idea of a basic minimum set of hours and flexibility surrounding that, but I think the idea of the zero hours contract itself should really be looked at because it is a breeding ground for exploitation.
Zero Hours Justice would question whether it was right for people like Heidi and Malo to be on zero hours contracts in the first place, as they were working roughly the same number of hours each week. Given that the hours were relatively predictable, they should have been on an appropriate fixed hours contract. 

Heidi's treatment was particularly outrageous. If she had been working for her employer at least two years, then, being sacked for speaking up might have been unfair dismissal.

It is also wrong that Heidi's then employer had not given a written contract. Any worker or employee, whether they are on a zero hours contract or not, has a legal right to written terms or an employment contract. But, more importantly, the absence of a written document does not necessarily mean that there was no contract.  
The full recording of the segment on Radio 4 Today can be listened to here:   https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000y6n0#t=2h09m59s. 

Comments are closed.

    contact

    For press enquiries or permission to reuse content, please contact:
    Pravin Jeyaraj, Communications Officer, [email protected]

    Images can be downloaded from here. Image of Julian Richer should be credited to Gerardo Jaconelli. 

    Archives

    August 2024
    June 2024
    January 2024
    July 2023
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020

    CATEGORIES

    All
    Zero Hour Contract Scotland
    Zero Hours Contracts British Summer Time
    Zero Hours Contracts Daylight Saving Time
    Zero Hours Contracts Gender
    Zero Hours Contracts Local Authorities
    Zero Hours Contracts Local Councils
    Zero Hours Contracts NHS
    Zero Hours Contracts Public Sector
    Zero Hours Contracts Universities
    Zero Hours Contracts Women

    RSS Feed

Picture

    WANT TO HEAR MORE FROM US? PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND WE WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE WITH OCCASIONAL EMAIL BULLETINS 

Subscribe to Newsletter
Picture
Follow us on
Facebook &
​Twitter
Company No: 12417909  Registered Office: 38 Coney Street, York, Y01 9ND
Privacy & Cookie Policy
  • Home
  • HELP & HELPLINE
  • About Us
    • Our Purpose
    • Who we are
  • ZHJ IN THE NEWS
  • Blog
  • Useful Links
  • Client Stories
  • CONTACT