The UK government is considering a significant change to working hours regulations that would affect approximately 1.2 million workers. Labour Party ministers have been urged to ban zero-hours contracts, a move supported by anti-poverty campaigners and trade unions.
Campaigners Call for Action
The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) were among eight signatories to a letter sent to the Department for Business and Trade. The letter calls on the government to disregard opposition from businesses that wish to retain zero-hours contracts. The signatories argue that new employment laws will support job creation and provide workers with greater financial stability.
Impact on Workers
Paul Nowak, TUC general secretary, highlighted the insecurity faced by many workers: “Many workers do not know how much they will earn each week, and lack of security over hours makes it hard for workers to plan their lives, budget and look after their children.” New analysis of Office for National Statistics data reveals that there are 1.23 million people currently on zero-hour contracts.
Nowak added that insecure work “also makes it harder for workers to challenge unacceptable behaviour by bosses because of concerns about whether they will be penalised by not being allocated hours in future”.
Child Poverty Concerns
Alison Garnham, chief executive of CPAG, emphasised the link between insecure hours and child poverty: “All too often working parents find themselves without enough to make ends meet – as their hours are cut at a moment’s notice or they pay for childcare only to find their shifts are cancelled.” She stated that the new rights “could be a key tool in the fight against child poverty, giving parents the secure hours and notice of shifts they need. As part of its moral mission to reduce child poverty, now is the time for government to implement these rights fully and effectively.”
Details of the Proposed Change
The TUC clarified that the right to a regular-hours contract would not affect holiday jobs, as it “is set to be based on a reference period over several months which will even out peaks and troughs.” This means seasonal workers would not be adversely impacted.
Government Response
A Labour Party government spokesperson said: “We will only achieve a thriving economy once people have a wage they can count on, which is why we’re giving greater certainty to over half the UK’s workforce through our Employment Rights Act. We will ensure people can have the security they need by giving eligible workers the right to be offered guaranteed hours, and we will work closely with workers and employers on how the measures are implemented.”
