Zero hours contracts.

[Leekbrookgull]

Good or bad ? Not a fan of them myself. Why tie someone down to the company offering Zero hours ? What about freedom of labour laws ?

 

[Doc Lynam]

Gives the employer all the power to choose when they want to employ you, no security, very few union's to back you up; Blair and Thatcher really did **** on the working classes from a great height!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Gives the employer all the power to choose when they want to employ you, no security, very few union's to back you up; Blair and Thatcher she really did **** on the working classes from a great height!

This.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Which companies offer these? Is it a big thing now?

I befriended a homeless Iranian ex-chef and he was given a two week 'trial' at their cafe. It seems it was more about free labour than anything else.

 

[Doc Lynam]

Which companies offer these? Is it a big thing now?

I befriended a homeless Iranian ex-chef and he was given a two week 'trial' at their cafe. It seems it was more about free labour than anything else.

Two place's to start, the service and retail industry.

 

[LargeHadronZugzwang]

Exploitation and totally unacceptable. The Overclass would not flinch at introducing legalising Workhouses again if they could.

 

[Ernest]

Just a way to fiddle the unemployment figures, still paying the people on ZHC housing benefits, tax credits etc but they don't show as unemployed

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Exploitation and totally unacceptable. The Overclass would not flinch at introducing legalising Workhouses again if they could.

If you cannot pay people a decent living wage and you cannot employ people on a guaranteed hours contract then your business is not viable in my opinion.

 

[Ernest]

If you cannot pay people a decent living wage and you cannot employ people on a guaranteed hours contract then your business is not viable in my opinion.

Then Tesco's isn't, I wonder how many Tesco employees in Brighton & Hove claim tax credits and housing benefits etc to be able to exist ?

 

[emphyrian]

they have their good points and bad.

good for employee: they can say no to a shift and there is nothing the employer can do (other than release them from service). The employee is pretty much guaranteed to get any sickness and holiday overtime that becomes available.
Bad for employee: there is no set shift or income, they get a really bad holiday pay setup. They can also get called at anytime and sometimes with only an hours notice (but they can say no)
Good for employer: you can have unlimited amounts of zero hours personel which means that incase of sickness/absence/holiday you have a bucketload of staff to call.
Bad for employer: the fact that they will say no and can often leave you in the crap. Some don't give a toss and muck you about no end.

 

[ali jenkins]

It works both ways. What about students that need a job but don't want to be tied down to certain hours because of Uni work or going back home? They can pick and choose their hours just as much as the companies.

What about the stewards at the Amex? Would you rather we were paying them all year round or just when we needed them? Bearing in mind we are all moaning about the price of tickets/food/beers already.

I have always worked in an industry that uses staff on zero hour contracts and in my experience, the ones that moan about not having enough hours are also the ones that are very unflexable with when they can work. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Then Tesco's isn't, I wonder how many Tesco employees in Brighton & Hove claim tax credits and housing benefits etc to be able to exist ?

Exactly.

These companies should be paying a living wage, rather than the Govt having to pay working tax credits.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Then Tesco's isn't, I wonder how many Tesco employees in Brighton & Hove claim tax credits and housing benefits etc to be able to exist ?

Maybe they have to take a hit on the dividends then? But I get your point.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It works both ways. What about students that need a job but don't want to be tied down to certain hours because of Uni work or going back home? They can pick and choose their hours just as much as the companies.

What about the stewards at the Amex? Would you rather we were paying them all year round or just when we needed them? Bearing in mind we are all moaning about the price of tickets/food/beers already.

I have always worked in an industry that uses staff on zero hour contracts and in my experience, the ones that moan about not having enough hours are also the ones that are very unflexable with when they can work. Swings and roundabouts.

There's a big difference between jobs which by their nature are flexible though.

 

[beorhthelm]

Two place's to start, the service and retail industry.

couple more: councils and public services. and professional contractors and freelancers. i think they are far more common than realised and i'm surprised they made any news story out of it.

 

[Doc Lynam]

they have their good points and bad.

good for employee: they can say no to a shift and there is nothing the employer can do (other than release them from service). The employee is pretty much guaranteed to get any sickness and holiday overtime that becomes available.
Bad for employee: there is no set shift or income, they get a really bad holiday pay setup. They can also get called at anytime and sometimes with only an hours notice (but they can say no)
Good for employer: you can have unlimited amounts of zero hours personel which means that incase of sickness/absence/holiday you have a bucketload of staff to call.
Bad for employer: the fact that they will say no and can often leave you in the crap. Some don't give a toss and muck you about no end.

I know for a fact this is used as an unwritten threat to workers who choose not to work due to tiredness or work schedule clashes. It's a massively exploitative contract with some very cruel people out there. Again a strong union would help but usually these people have no one to fight their corner.

 

[Surf's Up]

Zero hours contracts, per se, are not the problem. It's when they tie people to having to be available only for work with one company that they become evil.

 

[jakarta]

Gives the employer all the power to choose when they want to employ you, no security, very few union's to back you up; Blair and Thatcher really did **** on the working classes from a great height!

Welcome to the Self Employed experience - there is no particular reason why any of my Clients should employ me, there is certainly no 'Security' and I have no 'Union' to back me up.

I'm pretty good at what I do however and as a consequence most people who I have worked for over the past 20 years continue to use my services.

No doubt if someone better than me came on the scene they would use them and I would have to either accept this or up my game.

I don't get too upset about this, Employers/Clients have the money and service providers such as myself don't, it is a fact of life!

 

[arkan]

I work for G4S and they are used alot by them.
I work within the patient transport side of things, i and everyone who works in the office are on full time contracts as we to an extent are inexpendible, but a minority but slowly growing number (especially new recruits) are on zero hour contracts (on the road staff)

A drivers wage starts at £8.56 p/h rising to £9.60 something depending on experience, that to me is no way a living wage. I earn more than that per annum, and im still fairly young, no children to pay for, just rent & bills etc. Though i can save a bit, its not like i am rolling in money. Our drivers by and large are middle aged with families etc. Not only are the wages crap in general but if you dont even know week to week if you are working or not, this much cause alot of strain and worry on oneself.

Though on the flip side, you should know what you are getting yourself into when signing these kind of contracts.

 

[Doc Lynam]

Welcome to the Self Employed experience - there is no particular reason why any of my Clients should employ me, there is certainly no 'Security' and I have no 'Union' to back me up.

I'm pretty good at what I do however and as a consequence most people who I have worked for over the past 20 years continue to use my services.

No doubt if someone better than me came on the scene they would use them and I would have to either accept this or up my game.

I don't get too upset about this, Employers/Clients have the money and service providers such as myself don't, it is a fact of life!

I understand how Self Employment works only to well, but don't see the comparison you are making! Self employment comes about because one has a skill or trade that enables them to work independently. People who work zero hrs are doing jobs that can be filled by anybody that is the point, there is no security because the employer knows they can fill the post with the next desperate individual.