TUC will not ask for zero hours contract ban

A senior manager at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) says the organisation is unlikely to call for an “outright ban” on controversial zero hours contracts.
Fri, 5 July 2013A senior manager at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) says the organisation is unlikely to call for an “outright ban” on controversial zero hours contracts.

Nicola Smith, the head of the economic and social affairs department at the TUC, said last Thursday (4 July) at an event held by The Work Foundation: “I don’t think we’re going to call for an outright ban.”

Her comment’s went further than what the TUC had said in a statement just the previous day, condemning the “worrying trend” of rising use of the contracts, and “asking ministers to consider introducing regulation to prevent their continued misuse”.

However, the body had not made clear whether or not it would ask for an outright ban.

Last month, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) announced informal investigations into zero hours contracts, saying it would announce possible next steps in the autumn.

Smith also noted at the event that in the UK “we’re seeing a rise in all sorts of insecure work”, although acknowledged that “the vast majority” of employers using zero hours contracts do not do so in an exploitative way.

Also speaking at the event were The Work Foundation’s director Ian Brinkley, chief executive officer of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation Kevin Green, and MPs Stephen Lloyd and Alison McGovern. For more on the event see recruiter.co.uk tomorrow and the July edition of Recruiter, out next week.

More on zero hours contracts:



FINANCIALS: Empresaria reveals fall in profits, but Offshore Services delivers growth

Empresaria’s Offshore Services operations proved to be the shining light in the company’s fortunes in 2023, according to the global specialist staffing group’s annual results.

Financials 27 March 2024

Gi Group trains mental health first aiders to support staff wellbeing

HR and specialist recruiter Gi Group plans to train around 100 mental health first aiders (MHFAs) across the business.

27 March 2024

Recommendations for better integration to support refugees into work

The current integration of refugees system is “broken, expensive, inefficient and damaging” for both refugees and the UK, according to the chair of the Commission on the Integration of Refugees.

Legislation 26 March 2024

HMRC employment tool CEST not updated in five years

The underlying decision engine of HM Revenue & Customs’ Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool has not been updated in five years.

26 March 2024
Top