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Miliband to pledge action against zero hours contracts

The Labour leader Ed Miliband has promised his party would implement legislation to end exploitative elements of zero hours contracts.

Making a speech in Motherwell later Mr Miliband will set out a series of legislative changes to bring “social justice” to employees under zero hour contacts.

These will include: to demand a fixed hours contract when they have worked regular hours over six months with the same employer; to receive a fixed hours contract automatically when they have worked regular hours over a year - unless they decide to opt out; and to be protected from employers forcing them to be available at all hours, insisting they cannot work for anyone else, or cancelling shifts at short notice without compensation.

He is expected to say: “Zero hour contracts have spread like an epidemic across our economy. The Government’s own figures say they have increased three-fold since 2010 and some estimates suggest there are one million people on these contracts across the UK including at least 90,000 here in Scotland.

“Sometimes, they can provide short term flexibility for employers and employees alike. But we know most employers don’t use them and for good reasons: the widespread use of zero-hours contracts is incompatible with building a loyal, skilled and productive workforce.

“And we also know a minority of employers are misusing zero hours contracts as a crude way of cutting costs or managing staff.

“It has left too many people not knowing how they will make ends meet from one week to the next, and unable to plan for the future.

“We’ll put that right by ensuring employees who have worked regular hours get a regular contract. And by banning the worst abuses of the system like people being required to be on call all hours of the day for one employer without any guarantee of work.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .