Black and Brown women twice as likely to be on zero-hours contracts as white men

Black and Brown women are twice as likely to be on zero-hours contracts as white men, new analysis from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has found. It also says the disproportionate number of Black and Brown workers on zero-hours contracts is a “prime example structural racism in action”. Meanwhile, insecure work grew at almost double the rate of all employment between 2011 and 2022.

Black and Brown workers on zero-hours contracts

The TUC analysis of 2023 Labour Force Survey data shows that 5.9% of Black and Brown women in work are on zero hours contracts compared to 2.7% of white men in work.

Overall, Black and Brown workers are significantly overrepresented on zero-hours contracts compared to white workers – with 5.4% of Black and Brown workers on zero hours contracts compared to 3.2% of white workers.

Black and Brown women are the most disproportionately affected group, followed by Black and Brown men (5.9% of Black and Brown women in work are on zero hours contracts along with 4.9% of Black and Brown men).

White women are also significantly more likely than white men to be on zero-hours contracts (3.7% compared to 2.7%).

The analysis comes as the TUC holds its Black Workers Conference, where TUC unions will convene to discuss key issues facing Black and Brown workers including insecure work.

“Prime example” of structural racism

The TUC says the disproportionate number of Black and Brown workers on zero-hours contracts is a “prime example” of structural racism in action.

Black and Brown workers – particularly women – are more likely to be on the “some of the worst contracts, with the worst pay and conditions”, according to the union body.

Zero-hours contracts hand the employer total control over workers’ hours and earning power, meaning workers never know how much they will earn each week, and their income is subject to the whims of managers.

The union body argues that this makes it hard for workers to plan their lives, look after their children and get to medical appointments.

And it 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.

Such insecurity can be particularly challenging for those who have caring responsibilities, who are overwhelmingly women, says the TUC.

TUC polling in 2021 showed that by far the most important reason that people take zero-hours contract work is because that is the only work available.

Almost half (45%) of respondents said that this was the most important reason for them being on zero-hours contracts while 16% said it was the typical contract in their line of work.

Just 9% cited work-life balance as the most important reason – and the TUC says many in this group would prefer the opportunity to work flexibly within a secure job, not being subject to the one-sided flexibility of zero-hours contracts.

Boom in insecure work

The TUC says insecure work has “boomed” since the Conservatives came into power in 2010.

Insecure work includes zero-hours contracts – as well as other precarious forms of work such as low-paid self-employed workers and agency, casual and seasonal workers.

At the start of 2011, 3.2 million people were in insecure work. By 2022 the number was 3.9 million. And there are now record numbers of workers on zero hours contracts – with over one million on them.

This growth in insecure work is disproportionate compared to wider employment growth over this period. Insecure work grew at almost double the rate of all employment between 2011 and 2022.

It increased by 23% compared with the employment level of all those in work which grew by 12%.

The TUC says the “boom” in BME workers in insecure work accounts for the vast majority of the overall increase in insecure workers over the last decade.

Black and Brown workers account for two thirds of the growth of insecure workers in this period – despite them making up just 14% of the overall workforce.

TUC analysis shows the median hourly pay for those in casual work in 2022 amounted to £6.80 an hour in 2022. For seasonal work it was £9.80 and for zero hours workers £9.40. Those working for an employment agency typically received £11.50 – still well below the UK’s median wage for that year.

Zero-hours contracts: a “nightmare for workers”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said:

Zero-hours contracts are a nightmare for workers and a dream for bad bosses.

They hand almost total control over hours and earning power to managers – making it nearly impossible for workers to plan their budgets and their wider lives.

These are some of the worst contracts around – and BME women are twice as likely to be on these contracts as white men.

That’s a prime example of structural racism in action.

It’s time to end the scourge of insecure work once and for all – starting with a ban on zero-hours contracts, like Labour is proposing in its New Deal for Working People.

That’s how you start to tackle the structural racism that is holding BME workers back.

Featured image via drazenphoto – Envato Elements