Bosses are leaving most workers stuck on zero-hours contracts for over a year, TUC reveals

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) says a ban on zero-hours contracts is “long overdue”, as new analysis from it reveals two in three zero hours contract workers have been with their current employer for over a year.

The overwhelming majority of zero-hours contract workers are “stuck” on zero hours contracts in the long-term, the TUC has warned.

TUC: new analysis on zero-hours contracts

The union body says hundreds of thousands of workers are being trapped in low-pay and insecurity, with bad employers “parking workers on zero-hours contracts for years on end”.

The new analysis reveals:

• Two in three (66%) zero-hours contract workers have been with their current employer for over a year.
• Almost half (46%) of zero-hours contract workers have been with their current employer for over two years.
• One in eight (12%) zero-hours contract workers have been with their current employer for over 10 years.
• Only a minority of zero hours contract workers are on the precarious contracts as a stop gap, temporary measure.
• Just 7% of zero-hours workers have been with their current employer less than 3 months.

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.

Structural racism in action

The latest available data show there are 1.15 million people on these contracts.

Black and brown women are nearly three times as likely to be on them as white men (6.8% compared to 2.5%),

TUC analysis published in August revealed the number of Black and brown workers in insecure work more than doubled from 2011 to 2022 (from 360,200 to 836,300).

The TUC says this increase in zero-hours contracts for Black and brown workers reflects “structural racism in the jobs market”.

Lack of control on zero-hours contracts

The TUC says 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, with their income subject to the whims of managers.

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

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.

Ban them now

The TUC says a ban on them is “long overdue” – and is calling for all workers to have a right to a contract that reflects their regular hours.

Recent TUC polling revealed 6 in 10 (63%) already support a ban zero-hours contracts – including 60% of Conservative 2019 voters.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said:

Everyone should be treated fairly at work. But too many workers – especially Black and ethnic minority women – are trapped in low-paid jobs on zero-hours contracts, with few rights and protections and no guarantee of shifts.

Bad employers are parking workers on zero hours contracts for years on end. It’s not right.

These precarious contracts hand almost total control over workers’ hours and earning power to managers – making it nigh on impossible to plan budgets and childcare.

Insecure work has boomed on the Conservatives’ watch over the past 14 years – with the number of workers on zero hours contracts hitting the one million mark.

That’s why a ban on zero hours contracts is long overdue. Working people should have a right to a contract that reflects their regular hours of work.

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