I like mine and wouldn’t thank you for it being replaced with a fixed hours contract.

Its worth repeating your post as your scenario will be far from typical and you were less than supportive. Most people cannot choose what they work and it is not their third income it is their only income.

Like the MW it is, generally, “supported” by people who do not have to work like that or for so little themselves . Do unto others springs to mind here tbh.

Though in my case I’m offered shifts and can take or leave them. So if I want a free week or fortnight I don’t take any shifts.

But then it’s also a third income source for me. A zero hours contract as a primary job where the employee has to be available for work at all times is a bit 19th century.

In my case most of the work is done by staff on contracted hours and ZH staff are used to cover sickness/holidays etc. An employer with the majority of staff on zero hours contracts is taking advantage of the unemployed.

I’m getting this impression that you’re not the biggest fan of Ed – or am I mistaken about that?

Dont be silly he has a tat of him and everything.
Is anyone really passionate about him as a leader? He is hard to like, or loathe, tbh. Empty vacuum

Seeing as repeating the phrase “cost of living crisis” aproximately 27,890,764 times hasn’t made the remotest difference to the polls,

Shame on you. You forgot the electoral dynamite that was the fabled ‘squeezed middle’ soundbite.

Well said IFC.

Although I assume that those who would wish to take this away from you are well meaning. Perhaps a less dogmatic approach would suffice. After all The Resolution Foundation can manage it…

It may be too early to move toward an outright ban of zero-hours contracts given that a minority value the flexibility and choice they provide but there is an indisputable case for giving urgent consideration to what safeguards can be introduced to improve things for the majority.

A far more sensible assessment.

aracer – Member

@binners – I’m getting this impression that you’re not the biggest fan of Ed – or am I mistaken about that?

Its the fact that he’s so utterly ineffectual irritates me enormously. We’ve got the most right wing government we’ve ever had. They’re a truly nasty bunch. They make Thatcher look like a kindly aunt. But they’re also utterly incompetent. Look how Georges borrowing requirements are shaping up! And they’re presently painting themselves into a corner by out-UKIPing UKIP, which could lead to us leaving the EU, sort of by accident. Which would be economically catastrophic. Its hardly a dream combination is it?

Any opposition worthy of the name would be absolutely running rings around this lot. Any opposition worthy of the name would be 10% clear in the polls and looking at a landslide, not flatlining and looking completely clueless as to why. Jesus!! A couple of weeks ago the half-wit almost managed to lose a nailed on labour stronghold to UKIP! Doesn’t bode well, does it?

My problem with Ed isn’t that he looks like a glove puppet. Its the fact that he’s so totally and utterly politically inept. The tories present him with an open goal on an almost daily basis, and every time he lines the ball up, and spoons it into Row Z! And his cluelessness could well deliver us another tory government. Or worse…. a tory/UKIP coalition! Can you imagine? Bye bye NHS! Bye bye welfare state! Anyone fancy the cold harsh reality of us withdrawing from the EU. It’ll be financial armageddon!

It surely shouldn’t take much wit to point all this out, instead of just parroting crap meaningless catchphrases like the star of some particularly bad sitcom!

Hmm, still not quite sure which way you’re leaning there – please tell us more, as I do enjoy it when you talk about him.

I think like JY I just struggle to have any interest – though I agree with you that it’s quite incredible how badly he’s doing, given that irrespective of what the current government is or has done, a loss at the next election appeared nailed on for whichever party won the last one.

A far more sensible assessment*

Even the supporting statement says may[ ie no certainty and doubt] be too early, the majority dont like them and its indisputable we need to look at regulation. TBH not the strongest support one will ever read on something is it?

Have you chosen one for yourself or are you ,like the majority on them not to mention the majority overall, against them personally for yourself whilst advocating them for others ?

Ed is terrible and , as Binners et al note, failing to lead now is like failing to organise a piss up in a brewery. I am not a fan of personality politics but christ he needs a major transplant. If this is the best the opposition has to offer, Him , Clegg, farage then every voter and every party should take a long hard look in the mirror.

* http://www.resolutionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/A_Matter_of_Time_-_The_rise_of_zero-hours_contracts_final_1.pdf
Its an interesting read to be fair.
Full report here and that quote is the only non criticising point in two pages of an executive summary and one page of a conclusion and pretty much in the 21 page report . For balance it says them may be ok/good for students and the [semi]retired who can work flexibly/ use it as additional income – or someone who uses it as a third income as here- for the majority the inability to plan budgets, get tax credits, plan their lives and being on permanent call is bad , the service they then provide is also poor [ care industry for example] and very few on them would chose them. There are almost no positives in the entire report for workers on them they are exploitative basically which is why even the “supporters” dont chose them for themselves but are happy for others tp have them thrust on them.

The most disturbing fact is that a large number of the new-to-work population will see them as a perfectly normal way to work.

Flexibility is great if you know and understand what you’re missing out on. This kind of work was the cash in hand farm labouring type when I was younger, not a way to staff an office or a shop – it was pocket money (as students) and we were raely turned away, and if we did it didn’t really matter. Trying to make a life might be a different matter if it were the norm for employment with a low bar for entry.

I knew I always hated Sports Direct, hideous shop. Oddly I’d guess it is primarily the people who work there on ZHC that are the types who buy all their cloths from there.

Interesting their business model of buying up bankrupt brands and re-marketing them, isn’t unlike that Plant-X / On-One model people on here so love.

Oddly I’d guess it is primarily the people who work there on ZHC that are the types who buy all their cloths from there.

My problem with Ed isn’t that he looks like a glove puppet.

I think that’s being a bit harsh on glove puppets, some of them are half decent.

Not really my sort of place but I’ve bought a few things from SD which have all been fine – Muddy Fox jacket and some boots. Decathlon is preferable though.

Bought squash balls from them, I guess the reason, that many of the staff are there is for a share of the bonus’. Some shop staff got £100k last year.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/jul/18/sports-direct-staff-bonus-profits

No good for the ZH mob.

set up its bonus scheme back in 2009 for any full-time staff

I’m confused- what is Sports Direct doing wrong? Its not the only employer in an area. Its fairly local to me but I chose not to work there. If someone doesn’t like a company- don’t work there. Simples.

Theres many worse companies out there. I heard rumours of a bike related business that didn’t give its employees contracts and their warehouse staff were classed as ‘self-employed’.

I think the problem here is the significant rate that new jobs are increasingly using this form of ’employment’ as the norm

In the same way the minimum wage just meant that for a large percentage of jobs, employers looking perpetually to reduce costs, just made it ‘the wage’. Why pay more? I think the same will apply here.

Give it a few years and a zero hours contract will just be the default for all new jobs in our marvellous new low skill/low wage economy

The problem is if a living wage/raise does come into effect all companies (not just those who rake it in) will be looking for ways to become more efficient. This’ll involve flexi-hours on zero contracts sadly.

For years the likes of Burger King used to get people to clock out/go on idle in quiet periods!

It aint right but if we are to pay people more/have wage bills then somethings got to give- thats normally prices to consumers going up.

More zero hours contracts means more people claiming benefits so the taxpayer is effectively subsidising the labour cost of those business heavily using these contracts. Yet it’s the “free marketeers”, those who campaign AGAINST state intervention in business, who are most in favour of this subsidy.
A bit like those in favour of “light touch” regulation for financial services who are a bit less in favour of “light touch” bailouts when their idiotic fantasies go tits up.

This’ll involve flexi-hours on zero contracts sadly.

Dont worry the solution is there for all to see

don’t work there. Simples

then somethings got to give- thats normally prices to consumers going up.

I should be Mick Ashley’s profits and given his net worth is £3.75 billion its not like he will fold if he does not do this.
Sports Direct made £152 million profit in 2013

Always the piss poor paid employees who need to take the hit and never the billionaires

@chip

You should right a book. Great stuff 🙂

binners – Member
I think the problem here is the significant rate that new jobs are increasingly using this form of ’employment’ as the norm

That may be so, but less than 1% of the workforce are employed in this manner (although likely to be higher than official stats) – mainly young, with low educational standards (mainly not beyond GSCE), often non-UK nationals and in specific industries.

No surprise that Wallace loses a sense of perspective. Nice headline but bigger issues facing the UK workforce – starting with productivity. Sort that out and wages will rise appropriately.

Isn’t the inexorable rise of part time/zero hours contracts one of the key factors in diminishing productivity though? Companies instead of taking on full time employees, and training them up, employ a number of people on short term of zero hours instead, as on the surface it look better. But it results in decreased productivity, so is false economy?

Interesting article touching on the subject, by Will Hutton

0 hours contracts are just a way for employers to about passing sick/holiday pay, pensions etc

They should be outlawed and Ed should be saying that’s the reason loud and clear, sticking up for workers rights etc is what labor should be about