Greater Manchester Law Centre (GMLC) has now been accredited as a No Zero Hours Employer. This is in recognition of the fact that we do not employ any of our staff team on zero hours contracts. We joined the accreditation scheme to show our support to the Zero Hours Justice campaign, which works tirelessly to help workers and fights for an end to zero hours contracts.
Zero hours contracts are defined in the UK as contracts for employment or other worker’s contracts under which:
- the employer does not guarantee that work will be available; and
- the employee or worker is not obliged to take up work if offered.
A number of organisations and sectors use other terms – bank worker (NHS), peak day contracts (IKEA), variable hours contract to name a few – but these generally satisfy the legal definition of zero hours contracts.
Despite efforts from journalists and unions to highlight the injustices that zero hours contracts cause, the use of zero hours contracts continues to increase, affecting around a million workers in the UK economy today.
Source: Office of National Statistics, via Zero Hours Justice
The use of zero hours contracts grew following the 2007-8 global economic crisis, as it offers employers a more flexible way of employing workers, especially in sectors with periodic fluctuations in demand, such as hospitality or customer service. Under this type of contract, workers’ contracted hours can vary weekly or monthly from 0 hours to as many hours as they are needed, and there is no guarantee of pay for the periods where they are not called in. Employers can effectively keep their workers on ‘hold’ during quieter periods. By contrast, workers can find themselves laid off very quickly if they choose to start refusing shifts due to childcare or needing to take on additional work.
Despite Acas describing zero hours contracts as potentially ‘flexible‘ for workers due to the right to refuse shifts, research by the TUC has shown that they are generally not workers’ contracts of choice:
Most zero-hour contract workers would prefer a different form of employment. The most common reason given (43 percent) for working on zero-hours contracts was that it was the only type of work available. The poll further shows that two-thirds (66 per cent) of zero-hours contract workers would rather have a contract with guaranteed hours. Just one in four (25 per cent) say they prefer being on a zero-hours contract.
In times of financial uncertainty for businesses, zero hours contracts can be used by employers as a way of passing financial risk on to employees (which may be why we are seeing a spike in their use again following the Covid pandemic). During a period in which the cost of living is spiralling, zero hours contracts risk plunging even more workers into in-work poverty.
If your organisation does not use zero hours contracts or plans to stop using them imminently, you can sign up to become a No Zero Hours Employer here. You can support the work of the Zero Hours Justice campaign by following them on Facebook and Twitter.
If you are a worker experiencing injustice as a result of zero hours contracts, you can discuss your experiences with the campaign here or by calling 01904 900 151.
