Labour leader Ed Miliband says that a future Labour government would crack down on the abuse of zero hours contracts – but stop short of banning them..
His proposal on zero hours contracts would mean new rights for workers:
- 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
- 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.
It follows a review for Labour by former Morrisons HR Head Norman Pickavance, who says that a ban would be wrong: “For some people, like those in semi-retirement or students fitting work between studies, these contracts can provide just the kind of flexibility they are looking for.â€
