Last week, a TUC report stated that 1 in 12 in the labour force were now in “precarious employment”, which includes: • zero-hours contracts • agency work • variable hours • fixed term contracts 2.14 million people are now casualised staff. The TUC also reports that since 2008, only 1 in 40 new jobs that have been created were full-time.
While employers frequently suggest that casual work leads on to more permanent positions, the Work Foundation highlights that only 44% of zero-hours contact jobs last for 2 years or more, with only 25% lasting for 5 years or more. Despite political and social concern over the use of zero-hours contracts, 3.1% of the UK workforce has such a contract.
With the economy now fighting back after years in recession, it is time that the UK employment market reacted. Employment legislation is long overdue in ensuring that casualised workers are still protected workers.