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- 1 in 10 workers in the region now in insecure jobs

- TUC launches new initiative for workers to share their experience of insecure work

Nearly half of (47%) jobs created in the North West since 2011 have been in insecure work, according to new analysis published by the TUC today (Wednesday).

The analysis shows that between 2011 and 2016 employment in the region grew by 197,503. And that 93,517 of these were in insecure jobs – work without guaranteed hours or baseline employment rights.

The TUC estimates that there are now 339,608 people now work in insecure jobs in the region – up from 246,091 in 2011. That represents 1 in 10 workers in the North West.

The TUC says this is being driven mainly by traditional industries – such as education, restaurant work and residential social care – rather than newer sectors.

The study, commissioned by the TUC from the Learning and Work Institute, defines insecure work as seasonal, casual, temporary or agency work, those on zero-hours contracts and low-paid self-employed workers.

The TUC says these contract types leave working people in the position where:

  • Their wages can fluctuate without warning
  • They find it hard to get their basic employment rights respected
  • They miss out on key protections like sick pay; and
  • They are at the mercy of bosses who can withdraw their hours or even take them off the job with no notice.

The TUC is today launching a new initiative for workers in the North West to share their experiences of insecure work anonymously. The findings of the survey will be presented in May.

The TUC estimates that the rise in insecure work since 2006 is costing the UK exchequer £4bn year, with the government collecting billions less in tax revenues.

TUC Regional Secretary for the North West Lynn Collins said: “Insecure working in the North West has shot up in recent years.

“People need jobs they can live on. But if you don't how much work you will have from one day to the next, making ends meet can be nightmare.

“Too many bosses in our region are getting away with shady employment practices. That’s why we are asking people who feel vulnerable at work to share their stories confidentially with us.

“We need to keep the pressure up on government to improve protections for working people. Every day unions expose bad working conditions and win important victories for workers across the country.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
- The TUC is documenting people’s experiences of insecure work for research and campaign purposes. Workers can confidentially share their experiences at: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TellTheTUC

Employment growth by nation/region

Nation/region

Total employment growth

Insecure employment growth

Secure employment growth

Proportion of employment growth that is insecure

North East

59,788

39,816

19,972

67%

North West

197,503

93,517

103,986

47%

Yorkshire and Humberside

216,610

39,336

177,274

18%

East Midlands

163,474

41,864

121,610

26%

West Midlands

211,612

59,436

152,176

28%

East of England

163,996

63,918

100,078

39%

London

779,874

133,408

646,466

17%

South East

268,145

104,329

163,816

39%

South West

210,952

68,643

142,309

33%

Wales

48,272

16,242

32,030

34%

Scotland

126,572

40,043

86,529

32%

Proportion of workforce in insecure work

Nation/region

2011

2016

North East

7.6%

10.7%

North West

7.7%

10.0%

Yorkshire and Humberside

8.7%

9.5%

East Midlands

8.8%

10.1%

West Midlands

8.0%

9.6%

East of England

8.6%

10.4%

London

9.3%

10.5%

South East

8.5%

10.4%

South West

8.4%

10.3%

Wales

8.2%

9.1%

Scotland

7.2%

8.4%

- The TUC commissioned research from the Learning and Work Institute, which analysed figures from the ONS Labour Force Survey. All changes cover the period of October-December 2011 to October-December 2016.
- The study defines insecure work as seasonal, casual, temporary or agency work, those on zero-hours contracts, or those self-employed in low paid sectors: admin and secretarial, caring and leisure work, customer service, process plant and machine operatives, elementary occupations, and artistic and design occupations (in associate professions).
- 15% of workers in unionised workplaces are in insecure work, compared with 30% for non-unionised.
- All TUC press releases can be found at tuc.org.uk/media
- TUC Press Office on Twitter: @tucnews

North West TUC Contacts:
James McKenna T: 07825660859 / 0151 482 2710 E: jmckenna@tuc.org.uk

TUC UK Contacts:
Press Office  T: 020 7467 1248  E: media@tuc.org.uk
Alex Rossiter  T: 020 7467 1285  M: 07887 572130  E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk
Tim Nichols  T: 020 7467 1388  M: 07808 761844  E: tnichols@tuc.org.uk
Elly Gibson (Mon to Thurs) T: 020 7467 1337  M: 07900 910624  E: egibson@tuc.org.uk
Michael Pidgeon  T: 020 7467 1372  M: 07717 531150  E: mpidgeon@tuc.org.uk

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