TUC welcomes government zero hours review

date: 13 June 2013

embargo: For immediate release

Welcoming the news today (Thursday) that the government is reviewing the use of zero hours contracts, TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said:

'Employers know they can get away with advertising zero hours jobs because there are so many jobseekers hunting too few vacancies.

'With the tough times set to continue, now is the perfect time for the government to be reviewing - and hopefully regulating - the increasing use of these exploitative contracts.

'Young people desperate to gain experience of the world of work are the most vulnerable to this kind of exploitation. Anyone employed in a zero hours way can never be sure how many hours they'll work or how much money they'll get in their pay packet which puts a real strain on their already stretched finances and can make organising childcare a logistical nightmare.

'The government must get tough with those employers who want to get workers on the cheap and encourage them to start employing people on proper contracts with decent wages.'

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