‘THIS REPORT does not call for zero-hours contracts to be banned! Zero-hours workers are amongst the most exploited in this country, and the most unscrupulous bosses are still going to go ahead and do what they currently do, they are not going to be deterred by these changes,’ Christina McAnea, Unison assistant general secretary, said yesterday.
She was reacting to the release of the long awaited Taylor report into the so-called ‘Gig Economy’. McAnea said: ‘It still has not addressed the fundamental problem with zero-hours contracts. Whilst staff will be able to request a permanent contract, the request doesn’t necessarily mean that you get it.
Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said: ‘The right to request guaranteed working hours is no right all. ‘Zero-hours contract workers will have no more leverage than Oliver Twist. Unless unions get the right to organise and bargain for workers in places like Uber and Amazon, too many working people will continue to be treated like disposable labour.’
