Labour pledge to reform zero-hour contracts

One of the ways the Coalition massage unemployment figures is by encouraging zero-hour contracts, which by definition offer no guarantee of work or income. 

There may be some advantages to these contracts - for example seasonal work or where it suits the worker - but the lack of regulation leaves the door wide open to abuse.

The next Labour Government will give new rights to people with zero-hour contracts:

• 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 choose 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

This announcement underlines Labour's commitment to improve living standards and help businesses build a more productive, successful economy across the UK.

Helping people into work

The Coalition's failure to tackle long-term unemployment, low pay, and insecure jobs is adding to social security bills as well as undermining the strength and future prosperity of our economy.

Nearly one in ten people claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) lack basic literacy skills, and over one in ten lack basic numeracy skills. The lack of IT skills is even more of a problem, with over half unable to complete basic word-processing and spreadsheet tasks, and nearly half lacking even basic email skills.[i] Poor English, Maths and IT skills often hold people back from getting jobs, or trap them in a cycle between a low paid and insecure job and claiming benefits.

Under the Tories many job seekers only take up literacy and numeracy training three years after they first make a claim for benefits.

 Last month Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Rachel Reeves MP announced that a Labour government would introduce a Basic Skills Test to tackle long-term unemployment and low earnings.

 

 

Labour would make sure that all new JSA claimants are assessed within six weeks of a claim – those who need it would be offered training which they’ll be required to take up or lose their benefits. 

To get the long term unemployed back to work Labour would introduce a Compulsory Jobs Guarantee for young people out of work and claiming JSA for over a year, funded by a repeat of the bankers’ bonus tax, and those claiming JSA for two years or more, funded by restricting pensions tax relief for very high earners. Those who refuse to take jobs under the jobs guarantee would lose their benefits.

Labour’s Compulsory Jobs Guarantee and Basic Skills Test are key parts of Labour’s plan to earn our way out of the cost-of-living crisis by getting more people into work and helping them to earn a decent standard of living.

Status Zero Generation

Our speaker at Tuesday's branch meeting was Professor Sue Maguire, an expert in the field of youth unemployment. Sue's professional profile, research projects and publications can be found here. Sue kindly left her notes with me so that I could add them to the blog. You will find them under the new 'pages' sidebar on the righthand side of the page.

Sue's talk was brilliant, the discussion it sparked fascinating - but is there a more chilling phrase in the lexicon of Government-speak than Status Zero Generation?