Commenting on figures released by the Office for National Statistics today (Wednesday), which show the number of workers on zero-hours contracts has increased by 19 per cent to 744,000 over the past year, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“Zero-hours contracts are a stark reminder of Britain’s two-tier workforce.
“People employed on these contracts earn £300 a week less, on average, than workers in secure jobs.
“I challenge any minister or business leader to survive on a low-paid zero-hours contract job, not knowing from one day to the next how much work they will have.
“Try telling zero-hours workers who have been turned down by mortgage lenders and landlords that they are getting a good deal.
“We need a stronger and fairer recovery that works for everyone, not one that forces people to survive off scraps of work.”
Research published by the TUC shows that average weekly earnings for zero-hours workers are just £188, compared to £479 for permanent workers.
Two-fifths (39 per cent) of zero-hours workers earn less than £111 a week – the qualifying threshold for statutory sick pay – compared to one in twelve (8 per cent) permanent employees.
The TUC estimates that in addition to Britain’s zero-hours workforce there are another 820,000 UK employees who report being underemployed on between 0 and 19 hours a week.