5th Jan 2015 - 10:31
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Abstract
One in five workers in the hospitality sector are on zero-hours contracts and union bosses have warned that 1.5 million workers could be on the ‘cancerous’ contracts in 2015.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of people on restrictive deals has increased from 134,000 in 2006 to, 250,000 in 2013 and figures released in autumn 2014 show 622,000 are on the contracts.
Frances O’Grady, TUC General Secretary, told the Daily Mirror: “Just like a cancer, it is hard to stop them spreading - as soon as one employer starts, others follow.”
Pub chain, JD Wetherspoon, has 80% of its workers (around 24,000 staff) on contracts with no guarantee of work.
Labour has pledged to outlaw zero-hours contracts and workers will get a fixed-hours contract should they be working regular hours for a year, if they are voted into Government in May’s general election.
More to follow.
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