The Future Of Zero-hours Contracts

28th June 2024

Sophie Lockwood at people management web site ponders whether working arrangements with no minimum hours should be banned.

A general election is on the horizon and political parties are busy making headline-grabbing pledges in an attempt to sway undecided voters and lure back the disenchanted. With Labour ahead in the polls and the Conservatives having suffered heavy losses in recent local elections, there is every possibility that the coming months will see a change in government, and Labour's return to power after 14 years in opposition.

As part of its proposed New Deal for Working People, Labour has repeatedly pledged an outright ban on zero-hours contracts, under which businesses are not obliged to commit to any minimum number of working hours.

While casual working arrangements without minimum guaranteed working hours are by no means a new concept, zero-hours contracts have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, and their apparent abuse has garnered significant attention. Employee representative bodies and trade unions, in particular, condemn the use of zero-hours contracts as a means of businesses exploiting vulnerable workers and depriving them of certainty, job security and a minimum guaranteed income.

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