Zero Hour Contracts: Freedom or Exploitation? | Question Time - BBC

[@JH-ty3ic]

If a yanks in favour then you know it's exploitation. A worker didn't come up with this a boss did.

[@gman4074]

Dude yall can't thk so a regular job the can't fire you?

[@thevipgurlz2802]

Only the employers gain money out of it.

[@ernestomenendez9307]

100% with you

[@JohanisTV]

@@gman4074 Cant be fired from a normal contracted position without good reason or notice. If you're being laid off they will need to pay a final settlement payment which is typically 6 weeks of wages.

[@Fermonos1]

@@gman4074 Actually no, it's very hard to just fire someone in the UK. Whereas 0 hours contracts they can terminate the contract for literally no reason at all, and failing that they can just choose to give you no hours. Not to mention you get no redundancy pay if you are fired.

[@tomwright4969]

The people asking for zero hour contracts to be kept on are clueless. It's good they have benefitted from it. But when I worked on zero hours at Domino's I can tell you now the lack of hours can be hindering. Get rid of them!.

[@beldiman5870]

They are not clueless, they know what is going on but want to insult our intelligence by making excuses that something like this exists in a modern society.

[@micca903]

It's a complicated issue. There are genuinely people who benefit from these contracts. Most people don't.

[@angusgow1887]

Waiting by the phone every morning till 8am to hear if I have work ( in an industry where the say the need more males in special needs schools). You take what they give you or you get put at the bottom of the call list. All the power is in the hands of the employer, work takes the crumbs.

[@Fermonos1]

So true, I honestly don't understand how any of the audience can say it's better to have flexibility and how they can 'choose' to work 10 hours one week and 50 the next. I know for me, if I choose not to work one week the next week I'd get no work at all. If I choose not to work when I was told I was 'really needed' I'd usually have my contract terminated, and I also never ever ever got to choose how many hours I could work. One week I could be working 5 hours, the next 50, there was no instance at all where I could say I want to work X amount of hours this week and X amount the next. No flexibility at all either, since you don't know if you'll be working one day or the other, so you can't make any plans in case you do have work, and if you don't then tough luck because you cancelled all your plans in HOPES of work.

[@cheeseybeaver]

why did no one make this crucial point... The difference between the 'employees' who like the flexibility and the 'employees' who suffer due to it; - is largely down to their different economic positions and safety nets, Those that like the flexibility appear to be using it to top-up their families earnings (e.g. a married mum) and enable them to have more cash to spend but which crucially don't rely on their zero hour's pay to survive. vs those that despise their zero hours contracts because they are reliant on these wages to live and pay their rent, food & bills - and who's consequences of not having any hours is potentially catastrophic (homelessness) Any solution must factor this in - you either need a flexible, accessible social safety net (i.e. unemployment benefit accessible within a week) or you need to give the employee full choice over their contracted hours (i.e. they are allowed to set a minimum hours per week that suits them)

[@utv5490]

Well articulated. To be honest I'm sick of hearing the word flexibility in the argument as though workers were campaigning for years for the opportunity to have job with zero hours per week.

[@Mike_5]

Zero Hours contract are the next major scandal that we will look back on and shake our heads in shame

[@hiddenknowledge2012]

@Pat Johnson While blaming migrants all at the same time.

[@keithchapman3016]

Try to get a mortgage, no chance.

[@akhenaten8980]

Peace be upon you fellow humans. Wage slavery!!! Best slaves are those who don't know they are enslaved.

[@tk778866]

Shut up you pleb, You are not a patriot, You Marxists, How dare you question the rulings system that has been exploiting the less fortunate, Trump and Boris good, Thinking or trying something different which are already in other lefty governments in Europe is bad! The Daily Mail, Sun, Express, Fox, Tories know best and are not to be questioned.

[@-----------g-]

Muhammad took slaves.

[@ernestomenendez9307]

look at the comments of idiots around, a lot of them, anyway sometimes they are happy with the crumbs of bread that fall to the floor from the table, they are happy to be clowns to their bosses and o what they said, there is no way we can open their eyes. They want to be slaved. 100% with you

[@andrewblythe3896]

@@-----------g- so did like everybody in thr bible so what's your point?

[@andrewblythe3896]

Passing people on zero hour contracts as slaves out of choice because they don't know any better just seems very patronising. Often times itd people who don't have a choice

[@simonvalsler7643]

I've worked on a zero hour contract and have worked with lots of others who have also. I've never met anyone who would prefer a zero hour contract over having guaranteed hours. This idea that lots of people like them is a complete myth driven by those on the right who have implemented such working practices.

[@MrDanielfff777]

I preferred it when I worked at McDonalds

[@DipsyMum29]

How do you figure that this practice is right wing? Look at the type of people zero hour contracts benefit in comparison to those they don’t and then compare the demographics. Zero hour contracts benefit the needs of single younger people and students who don’t want to be tied down. These tend to fit the demographic of the far left. Older people with mortgages and families to support calling for traditional job roles tend to be of a more conservative demographic.

[@MrDanielfff777]

@@DipsyMum29 true

[@aydennichols3055]

@@DipsyMum29 however if you're young and all you can find is low pay and or 0 hours contracts you're not going to have a hope of being able to afford more than a room in a shared house, can see why so many young people just have kids to get housing

[@elliotoliver8679]

Maybe it works for a brain surgeon, not for 'ordinary' people

[@LilFoxyCosplay]

Worked zero hours contact in a shop and hated it they cancelled my first shift without telling me and were calling me on days I'd said I couldn't do it led to constant burnoutNever again

[@paullogan5240]

This battle cry of "flexibility and convenience in my day was simply known as a part time job. It carried the benefit and protections of holiday pay sick pay etc. Zero hours contracts are a cancer on the hard fought for rights of the labour movement and is simply a way of getting around them.

[@oneoflokis]

Yup!

[@milo2324]

Well said, mate!

[@sidtw13]

who the bloody hell are these people who are saying they like zero hours?

[@skootyboy123]

they are people whose other half makes a lot of money.

[@sidtw13]

@@skootyboy123 yeah, i know a few of them

[@thedarkness111]

Me. There's different types of zero hours contracts for me it gave me the freedom to pick and choose what days and times I wanted to work that's great for creating a good work life balance. And no I don't even have a partner I'm completely self-sufficient.

[@sidtw13]

@@thedarkness111 but for the vast majority of zero hours workers its little more than slavery. i take it you're not a warehouse or care worker or

[@thedarkness111]

@@sidtw13 You'll notice I said there were different types of zero hours contracts. I don't agree with ones that leave people with job insecurity but some to work out great for the employee because they give flexibility. I never said there were no problems with them but banning them would screw over those employees who like them as well as those who don't. In your OP you seemed to think that it was untrue that some employees benefit from zero hours so I was pointing out that you're wrong.

[@JS-hc4ok]

Is it me or are the Tories just evil?

[@robinmcewen3286]

Why are the Tories evil? Blair's government encouraged the mass migration that made low wages the norm for unskilled workers. Last time I checked that gvt wasn't Conservative. Migrant workers provide an endless supply of staff willing to accept low wages. Which is it you abhor? Evil tories objecting to mass immigration or Labour that created it? Zero hours is hideous, I agree. But it's not the result of a Tory gvt. It's the result of Britain embracing American working practices. And it's why we have employment opportunities and Europe doesn't. Not saying it's good. But it's a fact.

[@cameronburnett116]

Tam Smith Blair was a neo Liberal which is just a conservative who enact capitalism on a global scale eccentrically no difference from a tory

[@guitar999able]

the middle class will always disappear under the tories. Everytime they get in there are riots

[@FergC20]

No it’s you Jacob mate

[@philipbanwell8926]

There is only one winner of the 0 hour contract,and that IS the employer......

[@michaelrch]

As Ken says, it would be excusable if workers had the same rights to tell employers they were taking the day off, but they don't. It's unequal and exploitative. And the school head's input was pointless. She was just explaining precisely why zero hours contracts are so useful for employers - because employers save money and don't take any risk. All those savings come out of the pockets of workers and the risks are all passed to the workers.

[@KentReynolds]

they are supposed to be able to or its not a zero hours contract but in practice its different

[@wovokanarchy]

Corporations run society, governments is their tool.

[@justlistenfornow]

Zero Hour Contract is a mechanism for maximum labor exploitation. It was designed for the employers' benefit, not for employees' flexibility. Zero Hour Contract empower employers to enslaves workers and kick the employees in the trash when they are no longer needed.

[@joebloggsgogglebox]

I did a zero hours contract because I needed a job fast and that was all I could get. It was just a temporary thing when I was going through some financial hardship. It took a lot longer to get started & receive my first pay cheque than I hoped because of all the admin I had to go through, but I'm very grateful to the people that gave me that opportunity.

[@splinterbyrd]

There's always been flexible hours jobs, which suit some people. I once was working for a care agency, and the flexible hours were brilliant, especially when I was a student. The difficulty is though that the work isn't guaranteed, and if anything goes wrong there's not much protection. Any zero hours contract staff reading this, make sure you join a union.

[@iandanks52]

She makes it sound like a choice of the hrs you work, you accept 0hrs one week and 70 hrs another and everything in between or you're fired, opt out of over 48hr week you're not employed, you have no choice to work part time it is forced if that is what they need. Also if they need 13hrs a day 7 days a week you do it or fired

[@oneoflokis]

Yes. It seems to be all the employers' choice, not the workers'.

[@KantoCafe715]

This was recommended to me today even though it’s obviously years ago. The title shocked me. The idea that zero hour contract means that the worker gets to choose the hours 😅omg that makes me so angry. How stupidly out of touch .

[@bar10ml44]

The man in the pink shirt doesn’t look short of money. He wasn’t asked what he’s doing in work. He wasn’t asked if he owned his own house.

[@Gamer_Sebby]

Zero hour contracts can work great if the set-up and communication is right from the beginning - and that goes both ways, for the employer and employee. I employ someone on a zero-hours contract as they are a professional athlete and they attend tournaments up and down the country with a differing schedule every week. So we communicate at the end of every week to see which days they can and can't work and we work around that. A rigid 9-5 Mon-Fri job simply wouldn't work for them, without zero hours contracts I would have no choice but to dismiss that employee as standard contracts simply don't allow a reasonable amount of flexibility for this employee. Zero hours contracts absolutely work, it just requires a good level of communication between employee and employer.

[@senseisapphire7763]

Agency work is a joke, 0 hour contracts are negotiable and it works for some but if not if you require a set amount of money each month for house and bills which is most people again. That lady gaslighting the problem

[@stevewalsh-balshaw1727]

I'd give every politician a zero hour contract along with overpaid minor celebs

[@oneoflokis]

Yeah! 😄👍

[@DarrenHill-k2x]

I won't be calling them to come in to work 😅

[@beldiman5870]

Zero Hours Contract is an OXYMORON. A contract by its definitions implies a mutual obligation between employee and employer. But Zero Hours mean that the employer does not have to offer the employee any specific amount of working hours. Yes he can give the employee 40 hours of work each week the whole year around but he can as well not offer him any work for months or only a few hours a week, whatever. Employer does not have any obligations towards the employee.

[@limouzine1529]

I can't believe how some people claim that zero-hour contracts are good for them! This is like claiming that slavery is somehow in a twisted and perverted way , good for slaves.

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks so much for posting and great to see Ken Loach here!!

[@ElectricInevitability]

Gig economies are exploitative... Simple as that. If you work full time at the same business for two months then they should be set on as permanent staff. Those who want to work that way fair enough but agencies are now being misused as years ago 80% of staff were permanent and agencies were for busy periods where maybe 20% were used. It's now the other way round where most employees are being exploited on zero hour contracts now even though basically they work full time for the business.

[@nidogaming.]

Luistertoets was weer echt een drama

[@nikkianoukdezwart8981]

weet je welke fragmenten er nog meer waren? welke van fake news was bijvoorbeeld

[@nidogaming.]

@@nikkianoukdezwart8981 ik heb gekeken, en er zijn veel afleveringen van fake news dus ik kan het niet zo snel zoeken. Ik weet wel dat dit fragment en die van fake news de enige twee fragmenten van bbc zijn. De rest is waarschijnlijk ingesproken.

[@nikkianoukdezwart8981]

@@nidogaming. oh oke dankjewel!!

[@nikkianoukdezwart8981]

@@nidogaming. waar gingen de andere fragmenten over?

[@nidogaming.]

@@nikkianoukdezwart8981 1- Deze video (6 minuten lang fragment, daarna vragen) 2- Fake news (Woord weggelaten, kiezen uit twee opties) 3 - Organisatie die zich bezighoud met hulp in ontwikkelingslanden 4 - Nieuwsberichten (3 stuks) 5 - Docent op het Engels vmbo

[@MikeStarKaraokeUK]

Sports Direct are one that give 0 Hours Contracts. What are people going to live on fresh air max😂

[@mardigbidanian7119]

The problem is very clear the UK is a country of 65-70 million people . This means that there is not enough decent jobs to go round. Hence there needs to be more investment to create opportunities for decent employement . Investment should come from companies and the government . There is too much competition for jobs in the UK

[@bonecrunchermcthackery7229]

Exploitation and it's big companies that are doing it as well. Just had this from Royal Mail for the past 3 years. Using promise of a permanent contract like a carrott on a stick, then all of a sudden "work has dried up, see you later, needs of the business, etc". Scumbaggery of the worst kind.

[@oneoflokis]

There's another one that needs to be (re)nationalised!

[@Sars-jy6vr]

Yes this! I had this working as a teaching assistant for education agencies

[@johnvaccaro7489]

It’s not exploitation the only people who are exploiting zero hour contract are agencies that pay low wages but charging big companies high rates get rid of agencies and pay better money on zero hour companies would take on people with no ties

[@leehenry5764]

This yank has no clue about Zero hour contracts in UK. Who wants to turn up at work and then be sent home? These people have never worked in warehouses. Work for Yodel or Mick cashley and then see if they like zero hours.

[@amrajkhan8354]

She works for a right wing think tank

[@robbibittybob20]

Kate Andrews is in a welfare program tbh

[@mrsthelens1]

depending who the agency are that take you on give you 4hrs pay if sent home, that needs to be with all acencies to stop them over booking people

[@roanbranje6497]

strijders iemand antwoorden van engels luistertoets 2023?

[@Oscar17]

hahaha

[@savelabourorg]

Couldn't have put it better myself Ken! It's deeply alarming where our country is headed.

[@JS-el5qz]

Work as and when you want! Pay the mortgage as and when you want 🙄.

[@DipsyMum29]

Self employment and zero hour contracts were a way for the rich to undermine unions and destroy workers rights. I know a lady who is a delivery driver and she can’t ever have a holiday because she needs to find someone to take her route. I would recommend people watch ‘sorry we missed you’.

[@daveayerstdavies]

Freedom or exploitation? The freedom to exploit people and circumvent employment law.

[@mrsanity]

Zero hours contracts as utilised by my employer are not a negative at all. They get paid 10% extra as 'holiday pay', and their week's hours are assigned the previous week, and as such don't change once allocated. The employer tactic of assigning shifts on the day, turning people away at the workplace with no notice should be outlawed

[@Jess140594]

I’ve worked on zero hour contracts. The ONLY perk is that you’re not obliged to work, so if you need next Wednesday off at short notice then you can have it no quarrels because you just ask for zero hours on that day. Other than that, they’re HELL

[@evegusman7626]

I'm guessing this Sarah Sanders look alike doesn't have a gig job.

[@nviz47]

Basing your intel on one survey isnt a good basis for your statistics/perception/analysis -- esp if you've not included who took the analysis. She made a good point for some cases where zero hours can work; but ignored the question: is it exploiting more OR better as a policy? So, more harm or less? Not considered. It can be good but it's also very exploitable as a substitute for job roles by contract - pay, hours employed guaranteed(income). It sounds like it's being abused in some industries and used kindly in others, pro actively. I think that the end part was very sad and compelling; there should be no debate that there's something wrong in the system at present if cases like that are happening.

[@sisteray3539]

It really is in the employers interests. And the point about not being able to get rental agreements and claim benefits is a major issue. There's no security and consistency

[@thedarkness111]

I think it very much depends on what you mean by a zero hours contract. If there's always going to be enough work but you get to pick what days and times you work to fit around your life it's great for employees. But if it's the type where some weeks you'll have no work and some weeks you'll have to work overly long hours to make up for it no way should that be allowed. I was an agency childcarer for a while on zero hours contract. I loved it it meant I could have days off whenever I wanted but I always had enough hours each week to live on. That's the good sort of zero hours contract but some people need more stability or at the very least need to have a set amount of hours each week even if they don't care what days they work. That's where it'#s exploitative.

[@stephenstone3106]

I feel so much better reading these comments, I thought I was on my own here. I worked at a company that says zhc work both ways , they don’t. If the employee says I’ll take tomorrow off, which he or she can. They won’t be called in again, will be deemed unreliable.

[@barrysmith1651]

Always be nice to workers they are the ones who make guillotines

[@nokking1108]

Zero hours by consent, Turkeys voting for Xmas

[@mick947]

Topping up their wages with another job should give her an indication that the wages are too low. Exploitation is the name of the game and always will be. The weak are easily divided and used.

[@MrRrrrobi]

i think zero hour contracts are incredibly powerful for society, but they have to be done right. People MUST be protected from exploitative employers. It only really works if each individual has zero hour contracts with multiple employers, so they can always get work when they need it, and each employer can pull from a pool of workers so they are never left without. That's were a GOOD middle man or agency SHOULD come in. zero hour contracts should not be banned, but exclusive zero hour contracts definitely should be banned. If you can't guarantee the work for someone, you should not be able to Insist they are there at your beck and call.

[@Bargee123]

When I started working at the age of 16. We had 4 hour contracts on a Saturday. Guaranteed work and money, which I know would suit those that are embroiled in the gig economy. I was expected to be flexible and so got more hours, above my contract which I could say yes or no to. I think it's important the employees are valued and there is two way communication and not exploitation in some of the most vulnerable cases. Workers rights were touched on, and the EU cited in this for both negative and positive reasons. (Norman Lamont didn't even give any explanation why the EU gets in the way. "It just does"). If we went back to "small hours" contracts then this exploitation might go away...

[@ruthlane1]

Loved Ken so much for mentioning my late husband Don Lane ❤

[@Shiteoutlander434]

This should be top comment.

[@dolliciouscustoms9844]

brit : yes its exploitation. American: no, get back to work! I mean the hell she' been taking to that said they were happy? st have come from a country with pretty dire prospects if they think working in the modern day slave market is a good thing! and its not FLexible work, its unsecure work, your boss can turn around and say I don't need you tomorow and that's it boom job gone

[@jayel1471]

Depends on the job. If it's a skilled, high-level job, then it probably works. If it's unskilled labour then it's exploitation.

[@sidtw13]

pink shirt man, high wage zero hours

[@nickbielby7095]

Its a crime against society that many parents need childcare, being forced by economic circumstance, where both have to work, and hand over care of their children to kiddy farms.

[@mrsthelens1]

the van driver hes on about sign's a contract that they will get a replacement if they want time off

[@mks8172]

What about the introduction of piece work and balancing what people can do in terms of skills training towards the proffesions to reduce the dependency on zero hour contracts though it may make skilled jobs the same way as min wage work.

[@elliotoliver8679]

Ken Loach makes awesome movies, a genius!

[@kappakappa1930]

The females totally avoided the industry, the hard working labouring men that have to keep track of theyre hours cause of dodgy agencies with no holiday pay or sick oay when injured from back breaking work

[@afgor1088]

because women aren't stupid enough to work for that. if you don't like it join a union and fight to be respected, don't blame women for your poor fortune

[@keifer7813]

I agree with the statement that it's all good as long as the employee can deny work as equally as an employer can. Too often, they require employees to work when needed, but offer no guarantee of work which is definitely an uneven power balance. Luckily, I know my rights and push back on this but I've worked with people (often foreigners) who get exploited because they don't know any better. Messed up

[@shaun1293]

Zero hour contracts allow American stores to make profits even though there’s barely any customers in them.

[@iBMRaGiNBuLLz]

The people who seem happy on them appear to be the ones who can dictate there own hours, where’s the majority fact is that the employee doesn’t get to choose their hours on zero contracts and can only get what they are given.

[@Spearsy1995]

I was on a zero hour contract when I worked at McDonalds and it had its benefits and vices in that. I could say which days I could work and there was greater flexibility when it came to exams etc however i had no certainty over my working hours which could vary from week to week - I could deal with this as I am a student who still lives with my mum and there was never a week where I didn’t have shifts. However not all companies who do zero hour contracts are like this and if you have a family to support and rent/mortgage to pay etc it’s not a good way to live and does amount to exploitation

[@Spearsy1995]

Edward Oliver 😂😂 in my defence this post was written at like midnight and I was in the mood for a rant- spelling and grammar aside I think I got my point across 🤦‍♀️

[@harding10B]

Why is the obvious so hard for people to see. Zero hours works for some not for others, legislate creatively to protect the later and permit the former, the problem seems to be those who believe in one size fits all solutions.

[@rossleeson8626]

When the bar is that low. It serves no one. I know people who have had herniae at work. They got fired, didn't get any comp and had to take weeks off work, unpaid. This hasn't been the way since since Victorian times.

[@utv5490]

It works for the cartels who run the agencies.

[@gavinbissell8847]

No full-time position should be a zero hour contract. On the other hand no hospital or medical unit would function without agency staff. There are minimum numbers of staff needed and if a staff member becomes ill or is injured then a replacement needs finding immediately or the place is running illegally.

[@MScott91]

Zero hours contracts are great for a very specific kind of need. To top up your wages, yes! If you need the flexibility because of other commitments (eg: whilst in full-time education) yes! But to use for full time finance...no. So for some businesses to only offer zero hours contracts, says to me that they don't care about their workers well-being to be able to find their lives sufficiently.

[@globetwig4401]

Kate Andrews seems an interesting character. She comes across as someone who has rehearsed a certain economic mantra so many times that she actually believes it. It does sound like she's a member of a cult. Very creepy. Like Katie Hopkins without the strait jacket.

[@mobyd7990]

Lamont !! Unbelievable ! These people are so effin selfish. Why don,t they ask the teacher if she is on zero ? and what pay rate .

[@heliotropezzz333]

There are different types of flexible contracts some where people can chose their hours and others where they can't and may find they have no hours at all at times. I think this discussion is muddling the two things up. Zero hours contracts are highly risky and the risk is all on the employee not the employer. Also if you have no control over your hours you can't plan your life. You can't be sure of picking children up from school or what days off you might have in future, so you can't plan for any time off.

[@oneoflokis]

This is it! The worker must be in control!

[@lastlast2078]

They work in certain circumstances but employers take advantage of them, using them to employ people to do a full time job but with the safety net if demand falls of being able to cut hours or cancel employment with no repercussion to the employer. Businesses do well, higher ups get bonuses and the monkeys at the bottom suffer.

[@AKM1963]

RICH PEOPLE WANT ZERO HOUR CONTRACTS, POOR PEOPLE DON'T WANT THEM.

[@TheLastCrumb.]

It should be illegal

[@RubyMarkLindMilly]

Bang on Ken he's a true working class hero

[@thevipgurlz2802]

After covid they will try to force upon many.....it is taking away the little rights employees have.How would you feel you come to work and they send you home after 2h because not busy?It is flexibilty to the employers only.

[@jamesbrooksbank3533]

It's both... the problem is, like with many things, the people running the companies. There are loop holes which need tightening and the path to exploitation along with a legal framework. The scale may be tipped towards the employer, but you work to equal it out, not throw away the scale.

[@Technicallyimright]

Of course it’s exploitation, next question.

[@MaireadMcGlynn74]

I don't agree with Zero Hour Contracts as it is not legal binding agreement between the employer and employee

[@khacemlouisditsully9114]

Meanwhile none of the MPs are under zero hour contracts 🤔

[@tiggerthecat5525]

And we do nothing about it. We deserve everything we get.

[@kneazle3603]

Keep your perverted nonsense out of the KZbin comment section

[@ernestomenendez9307]

Lead Generation and Sales roles enter in this category with the excuse of "massive earnings" when achieving targets. But not only they decrease your level any time and after few performance reviews you lose your job if you dont achieve their voracious humongous targets no mater you have been working for the companies for years. whoever defend these contracts has never been there or pass the blindly and now is in the top of the pyramid. I work in a company doing lead generation, and totally "respectfully" disagree wit this people who defend it. I been threatened to lose my ob over an over if I dont hit targets which put my family under incredible amount of pressure and I have seen lives being mess up in these companies. government has to stop these type of companies to be around.

[@oneoflokis]

Yes. And Corbyn would have done it! Shame voters preferred Brexshit. 💩💩💩😏

[@youreincredible1648]

I feel exploited been working 9 months at the same place no rights as the other workers no offer of a permenant role.

[@NewcastleFlyer]

Hello to my mother at 4:42 speaking sense

[@JAMAICADOCK]

The answer is of course both. Exploitation for some, freedom for others Obviously not a binary question, to pitch it as such is disingenuous. I mean the fact that some people like working zero hours contracts is immaterial. The percentage of people who prefer zero hour contracts does not negate the necessity to protect the people who don't.

[@utv5490]

Is Kate Andrews Douglas Murray in drag?

[@simonl2072]

Why aren't politicians on them?

[@paulh7360]

Specifically in the logistics/delivery business it is an outright con, unless you can do extreme hours and be ok with that and never get ill or have an accident, if your sick not only do you not get sick pay but you are contractually obliged to pay your employer for the days lost profits.

[@oneoflokis]

THAT'S the trouble! And that's the first element that should get banned. Jeremy Corbyn would have seen to that in an instant! 😡

[@uglyputs1978]

I got careers on 0 hour contracts and sometimes only getting 11 hours in a week and can't afford to live

[@paulslater9061]

I can't believe this question has to be asked is this where Britain's heading

[@sandrawales9599]

i really liked my job as a warehouse assistant simple job got paid for just doing what i normally do in the gym so i dont think its exploitation at all times

[@thecultofjohnnydelr.soulsw7010]

Public versus Private We hate the public sector getting looked after.

[@GrayDogNowIDK]

Exploitation definitely. How am I meant to have a social life or pay bills if I can have 48hrs when week and 5hrs the next?

[@jhjhjhjhjhjhify]

Who the hell is this Kate Andrews and what planet is she living on? Having done many jobs that were zero hour contract and knowing many women/mothers and university students in these jobs, as well as myself being an aspiring filmmaker at the time - all of whom supposedly benefit from this as Kate said - I can honestly say no one was happy with them. Either you were overworked or you got no shifts. The pay was always barely minimum wage. It didn't even benefit the businesses (I worked in pubs/bars at the time) as many people just got annoyed and left, leading to high staff turnovers. By the last jobs I worked in hospitality as a bar supervisor I would always negotiate a specific number of days/hours (by this point it was part time/only certain times of the week. No more no less unless I specified).

[@leeandrews5258]

Fiona Bruce as made question time BORING

[@Connect_with_Yourself]

Exploitation

[@BedsitBob]

I didn't hear Richard Leonard condemning those MPs, in his own party, employing people on zero hours contracts. People in glass houses ..............

[@bigtatties]

Such a frustrating watch that was, I probably would've had to walk if I was ken

[@jasonsender6568]

I’m sorry but the majority of people on this thread have never been on one and yet are calling it exploitation. I am on one currently, and it’s genuinely the best type of contract I could have hoped for. It allows me so much flexibility that just isn’t possible otherwise. I think realistically people should be more wary of whether the contract type they are signing actually suits what they need. It’s easy to sign onto one and then realise it doesn’t suit you, but you can’t really then turn around and blame someone else for your lack of understanding. Different contracts suit different people, and the problem here is with people not realising what their contracts bind them into, and also with some scummy companies that abuse those contracts.

[@utv5490]

What sort of work are you doing on your zero hours contract?

[@jasonsender6568]

The Duke Of Leopard life guarding

[@utv5490]

@@jasonsender6568 Did you get a choice of a zero hours contract or another type?

[@jasonsender6568]

The Duke Of Leopard If I wanted to request a full time or part time contract I could, but zero hours is just so much better for me because it puts me under no obligations. If I want to I can spend half my time working at a different leisure centre, and legally theirs nothing anyone can do to stop me.

[@utv5490]

@@jasonsender6568 Who pays for your training?

[@RobbieKing-j8b]

Zero hour contracts only help the students or young.who got no bills to pay.and still live with mammy and daddy.and who even made these up should at least work a month on one and see how terrible it is.working for a weeks wages in a month.

[@craigbanbury]

A zero hour contract... Is not effectively a contract.

[@thecultofjohnnydelr.soulsw7010]

So sacking someone = reducing the following week's hours. WTF 🤬😨 Feck the private employer🤷🏻‍♂️the public doesn't have to put up with being fired just like that ❌

[@DamoMcDermott]

Exploitation 100%

[@rossleeson8626]

That red tape she speaks of. Is that the same red tape her think tank is gonna cut to make chicken coup flats which are at the moment illegal? The same red tape that led to Grenfell. That red tape?

[@nax1807]

if zero hours is such an issue, why are people working those jobs instead of one which offers a consistent weekly hours?? it seems the ones complaining are the ones working those jobs and therefore, encouraging the practice.