A Chara, – The news that Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash intends to carry out a study into the prevalence of zero-hour and low-hour contracts and their impact on low-paid employees is welcome but research alone is no substitute for robust legislation to outlaw these ultra-exploitative practices.
Such zero-hour contracts are nothing more than the latest cynical use of the recession to further undermine working conditions and wages. They are an attack on the dignity and rights of workers.
Workers on these contracts are not guaranteed employment from one week to the next, have no guaranteed weekly hours or weekly income and are unable to take on other work as they have to be on constant call from employers.
Workers on zero-hour contracts are unable to get mortgages, plan family life and many have worries about putting food on the table. Employers use these contracts to keep staff in a permanent state of insecurity, cut wages and avoid paying pensions and holiday pay.
Over one million workers in Britain are contracted to this insecure form of employment and a recent study suggested that the practice is far more widespread than official figures estimate.
In Ireland, workers have at least some protection under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. But there is evidence, that despite legislation, many companies are using zero-hour contracts, predominantly in non-unionised workplaces in the service industries.
Even though several of these companies are large multi-nationals raking in millions of euro in profit, the State is in reality subsidising their low pay and exploitative practices through increased social welfare and family income supplements at an estimated cost of some €280 million per year.
Outlawing zero-hours contracts would immediately help improve the lives of thousands of low-paid workers.
It would save the taxpayer millions in reduced social welfare spending and boost consumer spending in the economy. – Is mise, etc, KEVIN P McCARTHY, Headford, Killarney, Co Kerry.