Advertisement
UK markets open in 2 hours 34 minutes
  • NIKKEI 225

    39,892.13
    +151.73 (+0.38%)
     
  • HANG SENG

    16,550.23
    -186.87 (-1.12%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    82.57
    -0.15 (-0.18%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,162.50
    -1.80 (-0.08%)
     
  • DOW

    38,790.43
    +75.63 (+0.20%)
     
  • Bitcoin GBP

    51,210.76
    -2,548.85 (-4.74%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • NASDAQ Composite

    16,103.45
    +130.25 (+0.82%)
     
  • UK FTSE All Share

    4,218.89
    -3.20 (-0.08%)
     

Labour To Crack Down On Zero-Hours Contracts

Workers on zero-hours contracts will be able to demand a regular contract after 12 weeks under proposals set to be announced by Ed Miliband.

The Labour leader will promise to outlaw "exploitative" zero-hours contracts in a commitment to be included in Labour's election manifesto.

The proposal strengthens Labour's previous policy on the contracts, which sought to give workers the right to a regular contract after 12 months.

:: For full coverage of General Election 2015 click here

Mr Miliband first set out the 12-week proposal in 2013 at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference, but later backtracked.

ADVERTISEMENT

A spokesman for the party leader said the change back to 12 weeks would incorporate 92% of people on the controversial employment terms.

The proposal is expected to include exemptions for employees such as so-called bank nurses, who request a zero-hours contract so they can work at another hospital as well as their usual job.

The Coalition Government sought to prohibit exclusivity clauses in zero-hours contracts, but the Labour Party argues this does not go far enough.

The announcement comes after Prime Minister David Cameron admitted that he could not live on a zero-hours contract during questioning from Jeremy Paxman on Sky News' Battle For Number 10 programme.

Mr Miliband is expected to say zero-hours contracts have become a symbol of a low-wage, low-skill economy.

In reference to Mr Paxman's interview with the Prime Minister, the Labour leader will say: "If Cameron can't live on it, nor should you - Labour will give workers a legal right to a regular contract, not a zero-hours contract.

"Today I can announce that in our first year of government after the election, Labour will legislate for a new principle: If you are working regularly, you have a legal right to a regular contract."

But a Conservative spokesperson has accused Labour of "presiding over zero-hours contracts" for 13 years.

"Zero-hours contracts account for just one in 50 jobs in our economy," the spokesperson said.

"This Government has already banned the abusive ones - and all the while Labour presided over zero-hours contracts with no safeguards for three terms and 13 years while they were in power.

"Tony Blair even promised to ban them entirely as far as back as 1995 and then did nothing.

"The fact is that three quarters of the new jobs since this Government came to office are full-time - these are families across the country getting into work with the security of a regular pay packet."

:: Watch the seven-way leaders' debate live and in full from 8pm on Thursday on Sky News, on Sky (Other OTC: BSYBF - news) channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 132, Freesat channel 202, and on the Sky News website.