TUC poll: Workers on zero-hours contracts want more security

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Monday, December 4th, 2017

GQR Research shows workers don’t take up ZHCs by choice and most want guaranteed hours

Two thirds of British workers currently on zero-hours contracts would rather have guaranteed hours, while only a third think a ZHC is the best choice for them. GQR’s poll of zero-hours contract workers for the Trades Union Congress also found that workers most often take up ZHCs because they are the only type of work available to them.

The challenges often associated with insecure work are very real for many workers on zero-hours contracts: just one in eight say they are entitled to sick pay and one in fourteen to redundancy pay. 43% say they do not get holiday pay.

These factors are surely associated with the fact that zero-hours contract workers are less satisfied with their jobs than those with guaranteed hours, and more likely to seek a new one.

 The research contributes to the TUC’s Great Jobs agenda, more information is here.

 GQR Research surveyed 300 workers on zero-hours contracts and 2987 other workers, all in Great Britain, online during August 2017. Results were weighted to the national profile of working people, by age, gender, ethnicity, full/part time contracts, public/private sector and industry. The zero-hours sample was separately weighted to national statistics for zero-hours workers, by gender, age, region, full/part-time hours and industry.

Data tables for the poll are available to download here.

For more information, contact GQR’s London Vice President Peter McLeod, on Twitter @mcleodp or info@gqrr.com.