Opportunities for Zero Hours Workers

Opportunities for Zero Hours Workers

Started
3 January 2022
Signatures: 17Next Goal: 25
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Why this petition matters

Started by Sajid Hussain

There are those who earn well but don't get to spend time with their kids. And sometimes don't get a restful night's sleep.

There are those who earn less but enjoy more time with their beautiful children.
Which would you sacrifice? Earnings or time with the family?


Unfortunately, many people don't get either. No time for the family and not enough pay. In fact they have to work more hours to make ends meet.


They don't want more money.
They want more opportunities.


Please sign and share my petition.
https://chng.it/mWK9bwqH

Many thanks for reading and considering what I propose.

After the college I was working at went through a merger, many of us were made redundant including myself as they didn’t need a team of staff to look after their online course management especially when they were considering the most cost-effective system to use.

Over the past few years I have had a zero hours, temporary and supply work. As many of you may be aware, these can be unfair and difficult for anyone that relies on such work. In the early days my wages were dropped twice without any notice or consultation, and upon speaking to ACAS they advised that as a ‘worker’ there was nothing I could do about it. The government defines anyone on a zero-hour contract as a ‘worker’ and clearly distinguishes them from ‘employees’ who have rights. In one instance, I was not paid for over six months from a supply agency and I had to go through a tribunal and even then the full money owed was not paid. I could have pursued further through the court, but I would have lost days of work and struggled with bills.

I have a beautiful daughter and we attends dad’s club on the weekend. I volunteer what time I can with a youth club to help the local community. Unfortunately, I also worry about my future and my family. I have had colleagues turn up to work and then be told that there is no work and then sent home causing them to lose wages and travel costs. My current zero-hour employer has been the fairest of the ones I have worked with and I have stuck with them. Even they want up to six weeks of availability which is difficult to give not just because of the uncertainty, but because I am promising one employer my time and losing other potential jobs by doing so. Sadly I have witnessed bullying of workers by those who hold permanent positions and job security, as they are aware of our fragile position and know that it is easy for us to lose a job without any deliberation, investigation or mediation.

I wanted to do a course on Autism provided by the National Autistic Society as this would increase my chances of getting a permanent role and I could use the training in my current roles. I have approached my employers, but they have refused to help with costs. I have been reluctant to spend the couple of hundred pounds for the course because of the insecurity of my zero-hour position. While some agencies and companies may boast their CPD they have for workers, none of these in house CPD courses are recognised elsewhere.

I would like to propose that workers are given more security and opportunities to develop. If a worker is required to be available for a day, a week, a month or whatever the employer proposes then he/she should be compensated for this time even if there is no work. The compensation should be a pound or two per hour that the worker can claim towards any course they are interested whether a professional certificate, university degree or a career change. This should be the case if they worked or did not work these hours of availability given to the employer. I am hoping this creates a fairer system when asking workers to be available and more importantly allows workers to aspire to be something more valuable to their family and to society.

 

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Signatures: 17Next Goal: 25
Support now
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