Women locked into zero hours contracts

As the country undergoes a supposed economic recovery—one not felt by the majority of waged workers—zero-hour contracts have become an all too common reality, especially for women.

A new survey conducted by Survation in conjunction with the Fawcett Society, shows just to what extent women are being pummelled by these insecure contracts, which guarantee no hours, but require that workers be available at the employer’s whim.

The 1,003 women surveyed all earned less than £7.44. Of these women, an astounding one in three on low pay in London is on a zero hours contract. This suggests that low-paying work is inextricably linked to the added insecurities and stress of precarious work – not knowing when your next shift is, how many hours you’ll work or even whether you’ll get any hours at all.

Supporters of zero-hour contracts—mainly profit-hungry business owners—argue that the contracts have a place in the labour market, citing the so-called “flexibility” they can afford.

What many don’t realise is that zero hours contracts are flexible only for employers. For workers, on the other hand, the contracts often mean the very opposite of flexibility. In the survey, almost half of the women said they don’t work as many hours as they would like to. And the vast majority expressed fear that if they turned down a shift that they couldn’t take on, they would miss out on future work.

Smokescreen

Unite national officer for equalities Siobhan Endean considers the flexibility argument a smokescreen. She said, “[On zero-hour contracts,] it’s impossible to plan finances, commit to do anything or plan child care arrangements, and these jobs leave you isolated and unable to form a community at work let alone organise for union recognition.”

When asked why they were on zero-hours contracts in the first place, 75 per cent of the women polled said they were either forced into one by a Job Centre or employer, or it was the only work they could find.

Zero-hours contracts are indeed rampant in sectors that are dominated by women, but Endean cites this as proof that women, for all the skills and education they possess, are not valued in the workplace.

“The idea that women make a lifestyle choice to work in jobs with zero hours contracts because of the chance of some flexible hours is a myth that Unite continues to expose,” she said.

“Many of these jobs are in sectors dominated by women workers because gender discrimination in the labour market is very much alive and kicking,” Endean added. “Many employers still think that women should be low paid and undervalue the work that women do. Caring for children and elderly people is a highly skilled job mainly done by women but attracts some of the worst pay and conditions.”

The rise of zero-hours contract jobs among women will only further widen the wage gap between men and women, which, after slow and steady progress, is seeing a reversal for the first time in five years.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. “My message to women on zero hours contracts is to join your union and demand a contract with guaranteed hours and decent wages and conditions,” Endean said.