Forums Forums General Forums A - Z Lifestyle Not impressed.

I suppose opinions will vary depending on individual circumstances. I, personally have never been out of work or claimed any sort of benefits. I have paid my mortgage, contributed to a private pension and managed to save a few bob. I am not on the bread line but I am not wealthy, neither am I blind. I look around and I see some people really struggling. Decent people who deserve better. The minimum wage has now become the norm for employers to pay, try living on it with a family to feed and clothe. This was never the intention. Part time work paying buttons is also the norm with the 'if you don't like it, leave. We'll get someone else' attitude from employers. There is no point in comparing yesteryears to today. we are naturally expected to make progress. I just do not see it anywhere.

Hello granny, not having a go, I too think you make many true and sensible comments, just pointing out that zero hours and agency work are different.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/UK_National_Minimum_Wage.svg

As far as I am aware that is a pay rise

Yes they are very different things.

A temporary job has definite hours for a specific period of time.

A zero hour contract means your employer can give you any amount of hours one week then none for the next 2 weeks making it impossible to budget for living expenses.

My lads just got temporary work (xmas post Royal Mail Chester) and was told the hours would be 10pm till 6am . First night they were sent home at 2am next few nights it was midnight till 6am. Just seems that the employers can screw you whatever type of contract your on.

Zubee:When we did temporary work in 1980's/1990's, we would register with an agency or numerous agencies with our CV (didn't have those then, just told them what experience we had) .
They would phone us on any day at any time and ask if we could take a job on. That could be for a day, a week, 2 weeks, or any amount of time. We were paid for the hours we worked only. Once we finished that job, we would call around the agencies we were registered with and let them know we were available again. Then the next jobs would come in. If we couldn't do them, that was fine but we were never without work even 'tho we may have worked in 3 or 4 different places in one week.
It didn't take long for each agency to realise who they could rely upon and who was prepared to take the work.
So, from that angle, maybe it has changed , but we never were given a definite amount of hours, only for when the companies needed us.
That sounds very much like the system of zero hours now, but if you're attached to only one employer then it obviously won't work.
Maybe the agencies have changed their policies too

Zero hours contracts make it impossible to live and budget.

A friend of mine who has 2 children was really pleased to be offered a job with Sports Direct, however it was a zero hour contract. She kept DWP informed and they (without her knowledge) 'signed her off'. She phoned Sports Direct every day for 6 weeks asking when she would be given hours only to be told they would be in touch.

All told she had zero income for over 9 weeks and was threatened with eviction.

The upshot is that the official 'unemployment' figure was reduced by 1 person who was consequently left in a horrendous situation.

Zero hours contracts can only be an option if you're still living at home with parents or your income isn't really a necessity to your household.

I think they should be abolished.

It actually sounds another fix created by the companies to override any legal aspects of employment.

Who takes people to cover holiday cover and sickness cover for admin positions or telephonist for example? The nursing and teaching have their 'banks', there must be some agencies doing that for other needs that arise in the workplaces .
I've been looking but can't find anything. ..but I did find this if anyone is interested. Catering

http://www.caterer.com/JobSeeking/Assistant-ManagerMill_Wirral_l11875_t1.html

Another angle of Care-work, from a Care- worker. http://touchstoneblog.org.uk/2014/1...e-care-worker-but-i-hate-the-insecurity/