Zero Hours Contracts in Hounslow

Councillor Curran says not

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The Evening Standard recently cited a number of Labour councils that use zero hours contracts that offer no job security or minimum hours. One of these was Hounslow.

Cllr Steve Curran said:

“We don’t have any ‘zero hour’ contracts, but we do have a number of staff on casual contracts which don’t have any specified hours.

“This includes 22 staff working in our transport team and 16 staff in adult social care, who are approved to work with the service users, and provide a recognisable face when usual staff are away.

“This sort of contract is a very good fit with this sort of work and most importantly, it suits the employees who do it. It is also much more economical for the council than using agency staff for cover. The employees concerned also benefit from a Hounslow Council contract – including holiday entitlement and the London Living Wage - which offers more then an agency contract might.

“We also apply these contracts differently to some private sector employers. So for example, we would never discriminate against someone who for couldn’t accept an offer of work, by not making any future offers to them.

“We constantly review our contracts, but are currently satisfied that arrangements are appropriate and fair and allow the Council to make sure services are not affected by unexpected peaks in demand or absence of permanent staff.”

 


August 20, 2013

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