Drop in ‘zero-hours’ employees

THE number of Scots on so-called “zero-hours” contracts has fallen, new figures have revealed.

Between October and December last year, 57,000 people were employed under the controversial agreements, whereby their employers were not obliged to provide minimum working hours.

This was a decrease of 2000 compared to the same three-month period in 2015. By contrast, the number of people on zero-hours contracts around the UK as a whole jumped by 101,000 to 905,000.

SNP MSP George Adam said: “Zero hours contracts are being used to exploit workers.

“Employees are too often denied regular or sufficient working hours or penalised for not being available to work.

“This is a root cause of poverty and has a negative knock-on effect.

“The SNP has consistently argued for the full devolution of employment and equalities law, including minimum wage powers.”

Earlier this month it was reported the UK Government was considering a new working classification to try to offer people on zero-hours contracts more employment rights.