Black workers ‘overrepresented on zero-hours contracts’

BLACK and minority ethnic (BME) women are twice as likely to be on zero-hours contracts as white men, research suggests.

The TUC said its analysis of official data showed that BME workers, particularly women, were more likely to be employed on some of the worst contracts.

The union organisation said the study showed that 5.9% of BME women in work are on zero-hours contracts compared with 2.7% of white men.

BME workers were said to be “significantly overrepresented” on zerohours contracts compared with white workers.

The TUC said its report, published ahead of its Black Workers Conference

today, showed that the disproportionate number of BME workers on zero-hours contracts is a “prime example” of structural racism in action.

BME workers – particularly women – are more likely to be on the “some of the worst contracts, with the worst pay and conditions”, according to the union body.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Zero-hours contracts are a nightmare for workers and a dream for bad bosses.

“They hand almost total control over hours and earning power to managers, making it nearly impossible for workers to plan their budgets and their wider lives.

“These are some of the worst contracts around, and BME women are twice as likely to be on these contracts as white men.

“That’s a prime example of structural racism in action.

“It’s time to end the scourge of insecure work once and for all, starting with a ban on zero-hours contracts, like Labour is proposing in its New Deal for Working People.”