Zero hours to blame for rise in strike action

THE number of strikes increased “sharply” last year, as a growing number of workers protest over zero-hour contracts, new research suggests.

A commercial law firm, EMW, said the number of strikes in the public and private sectors increased by almost half, from 66 in 2017/18 to 96 in 2018/19.

That number is set to rise following eight days of action by university lecturers, and ongoing walkouts on South Western Railway.

“Workers may feel skills shortages may give them the upper hand in negotiating, and industrial action shows that they mean business,” said a report by EMW.

“Alternatively, employees may just feel that direct action is the only way to produce the results they want.”