UK
Power in a union in precarious workplaces – Niamh Iliff
By Niamh Iliff
Zero-hour contracts are often toted as a win-win, one where the worker and employer can both benefit and “decide” how much they work. In reality, this flexibility is a myth – one that benefits employers, not workers. These contracts gift employers with all the power, deciding how many hours to offer while workers are left in a constant state of uncertainty, never knowing how much they’ll earn from week to week. The employer – worker power dynamic is not ‘equalised’ under zero-hour contracts, but exacerbated, representing a heightened form of exploitation leaving workers vulnerable, with little control over their employment practise or financial stability.
The rise of zero-hour contracts began in the late 1990s, gaining prominence as a tool of neoliberal policies. By 2013, there were widespread calls to ban them. Instead, the government brought in a ban on the “exclusivity” clause, allowing workers to take on multiple zero-hour contracts. The result? Workers now face the burden of juggling several precarious jobs just to survive.
Today, over 4 million people in the UK are in insecure work, with more than 1 million on zero-hour contracts, a significant increase from 200,000 in 2012. This employment practise does nothing to offer true flexibility. Real worker autonomy comes from secure jobs with set hours, not contracts that threaten basic rights like guaranteed income, holiday pay and sick leave.
The danger is clear: unless we actively challenge and dismantle zero-hour contracts, they will continue to become the norm across the economy. As the UK deindustrialises and traditionally unionised jobs disappear, more workers are being forced into the insecure service sector, where these contracts are the norm. Without resistance, this precarious form of employment threatens all workers. The broader trade union movement must not only make space for organising the gig economy and prioritise marginalised workers in union structures, but place resources and support the workers actively organising in the sector.
In zero-hour contract workplaces, workers are deliberatively pit against one another, creating a climate where securing hours often depends on staying in management’s good graces. This breeds competition and division, undermining workplace solidarity. Organising in these conditions presents unique challenges the labour movement hasn’t seen for decades, demanding fresh approaches to worker solidarity.
Campaigns are being led by Unite, GMB and the Bakers’ Union against these contracts. Worker led strikes, protests, community led campaigning and political lobbying are emerging as critical tools in the fight against zero-hour contracts. These efforts are more than workplace grievances; they represent a broader movement to reclaim our collective rights and resist the erosion of job security. We must rethink and reapply standard union practise, with walkouts and viral social media campaigns becoming vital tools for reaching young, precarious workers and building community between atomised staff.
Unite Hospitality, the union representing thousands of young people on zero-hour contracts exemplifies this shift. By collaborating with grassroots movements and social campaigning with local communities, we’ve managed to secure recognition agreements in venues across the UK, protecting workers victimised by these contracts. Young people, at the forefront of this movement, are proving that we can build power and workplace democracy in precarious workplaces one case at a time.
While the Labour government has proposed the banning of zero-hour contracts in their New Deal for Working People, we cannot wait passively for legislative change. The struggle to abolish these contracts and challenge the power dynamic of employers will only succeed through collective organising and grassroots action. Without pressure from below, any legal reform will be hollow.
Unions like GMB and Unite offer resources specifically designed for workers in precarious roles, helping us organise, understand our rights and build solidarity in our workplaces. The first step is communication; talk to your colleagues, share your experiences and recognise that your struggles are shared, and join a union. It is only through collective action that we can confront the system that survives on our exploitation.
Organising at work and in our communities is a radical act of resistance against zero-hour contracts that thrive on isolating workers. The contracts are not merely a symptom of inequality, but a mechanism designed from the systemic exploitation of young and precarious workers. To end this, we must confront it head-on through collective action, both in the workplace and beyond.
A world where secure, dignified work is a reality for all is completely possible, but we must fight for it. It will not be gifted to us for free. Young and precarious workers stand on the frontlines of this struggle, and it is through our united efforts that we can dismantle these oppressive systems and build a future where exploitation is a thing of the past.
- Niamh Iliff is a Unite Hospitality activist and West Midlands Youth Rep on Labour’s National Policy Forum – you can follow her on twitter here.
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