How Many Hours Do You Work Then?

And we're off!

So it turns out that McDonald's has joined Sports Direct in handing out the lucrative zero-hour contracts that has spread across the news. Now while neither company has any history of compassion towards their workers, it is still shocking that it is estimated that 90% of the people are employed on these contracts.

The revelation arguably came when Sports Direct was heralded as the new model business, profits increasing in this time of economic instability and paying out bonuses (up to £100,000 each) for the 2,000 shop floor staff. Only did people start to realise that the total staff for the company added up to around 20,000 and apparently they were not worthy of any such payout. 

Like anything we see two arguments for this. The conservative right resort to fear mongering claiming that a flexible market is why Britain hasn't crashed like the rest of southern Europe, who cares if your not entitled to holiday or sick pay or even any guaranteed hours from week to week, you should count your lucky stars you don't work in Greece! While the Left say it's awful and indefensible, the truth is that these contracts are not a new idea and had risen under New Labour when they clamoured after a new, cheap workforce but I suppose you could argue that Labour isn't 'Labour' any more, anyway that's a discussion for another day.

So I'll just leave you with a little exert from a Subway contract. Nice guys at that place. x

"The company has no duty to provide you with work."