The UK has experienced a significant increase in insecure, low-paid work over the past 14 years, with a record high of 4.1 million people now in precarious employment, according to a new report by the TUC. This rise in insecure work has outpaced secure forms of employment, with one in eight workers now affected.
This surge in insecure work has primarily been driven by lower-paid sectors, highlighting the need to improve workers’ rights and ensure fair wages. The TUC’s general secretary, Paul Nowak, emphasized the detrimental impact of this trend on growth, productivity, and living standards across the UK.
Ruth Wilkinson from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health stressed the association of non-permanent work with poor working conditions and health risks. Businesses have a fundamental duty to protect the health and safety of all workers, regardless of their contractual status.
Nowak endorsed Labour’s “new deal for working people” as a chance to reset, advocating for a ban on zero-hours contracts and improved rights from day one of employment. This plan aims to prevent exploitation of workers and ensure fair competition among employers.