UCU to press government over zero-hours contracts

Research from UCU released earlier this year suggested that there could be around one million workers in the UK on the contracts - a marked increase on recently revised estimations fromthe Office of National Statistics of just 250,000.

While many of the recent headlines around zero-hours contracts have focused on the low paid service sector, education is the sector second most likely to employ workers on zero-hours contracts.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The government needs to really look at the exploitative nature of zero-hours contracts. We shall be contributing to this review and making clear that employers cannot hide behind flexibility as a defence for their continued use.

'Without a guaranteed income, workers on zero-hours contracts are unable to make financial or employment plans on a year-to-year, or even month-to-month basis.'