The news that the number of people working on zero-hours contracts has risen to a record high has prompted fresh … Continue reading “Why zero-hours contracts are a good thing”

John McDonnell’s speech to the Labour Party conference contained a large number of commitments, some old and some new. Those … Continue reading “Verdict on John McDonnell’s labour market policies: each measure is bad individually; the package is worse than the sum of the parts”

The Taylor Review – introduced in the first chapter by ‘Matthew’, as our demotic times seem to require – is … Continue reading “Matthew Taylor’s Seven Pillars of Employment Wisdom”

After a false start (when only 18 promises actually made it online), Labour has revealed a 20-point plan to ‘improve … Continue reading “Labour’s 20-point plan – the good, the bad and the downright ugly”

Zero-hours contracts. High prices. Benefit cuts. Unemployment. Childcare costs. According to the international development charity Oxfam, the combination of these … Continue reading “Oxfam are one club golfers – for them more government is always the answer”

Over the past week, there have been trade union protests about both low hourly pay and zero hours contracts. On … Continue reading “From zero hours contracts to living wages, who will speak for the union ‘outsiders’?”

One million people on zero hours contracts, scream the media – quoting figures released today by the Chartered Institute of Personnel … Continue reading “Zero-hours contracts have their place in the labour market”

Zero-hours contracts are in the news again, with Vince Cable last week announcing an enquiry into this type of arrangement. … Continue reading “Why zero-hours contracts should not be banned”