Labour will tomorrow (Wednesday) use an Opposition Day debate in the House of Commons to demand action to stop rising insecurity at work under David Cameron, and call for an end to the exploitation of workers on zero-hours contracts at a time when families are facing the biggest living standards crisis in a generation.

According to recent estimates there could be as many as one million workers employed on zero-hours contracts - with a spike since the Tory-led Government took office - and they are now used in one in five workplaces.

After concerns were raised by Labour on the official figures for the number of those on zero-hours contracts, the Office of National Statistics is looking again at how it evaluates its estimate. In spite of this, the Government is still using the ONS’ older figure, claiming there are 250,000 people on zero-hours contracts.

The Tory-led Government has failed to act on zero-hours contracts. It emerged that a ‘review’ of the issue initiated by Business Secretary Vince Cable earlier this year consisted of three officials spending part of their time “speaking informally” with stakeholders.

In contrast, last month Ed Miliband announced plans to ban exploitative zero-hours contracts by:

• Banning employers from insisting that those on zero-hours contracts are available even when there is no guarantee of any work;
• Stopping zero-hours contracts that require workers to work exclusively for one firm
• Ending the misuse of zero hours contracts where employees are in practice working regular hours over a sustained period.
• Putting in place a code of practice on the use of zero-hours contracts

Norman Pickavance, the former Human Resources Director of Morrisons, is consulting with businesses and stakeholders on the implementation of Labour’s plan.

Chuka Umunna MP, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, said:

“Under David Cameron we have seen rising insecurity at work, compounding the living standards crisis which families are facing across Britain.

“There are instances where zero-hours contracts can work for employees who want flexibility but, while they were once a marginal and niche element of the labour market, under the Tory-led Government we have seen them become the norm in parts of our economy.

“While the Government has failed to address the worrying rise in zero-hours contracts and the rising insecurity which this has created for people at work, Ed Miliband has announced firm action to outlaw these contracts where they exploit people. We are now pressing ministers to act and adopt our plan.”

The text of Labour’s Opposition Day motion is: 

That this House notes the marked rise in the use of zero-hours contracts with recent estimates that as many as a million employees are on them and that they are used in over a quarter of workplaces contributing to growing insecurity for families across Britain; and therefore calls on the Government to initiate a full consultation and formal call for evidence on the use of zero-hours contracts and on proposals to prevent abuses by: stopping employees on zero-hours contracts being required to work exclusively for one employer, stopping the use of contracts that require zero hour workers to be available on the off-chance they are needed but with no guarantee of work, banning the use of zero-hours contracts where employees are in practice working regular hours and putting in place a code of practice on the use of zero-hours contracts.