I have been reading several articles recently on zero hour contracts for workers. The latest one involves workers at a Hovis bakery in Wigan.
I believe a few Canadian companies are using these contracts but not as widespread as in the UK.
Do we think these zero hour contracts are good? How do BE readers feel about these types of contracts and how do they affect employees who have no idea of how many hours they will get or when in fact they will work next.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...hour-contracts

Such contracts are normal in the computer business in Canada. I would think they're usual in the fast food and retail sectors too. They're an issue in the UK because there's a history there of employer responsibility. There's no such responsibility incumbent on employers here; people can be fired this week, rehired next and fired again the week after so they effective work under zero hour contracts all the time (excepting government employees, of course).

That fuss is about employers trying to drag conditions down to those that pertain in the colonies. We're already there.

I doubt that such contracts are "normal" or "usual" in any sector of the economy here.

Well, I've worked under such an arrangement since 1986 and have "employed" maybe a hundred people that way, so I think I can say it's not unheard of. What sort of commitment do you think McDonalds or Tim Hortons makes to its part-time staff in Canada? How about Wal-Mart?

I know when I worked for McD's we had contracts with the number of hours we would work.

But which country was that in?

Wasn't this a reaction to changes in UK law that required giving fat benefits to anyone with a contract over X number of hours?

No-one in their right mind is going to sign a 'zero hour' contract if they really expect to get zero hours of work (unless it triggers some extra welfare benefits). It may not guarantee 20 hours, or whatever you actually want to work, but, if you don't get those hours, you'll find another job.

Canada.

McDonalds in Canada gave you a contract stipulating that you would be paid for a fixed number of hours per week? How many hours?

When I worked in it I did 5 night shifts set Sunday night to Thursday night. Friday/Saturday off. It was only different when I started as training doesn't usually occur during night shifts.

There are various other positions outside of normal "crew" jobs. Maintenance for example tend to be contracted to work nights for obvious reasons.

I beg to differ. Hamilton Health Sciences, for instance, regularly post 0.01 hour vacancies as do the City of Hamilton.

Many jobs in this area are posted as 0 or 0.01 hours.

Well the first one is listed as casual so it would seem reasonable that it wasn't set hours. Plus it's 1 opening.

The 2nd one sounds like an initial fishing expedition and they don't have the details yet. It doesn't even list how many positions may or may not be available.

I'm not convinced it's a "normal" thing though. I'm struggling to think of anyone I know who has one of these contracts. Does anyone here have family or friends on such contracts? If so, have you not given them a shake yet?

Both HHS and the City of Hamilton regularly post 0.01 positions, as do other companies in this area. You would be suprised!

I have a 0.01 position as a relief receptionist for CHCH on an on-call basis but I don't really count it as a job, lol.

I think you have to bear in mind that people take the 0.01 hours jobs in the hope that it will turn into either a proper part time or hopefully full time position - or give them an 'in' to the company which will enable them to apply for internal positions.

When you don't have a job, any port in a storm will do for the time being.

Looking through the HHS site at the moment. More than half the listed jobs are Full time. Of the 30 or so listed under "Part Time" some have specified hours and some have this 0 or 0.01 placeholder. On further inspection some of job details do mention words to the effect of "whenever and wherever required". Others say 0.01 but then have wording like "rotating shifts" or "choice of 2 shifts each day" which suggests there is some method in the background. Still others say "Monday-Saturday - days" which seems rather explicit.

There is also a listing that says "1 position" and then at the bottom says "There are 4 part time positions" with the job ID numbers. Then further on another listing that is a duplicate with a different ID that correctly mentions there are 4 positions. I think HHS needs a new data entry clerk

Indeed. I know from experience that your local McD's will likely be crying out for people to work in it and they'll not give you an hour a week either