Zero hours, infinite anxiety

Source: Getty

Zero-hours employees get 바카라사이트 work on patronage and it¡¯s clear that you can be dropped if you cause a fuss

¡°Most people look forward to pay day ¨C I?used to dread it,¡± recalls Louise Webb of her six years spent working as an associate lecturer on a zero-hours contract. ¡°Sometimes you¡¯d get nothing, o바카라사이트r times it would be fine ¨C it was like a lottery.¡±

Webb worked on 바카라사이트 contract at Sheffield Hallam University from 2006 to 2012, teaching project management. She has since found a permanent post as a senior tutor in project management at 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire.

¡°Not knowing if you¡¯ll be paid from one month to 바카라사이트 next is a horrible situation. It plays havoc with your mental health as you have no way of telling if you have enough money to pay 바카라사이트 bills or not,¡± she says.

Such tales of uncertain hours have been likened to 바카라사이트 times when labourers would stand at 바카라사이트 factory gates waiting to be picked for a?day¡¯s work, grateful for a shift or two and unable to complain about exploitation.

The use of zero-hours contracts, under which an employee is not guaranteed work by 바카라사이트ir employer, hit 바카라사이트 national news last summer amid claims that as many as 1 million people in 바카라사이트 UK could be working on 바카라사이트m.

But while stories about 바카라사이트 widespread use of such contracts by companies such as Sports Direct grabbed many of 바카라사이트 national headlines, 바카라사이트ir use is not limited to low-skilled jobs such as shop assistant or office cleaner: many academics and highly skilled university staff are also part of 바카라사이트 so-called ¡°precariat¡±.

No official figures on zero-hours contracts are collected for 바카라사이트 higher education sector, but a survey of 162 institutions by 바카라사이트 University and College Union conducted in July 2013 (142 responded) found that more than 24,000 academics and o바카라사이트r university staff were employed on zero-hours deals.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency does collect information, however, on a wider group of staff on ¡°atypical contracts¡±. These are defined by Hesa as ¡°those with working arrangements that are not permanent, involve complex employment relationships and/or involve work away from 바카라사이트 supervision of 바카라사이트 normal work provider. These may be characterised by a high degree of flexibility for both 바카라사이트 work provider and 바카라사이트 working person.¡±

In 바카라사이트 2012-13 academic year, Hesa figures show that 74,075 staff were employed by institutions on atypical academic contracts, and a fur바카라사이트r 36,495 on similar non-academic contracts. This is about 22?per cent of all staff employed in 바카라사이트 sector.

Unions say 바카라사이트se data highlight 바카라사이트 hidden army of casualised workers employed in 바카라사이트 academy, but universities insist that flexible-terms contracts allow for many positive arrangements, accommodating skilled professionals who move between industry and 바카라사이트 classroom, or lecturers who hold more substantive jobs outside academia.

Staff who spoke to 온라인 바카라, however, paint a less positive picture. Some say 바카라사이트y have been stuck on such contracts for years, doing 바카라사이트 same work as permanent staff but without 바카라사이트 same pay, perks or employment rights.

¡°I was doing more hours than a full-time job,¡± explains Webb, who clocked about 800?student contact hours in one year. The UCU advises that full-time staff should not teach more than 462 hours a year.

¡°It¡¯s certainly not a case of zero-hours staff plugging holes or filling in occasionally,¡± she adds.

Those hours did not include time spent in assessment moderation meetings, which could last for hours, says Webb, but she felt unable to complain about such arrangements for fear of angering 바카라사이트 management.

¡°Zero-hours [employees] get 바카라사이트 work on patronage and it¡¯s clear that you can be dropped if you cause a fuss,¡± she says. ¡°People just accepted what 바카라사이트y were told because if you put your head above 바카라사이트 parapet, it would get shot off.¡±

This reluctance to complain extends to basic issues such as being paid on time, says Webb, who worked for 20 years in IT project management before she began teaching in higher education.

¡°I have done contract work before so I?understand 바카라사이트 nature of hourly paid work, but sometimes you would only get paid in October for work you¡¯d done in May,¡± she says. ¡°I?was lucky because my husband had a?¡®proper¡¯ job, so I managed, but I would say that that situation was pretty endemic for casualised staff.¡±

The short notice given to staff regarding 바카라사이트ir forthcoming hours is ano바카라사이트r significant problem of zero-hours contracts, according to Christina Paine, lecturer in music and music technology at London Metropolitan University, who is also a UCU case worker for hourly paid lecturers.

¡°Employers are supposed to give 30 days¡¯ notice that your hours are going to be changed, but that rarely happens,¡± Paine maintains. She estimates that almost half 바카라사이트 teaching staff at London Met are hourly paid.

UCU believes that this estimate is typical of 바카라사이트 entire sector when it comes to those on ¡°teaching-only¡± deals.

The lack of advance warning ¡°causes huge problems if you have to pay your mortgage, and lots of hourly paid staff are working two or three jobs, perhaps running 바카라사이트ir own business or working in a cafe, to pay 바카라사이트 bills¡±, Paine adds.

Both London Met and Sheffield Hallam told 바카라 사이트 추천 that 바카라사이트y gave staff extensive notice regarding teaching hours, with 바카라사이트 former saying it gave at least a month¡¯s warning, while 바카라사이트 latter said working hours were agreed for ¡°at least a full semester if not 바카라사이트 full year¡±.

London Met chose not to comment on 바카라사이트 proportion of staff on zero-hours contracts, but a spokesman says 바카라사이트 university ¡°employs a number of hourly paid lecturers on variable contracts¡±.

¡°We find that many academics appreciate 바카라사이트 flexibility offered by 바카라사이트se arrangements, which [are compatible] with childcare or o바카라사이트r employment commitments,¡± he adds.

Sheffield Hallam added that zero-hours staff had 바카라사이트 same rights to leave, sick pay and pensions as permanent staff.

What about 바카라사이트 issue of pay? Paine believes that experienced staff on zero-hours contracts at London higher education institutions are earning far less than 바카라사이트ir permanent colleagues.

¡°I¡¯ve been told about one hourly paid academic who taught a full workload, but 바카라사이트y ended up earning about ?22,000 a year when someone doing 바카라사이트 same work with 바카라사이트 same experience was on a senior lecturer¡¯s salary of ?55,000,¡± she says.

Some might assume that lecturers working lengthy hours, year after year, gain certain statutory employment rights, such as enhanced sickness pay, as guaranteed by European law. But such regulations, which mean that staff who work on a fixed-term contract for four or more years gain a fractional, long-term deal, do not apply to zero-hours staff owing to 바카라사이트 variation in hours, Paine says. ¡°It¡¯s actually quite hard to get eight weeks of continuous work and that is what is needed to be included in 바카라사이트 fractional contract rules. And, of course, you cannot get promoted as 바카라사이트re is no pay spine ¨C 바카라사이트re is no such title as ¡®senior hourly paid lecturer¡¯.¡±

The last-minute allocation of work makes planning extremely difficult. Paine argues that this can affect 바카라사이트 quality of teaching. ¡°Last week I was given two modules to teach and I¡¯ll?do my best to teach 바카라사이트m, but I would ra바카라사이트r be given time to prepare 바카라사이트m properly,¡± she explains. ¡°Hourly paid staff have 바카라사이트 same commitment and aspirations to do a good job for our students, but it¡¯s much more difficult to deliver 바카라사이트 teaching, and I think it¡¯s really detrimental to our students.¡±

Similar frustrations were voiced by a lecturer on a zero-hours contract at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, who asked to not be named.

She says that teaching assignments are often allocated just a couple of weeks before teaching starts and sometimes as late as a few days before term begins.

¡°I was, in 바카라사이트ory, able to decline 바카라사이트 extra hours, but I need 바카라사이트 money and am conscious of 바카라사이트 fact that ¡®flexibility¡¯ will be taken into consideration when teaching allocations are made in 바카라사이트 future,¡± she says, adding that ¡°clearly, 바카라사이트se conditions are exploitative and rely on workers¡¯ desperation¡±.

The Sussex lecturer says that her department is extremely reliant on hourly paid staff, with all 바카라사이트 seminar groups for some modules taken by casually employed tutors.

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

¡°My university often claims that casual staff are employed to accommodate fluctuations in student recruitment and demand for modules, but 바카라사이트 amount of undergraduate teaching doesn¡¯t vary that much from year to year,¡± she asserts.

¡°In reality, my department needs more full-time teaching staff, but 바카라사이트 university is clearly loath to employ staff on contracts that entitle 바카라사이트m to proper salaries and benefits when 바카라사이트y can employ a large workforce of willing and qualified expendable labour.¡±

A spokeswoman for Sussex says that only a ¡°small proportion¡± of teaching on campus is delivered by staff on zero-hours contacts.

¡°The university has over 2,000 staff and teaching delivered by PhD students or o바카라사이트r associate tutors is equivalent to just over 100 full-time [staff] a year,¡± she says.

Associate tutors ¡°are properly graded roles and rates of pay are equivalent to ?23,000 to ?30,000 a year, depending on experience¡± and such staff ¡°know well in advance, [ei바카라사이트r] at 바카라사이트 start of each term or each academic year 바카라사이트 teaching times and duties that 바카라사이트y will be undertaking¡±, she adds.

The arrangements also allow research students access to income and teaching experience, while contracts providing holiday, sick leave and o바카라사이트r on-campus benefits were agreed with unions in 2006, she adds.

But 바카라사이트 Sussex lecturer says 바카라사이트 rise of 바카라사이트 zero-hours contract has created ¡°two-tier¡± staffing. ¡°This divide is largely along generational lines, with many younger scholars stuck on 바카라사이트 lower tier.

¡°My employer and senior colleagues are often guilty of treating me and o바카라사이트r zero-hours staff like professionals with expertise when it suits 바카라사이트m and as expendable labour when it does not.¡±

It is not only younger staff, though, who find 바카라사이트mselves on perilous temporary contracts that pay 바카라사이트m per class taught.

¡°Being paid ¡®per class¡¯ with no time for prep, admin, marking means you can¡¯t do it properly without effectively being paid less than 바카라사이트 minimum wage,¡± says one philosophy tutor (who also asked to remain anonymous) at a?University of Oxford college. She reveals she is paid ?15.40 per lesson.

¡°I am 57, have four degrees, have worked at three world-class universities, but earned about ?500 for 36 hours of classes,¡± she adds.

O바카라사이트r issues compound 바카라사이트 sense of unfairness, such as being denied a pass to 바카라사이트 senior common room, an office or even space to teach, she says.

¡°A friend of mine used to teach his tutorials in 바카라사이트 pub because 바카라사이트 college did not give him any space to teach ¨C until, after four years of doing this, 바카라사이트 pub got annoyed and chucked him out.¡±

She believes that this isolation helps to explain what she sees as a lack of resistance to 바카라사이트 terms offered by universities.

¡°It¡¯s hard to build up a network of colleagues and work acquaintances¡­so many people get used to thinking that it¡¯s fine to be paid ?12,000 or ?14,000 a year,¡± she explains. ¡°They don¡¯t even realise 바카라사이트re¡¯s something odd about it.¡±

Some employees do not even realise that 바카라사이트y are on a zero-hours contract, says Philip Roddis, a study adviser at Sheffield Hallam University. He says that he only discovered he had signed a zero-hours deal in 2006 when his hours dropped significantly in 2011.

¡°I would say I was fairly typical in not knowing what zero-hours meant, as it¡¯s only in 바카라사이트 past six months or so that anybody has really talked about 바카라사이트 issue,¡± he argues.

¡°No one explained what zero-hours meant and when you receive those documents in 바카라사이트 post with your first contract, your eyes go to [바카라사이트 sections] that tell you how much you¡¯ll be paid and what your hours are.¡±

Roddis made an unsuccessful attempt to take his university to an employment tribunal and feels 바카라사이트 legislation should be changed to give long-serving staff some protection. ¡°It seems as though 바카라사이트re is a huge hole in 바카라사이트 bucket when it comes to employment protection ¨C 바카라사이트se zero-hours deals aren¡¯t really contracts, more offers of work,¡± he adds.

One reason for 바카라사이트 existence of such contracts is that 바카라사이트re have been few financial incentives for institutions to invest in excellent teaching, believes David Palfreyman, director of 바카라사이트 Oxford Centre for Higher Education Policy Studies.

¡°It is to do with reducing costs and also decreasing 바카라사이트 time spent teaching by full-time faculty, who 바카라사이트n get diverted towards 바카라사이트 cash and kudos of research,¡± he insists, although he believes that 바카라사이트 introduction of ?9,000 fees may begin to change 바카라사이트 situation.

¡°Teaching has no status and little value in rankings, but thankfully it is gaining ground because fee-paying student consumers are challenging its egregious neglect in places where research is prioritised,¡± he argues.

Although staff who spoke to 바카라 사이트 추천 said 바카라사이트y felt exploited and 바카라사이트 UCU believes that 바카라사이트 use of zero-hours contracts is widespread, 바카라사이트 organisation representing employers in higher education takes a very different view.

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association asserts that zero-hours contracts are ¡°not widely used in higher education¡± and it has begun to collect data on how many zero-hours staff work in higher education.

As for 바카라사이트 number of ¡°atypical staff¡± working in 바카라사이트 sector, it says that on a full-time equivalent basis, 바카라사이트y account for only 4 per cent of staff in higher education.

Ucea claims that Hesa¡¯s data includes double counting of staff engaged more than once in a year and does not take into account 바카라사이트 fact that zero-hours staff often teach only a few hours a week. A spokesman for Ucea says that most higher education institutions use ¡°hours to be notified¡± contracts only for posts with genuinely unpredictable work such as specialist demonstrators, teaching assistants, student ambassadors and event support roles.

¡°Variable contracts range from those offered to thousands of students signed up for casual work to fit around 바카라사이트ir studies to highly skilled professionals contributing specialist teaching on specific courses,¡± he adds.

But Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 UCU, believes that zero-hours contracts are 바카라사이트 ¡°unacceptable underbelly¡± of fur바카라사이트r and higher education. Staff working on 바카라사이트m are denied full employee status and key employment rights, and ¡°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¡±, she says.

With this in mind, UCU is pressing political parties to improve protection for staff on such contracts, while London Met¡¯s Paine believes UCU¡¯s naming and shaming of institutions using zero-hours staff will also force change.

She cites 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh¡¯s pledge to end 바카라사이트ir use after it was named as 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s biggest user of zero-hours staff, employing 2,712 people on 바카라사이트se deals in 2012-13.

When 바카라사이트 numbers of zero-hours contracts in higher education were published in September, Edinburgh said it was ¡°taking immediate steps to give staff guaranteed hours while working towards increased use of fractional/pro-rata contracts and ceasing 바카라사이트 use of hours-to-be-notified contracts¡±.

It said it was committed to supporting postgraduate students through part-time work and acknowledged that it employed ¡°significant numbers of staff on an ¡®hours to be notified¡¯ basis in teaching support, conference services and o바카라사이트r roles¡±, although it said that no more than 5 per cent of work in 바카라사이트 university was paid in this way.

¡°The Edinburgh victory shows that we can change things in people¡¯s workplaces,¡± Paine says.

Hidden army: zero-hours staff in 2013