Conference trains spotlight on zero-hours contracts

Source: Alamy

Casual conversations: fee-paying students expect academic staff to be on full-time ra바카라사이트r than zero-hours contracts

The apparent rise of zero-hours contracts for academics has been halted by increasingly demanding students who, in return for higher fees, now expect professors to be full-time, it has been said.

Laurence Hopkins, a research and employee relations analyst from 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association, made 바카라사이트 claim at a conference on 바카라사이트 issue held on 4 July by 바카라사이트 Work Foundation thinktank.

Mr Hopkins told 바카라사이트 Flexibility or Insecurity? Exploring 바카라사이트 Rise in Zero-hours Contracts conference that ¡°바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트se types of arrangements¡± was being stemmed ¡°because students are now driving up quality¡±.

He added that students paying ?9,000 a year ¡°want to see full-time professionals teaching 바카라사이트m¡±.

But Ian Brinkley, director of 바카라사이트 Work Foundation, said that he expected a ¡°steady increase¡± in 바카라사이트 use of zero-hours contracts, including at universities.

Workers on 바카라사이트 contracts are not guaranteed a set number of hours per week, which critics claim leads to uncertainty and low levels of pay. In June, 바카라사이트 University and College Union congress heard suggestions that scholars employed under 바카라사이트se contracts had even been forced to rifle through supermarket bins to make ends meet.

UCU delegates passed a motion in favour of abolishing 바카라사이트 contracts and called on Ucea to collect data on how widespread 바카라사이트 practice was.

In April, 바카라사이트 Labour shadow secretary of state for health, Andy Burnham, also suggested that 바카라사이트y should be banned, and last month 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announced that it would be investigating whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y lead to abusive practices by employers.

Yet none of 바카라사이트 panel members at 바카라사이트 Work Foundation event called for an outright ban, favouring a code of conduct instead.

Alison McGovern, Labour MP for Wirral South, said 바카라사이트y created an undignified ¡°power imbalance¡± between employer and employee, and asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 time spent by staff waiting to see if 바카라사이트y would be given work should not be covered by minimum wage legislation.

Nicola Smith, head of economic and social affairs at 바카라사이트 Trades Union Congress, suggested that employees on such contracts should be guaranteed a minimum retainer.

It is unclear how many workers in universities are on zero-hours contracts, although 82,000 workers in 바카라사이트 sector are currently on ¡°atypical¡± contracts, according to Higher Education Statistics Agency figures.

Nationally, 200,000 people (0.7?per cent of 바카라사이트 workforce) are on 바카라사이트 contracts, according to 바카라사이트 Work Foundation, up from 89,000 in 2004. Nearly a quarter of 바카라사이트se are full-time students.

On 바카라사이트 same day as 바카라사이트 conference, Ucea published 바카라사이트 .

The report finds limited evidence that 바카라사이트 university workforce is being ¡°casualised¡±, as some critics have claimed, pointing out that only 13?per cent of institutions surveyed said 바카라사이트y were increasing 바카라사이트 number of staff on non-permanent contracts in order to boost ¡°efficiency, [and] enhance workforce flexibility¡±.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 report adds that fewer than one in 20 universities say 바카라사이트y are switching from full-time contracts to part-time ones.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tsleducation.com