Outlaw zero

hours misery
www.socialistworker.co.uk

hile the bankers at HSBC

have been caught helping
the rich stash their cash and
avoid their taxes. But while they
grab more working people are under
the hammer.
Latest figures show British
firms using 1.8 million zero hours
contracts with some 700,000 people
now on zero hours contracts in their
main job. Thats a figure 100,000
higher than a year ago, a rise of 19
percent. A third of those on zero hours
contracts are young workers between
16 and 24 years old.
Union research shows Zero-hours
workers earn 300 a week less, on
average, than staff on permanent
contracts, some 40 percent of zerohours workers are paid less than 111
a week and do not qualify for statutory
sick pay
These workers have no guaranteed
hours and no statutory sick pay.

Burger

The contracts arent just centred on

companies such as McDonalds, Burger
King or Sports Direct. They are used
by half of all businesses in hotel and
catering and a quarter of education
businesses. They are common in
National demonstration

Rage against
racism
Stop the scapegoating of immigrants
No to Islamophobia
No to anti-Semitism Yes to diversity
Saturday 21 March
London: 12 noon, Portland Place
Glasgow: 11am, George Square
Cardiff: 11.30am, Clare Gdns, Riverside
Called by Stand up to Racism
Backed by Unite, Unison, PCS, CWU and UCU unions.
Also by Unite Against Fascism, Stand Up to UKIP and LMHR

Defending workers rights firefighters struck this week

universities and colleges and some

160,000 care staff are on them.
That means that David Cameron
has describes as a jobs miracle
is based on the bosses dream of a
flexible, low paid workforce, many
with more than one job to make ends
meet and no rights at work.
Ed Miliband and Labour have said
they will crack down on zero hours
contracts but have stopped short of
pledging to outlaw them.
The Tories have driven down
wages year after year, developing the
biggest squeeze on working class living
standards for generations.
But instead of opposing austerity
Labour has signed up to Tory
spending plans!

Labour leaders also refuse to

unshackle the trade unions by getting
rid of anti-union laws which are
designed to stop workers organising
and fighting back.
To add insult to injury, UKIP the
Tories and even Labour scapegoat
benefit claimants and migrants,
blaming them for low wages and cuts
to overstretched public services.
But its not migrants slashing wages
or introducing zero hours contracts
- its the bosses and the politicians.

Unity

We need unity against the Tories and

the employers. Thats why we have to
oppose attempts to divide our side.
The anti-racist protests in Glasgow,
Cardiff and London on 21 March give
us a chance to build the unity we need.
We also need a real alternative to
austerity. In Greece we have a glimpse
of that. Workers there have just elected
the radical Syriza party to oppose
austerity, although the bankers and the
EU are trying to crush that attempt.
In the general election in May we
should also vote for candidates who
want to end austerity.
The Trade Unionist and Socialist
Coalition will be standing in many
places we should support them.

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General 26/02/15

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