Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Agency workersZero hoursGig economyEmployment contractsTrade unions

Insecure work up 27% in five years says TUC

by Rob Moss 7 Feb 2017
by Rob Moss 7 Feb 2017 Restaurant and pub waiters in insecure work has risen 128% in five years, according to the TUC
PT-VS/ScottishViewpoint/REX/Shutterstock
Restaurant and pub waiters in insecure work has risen 128% in five years, according to the TUC
PT-VS/ScottishViewpoint/REX/Shutterstock

The number of people working without guaranteed hours or baseline employment rights has grown by 660,000 (27%) over the past five years, according to TUC research.

And while the gig economy is often associated with knowledge workers and the tech sector, the TUC says the growth in people forced into “insecure work” is being driven mainly by traditional industries.

Restaurant and pub waiters make up one-fifth of the increase. The number in insecure work – defined as seasonal, casual, temporary or agency work, those on zero-hours contracts and low-paid, self-employed workers – more than doubled, rising by 146,000 (+128%) since 2011. One in four waiting staff (259,000) are now in insecure work.

XpertHR resources

Podcast: the gig economy

Uber drivers are workers, rules employment tribunal

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Insecurity at work is becoming the new normal for too many workers. It’s happening across new and old industries, with workers forced onto shady contracts whether they’re Uber drivers, bar staff or teaching assistants.

“People need jobs they can live on and build a life around. But if you don’t how much work you will have from one day to the next, making ends meet is a nightmare.”

Social care accounts for a tenth of the increase in precarious working. The number of care home workers in insecure roles has risen by 66,000 (+133%) since 2011.

Workers in education also account for one tenth of the increase; the number in insecure work has risen by 82,000 since 2011 (+42%). One in 10 working in education now face insecurity and all the problems that go alongside that.

“The rules that protect workers need to be dragged into the 21st Century. The Government’s Taylor review is a prime opportunity to sort this,” added O’Grady.

Yvonne Gallagher, employment lawyer at Harbottle & Lewis, said: “There is undoubtedly a place for very flexible working arrangements and many aspects of the so-called gig economy and other flexible structures can help people to find their way back into work on a basis that suits them and their own needs.”

She added: “We have seen that the employment tribunals are prepared to be robust in their judgment on these issues and many employers would welcome greater certainty as to their obligations than is often possible at present.”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The TUC estimates that more than three million people – or around 10% of workers – now work in insecure jobs, up from 2.4 million in 2011.

The research was commissioned by the TUC from the Learning and Work Institute, an independent policy and research organisation combining the former National Institute of Adult Continuing Education and the Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion.

TUC
Rob Moss

Rob Moss is a business journalist with more than 25 years' experience. He has been editor of Personnel Today since 2010. He joined the publication in 2006 as online editor of the award-winning website. Rob specialises in labour market economics, gender diversity and family-friendly working. He has hosted hundreds of webinar and podcasts. Before writing about HR and employment he ran news and feature desks on publications serving the global optical and eyewear market, the UK electrical industry, and energy markets in Asia and the Middle East.

previous post
Why the UK needs to switch on to the agility mindset
next post
Five people analytics strategy essentials for 2017

You may also like

Fire and rehire: the relocation question

22 May 2025

Public sector workers gain pay rises of up...

22 May 2025

Ryanair demands flight attendants pay back salary increase

21 May 2025

CBI chair Soames accuses ministers of not listening...

16 May 2025

Union rep teacher awarded £370k for unfair dismissal

15 May 2025

Zero-hours workers’ rights to be extended from beyond...

8 May 2025

How can businesses build protections for gig workers?

7 May 2025

Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

6 May 2025

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

2 May 2025

Resident doctors to ballot for strike action

2 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+