Tackling One-Sided Flexibility 

Conference notes the significant impact of the cost of living crisis on low paid workers in   
Northern Ireland.  In June 2022, Usdaw surveyed thousands of low paid workers and the responses from Northern Ireland showed that: 

• 57% said petrol prices and travel costs are affecting their ability to get to work.   
• 74% have had to rely on some form of unsecured borrowing in the past 12 months. Of these, 54% have struggled to keep up with repayments.   
• 25% miss meals every month to pay bills.  
• 78% report that financial worries are affecting their mental health.     

Conference believes that at the heart of the cost of living crisis is a weak employment rights framework and one-sided flexibility in the workplace where flexibility always benefits the employer, at the expense of employees.  A lack of job security means that it is too easy and too cheap for employers to cut hours or make redundancies, resulting in workers being unable to make ends meet.  

The framework of employment rights is even weaker for young workers, due to unfair youth rates in the National Minimum Wage, the qualifying period for protection against unfair dismissal and age discriminatory provisions in the calculation of redundancy pay.    

Conference sees the Northern Ireland Assembly consultation on proposed legislation to enhance the statutory protections for workers on zero-hours contracts as a step in the right direction.  Conference believes that many of the measures proposed within the consultation, including banning exclusivity clauses and the introduction of call-out payments, could benefit low paid workers if implemented effectively.  However, Conference believes that that the proposals do not go far enough.  Whilst the proposals would introduce a right to request a 'banded hours' contract, Conference believes that any right must be a right to switch to a guaranteed contract.  

Conference believes that a Northern Ireland Government should take a clear lead on strengthening employment rights and ending one-sided flexibility for the long-term benefit of workers.  This will help give working people the financial certainty and security they need.  

Conference calls on the Northern Ireland ICTU to work constructively with a Northern Ireland Government on improved statutory protections for workers.  In addition, Conference supports and pledges to actively campaign for:  

• A ban on zero-hours contracts.   
• A right to switch to a 'normal hours' contract.  
• A minimum contract of 16 hours per week for everyone who wants it.   
• A voice at work for all workers, through strengthened trade union rights.