has anyone on a zero hours contract, it seems I may have to do this.

Yes

Thought so. He's well known up here. Gets his way by threatening to take his money elsewhere.

My son didn't work in the sport shops, but a fashion chain that was part of the "great man's" empire. This was taken over by him when it was in danger of going under. That's when it became a very unpleasant place to work. It was always very much a pile it high, too many lines and constant new stock type of establishment This chain over expanded too quickly really, I think they may have disappeared now they are no longer in our local shopping centre. It was always very badly run from the top down They did stock a very expensive brand of jeans that were frequently being nicked, because whoever was at the top of the chain of command refused to put security cameras in, so staff were often getting it in the neck when this happened. It was hard to oversee what was going on sometimes, the rails were packed closely together, particularly if they were under staffed and manning the tills. Things got ridiculous in the end, they frequently ran out of basics like till roll and sale stickers, toilet rolls for staff and the like. Head office wouldn't stump up, sometimes with the excuse that they had exceeded their allowable branch expenditure for the month. My son rang head office requesting something or other on a couple of occasions and he would be told "can you go to so and so and buy it in your break" and when he asked if he would be reimbursed, they said "no" so he said naturally "I don't get paid enough to fork out for items that head office should provide" he was deputy managing the shop at the time and would in his words, "be passed from one dickhead to another at head office who hadn't a clue about the problems in their branches and didn't care" The hierarchy couldn't manage, they didn't give a monkeys about their staff only their profit margins. I think was a factor in it's demise. A rubbish outfit to work for.

It was an eye opener to me though, I had no idea how long it took to clear the shop floor after hours, take delivery of new stock and then arrange it on the shop floor for the next day, well into the early hours and no extra for working at really unsociable times.

I was upset to read that Cote keeps all the tips as it is a chain restaurant I also quite like. Unless they change that policy I won't be visiting again though - nor any of those that have been mentioned in recent reports. To pocket the tips of people who are on minimum wages is, I think, disgraceful and gives those restaurants an unfair advantage over restaurants that pass on the tips without any deduction.

What about this for zero hours contracts?

www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/sep/03/government-scheme-to-rehire-former-civil-servants-on-zero-hours-contracts

I do not think you will get one of these, biker, but you never know.

“Re-employed civil servants will not fill posts that have been vacated by staff who have left due to redundancy. They are being re-employed to supplement existing staff levels when required, not replace them,”

That sounds like a bit of obfuscation.

I am a carer on a zero hours contract. It works out all right for me because there is plenty of work available so I can choose to do as many hours as I want. Also my boss tells me it is not an exclusive contract so in theory I could work elsewhere as well but when I tried to put that into practice it didnt go down well and I nearly lost my job. Gulp.

Hi bikergran how's it going?

I thought that was supposed to be illegal now, Bellsnwhistles, or are they still talking about it ?
Are you in a union? They could be helpful if that happens again.

It is illegal, but the law has no teeth.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/may/26/conservatives-zero-hours-contracts-small-business-act-david-cameron-toothless

Sorry, Bells.

Terribull, did you see the programme about Sports Direct last night?
Thought you might be interested in this.

campaign.goingtowork.org.uk/petitions/decent-work-for-all-sports-direct-workers

How's it going, Biker?

DD has chosen a zero hours contract - when in fact she was offered a full-time position with the same firm
She has rent and bills to pay, but says it allows her some leeway to build up what was a hobby into a potential money-earner.

It's a job FFS anniebach. I worked for 7 years on what was ostensibly 'zero hours'. I lived in the back of beyond ...yes, those places do exist in the SE.. surprise, surprise and with a redundant OH and school age kids, no reliable public transport, I was only too happy to work in a tourist attraction which of course meant I worked though the school summer holidays. But it was weekly money for 7 months of the year, after which I could sign on or get by with cleaning work, potato harvesting... you name it I've done it. Do I regret it? Not for a second. And my girls remember those days with great affection....or so they say. "Do you remember when Mum... blah..blah blah" is often the start of hilarity at family get-togethers.
I do get so sick of the whingeing grans on this forum.

What was that for, absentgrandma?
Quite unnecessary, in my opinion.

Yes, roseq, zero hours contracts are good if you can choose. The problem is usually when you can't choose.
Did you see the programme about Sports Direct? It's about people who dare not go off sick because they would lose their jobs, and the number of ambulances that had to be called out for people working at their packing factory.

By the way, anyone heard from biker lately?

That was very harsh Absentgrandma - Anniebach can answer for herself but I'm confused as to why you singled her out.

I also work 'freelance', as an agency nurse, similar to your experience of doing different jobs as and when to fit in with commitments, however that is very different from zero-hours contracts .... those employees have to make themselves available to be called in at any time but with no guarantee of any hours of work.

Not much hilarity in that.

I don't think complaining about such contracts is whingeing.

Yes, roseq, zero hours contracts are good if you can choose
Lots of people do prefer the flexibility, and I have done it myself, but not as a breadwinner for a family.
As her DM I wish she had chosen the full-time option of course - especially as she was offered the choice.
But I am not her, I am Mrs Cautious!

No, I haven't noticed any posts from bikergran