Emblematic of the insecurity felt in our society is the concept of people working to provide for their families whilst having to accept zero hour contracts. The 'zero hour contract' which prays on a pool of labour that is dormant in our society, part the result of poor education, part the inflow of people from the poor parts of Europe and part due to the cut backs and down sizing that has gone on since the financial collapse in 2008.
Employers use the argument that these contracts are something people want. Examples are cited of students, or people in that transient phase when their children are very young but we also see the growing use of these contracts, across the board. The employer has, on tap a workforce but avoids not only the responsibility of a contractual wage but also no pension or sick-pay responsibilities, its a win win situation.
This intermittent employment offers no security but ties the job seeker down to presenting himself for work via a call the day before or if no work is available they have to wait by the phone on the off chance.
The employee is in a state of suspended animation and its a hideous way of trying to meet the bills and act responsibly towards ones family.
As the world hurtles down the slope of, 'them and us', once again, we see the hard won gains made for social justice cast aside in a celebration of a free, flexible market place where apples and oranges are marketed alongside human capital.
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