Nearly 300 council workers on zero-hours contracts win pay and job protection

UNISON has today welcomed the news that nearly 300 workers on zero-hours contracts at Cambridgeshire County and Peterborough City councils will have their pay and hours protected during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The union took the issue up with managers after a number of ‘relief staff’ on zero-hours contracts raised concerns.

Relief staff work in reablement support, residential care, children’s play, libraries and elsewhere.

The two councils agreed that any workers who have worked consistently over the last three months whose jobs have temporarily stopped will continue to be paid based on the average wage from January to March until they can be redeployed.

Employees in high-risk categories who normally work in roles they cannot do from home will receive the same average pay until they can be redeployed into one they can do from home.

And workers who are self-isolating will be paid for any shifts they already had booked and then paid the three-month average for the remainder of the period they’re off.

UNISON Eastern regional organiser Alex Porter said: “Relief staff could have easily be thrown to the wolves during this pandemic, with no wages coming in and serious trouble finding alternative work.

“So we’re glad the councils listened to our concerns and did the right thing, recognising the skill and commitment of the staff keeping our local services functioning.

“Throughout this crisis we’ve seen how vital our local government staff are — be they in care homes, in schools, on bin lorries or elsewhere. It’s important they’re valued properly and protected.”