News

In a heavily anticipated report on the gig economy, former aide to Tony Blair and the government’s employment reviewer Matthew Taylor advised that:

• Workers at platform-based companies, such as Deliveroo and Uber, should be classed as dependent contractors
• Strategies must be implemented to ensure that workers do not get stuck on the National Living Wage
• The review suggests a national strategy to provide good work for all "for which government needs to be held accountable"

The Taylor report has been described by unions as short-sighted and failing to address many of the issues facing workers in the gig economy. The report also failed to criticize zero hours contracts, arguing that “flexibility in the workplace was important and had contributed to record high employment.”

The TUC General Secretary, Frances O’ Grady said, “It's no secret that we wanted this review to be bolder. This is not the game-changer needed to end insecurity at work.”

“A ‘right to request’ guaranteed hours is no right at all for many workers trapped on zero-hours contracts. And workers deserve the minimum wage for every minute they work, not just the time employers choose to pay them for.

“But Matthew Taylor is right to call for equal pay for agency staff and sick leave for low-paid workers — something which unions have long campaigned for. The government should move swiftly to implement these recommendations.

“Theresa May cannot use this report as shield to hide from her responsibilities. We need a proper crackdown on bad bosses who treat their staff like disposable labour. And an end to employment tribunal fees that price workers out of justice.”

UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings said, “The opportunity to change lives with this report has been missed. Workers on subpar wages, hours and contract could have been helped if this report had some teeth.”

“This much-awaited review on insecure work has not brought any sense of security to those at the rough end of the labour market and these ‘digi-sharks’ are being let off the hook. Millions of people around the UK in precarious work will fear that they could lose their livelihood at any moment.”