Kingfisher

Of course, you'll get the odd example of how it works for some, but the downside is all too great a price to pay. Most of aren't in a position where they can pick or choose how many hours they want. Oh I don't think I'll work this week, I wish!! Most zero hour contracts are for low pay jobs.

Would a say, 10 hour contract not do the job? The only thing the hospital have to do is guarantee her her 10 hours. The only thing she has to do is work those 10 hours. Is that unworkable? Edit- I see your point more clearly now. They need to bring qualified staff in for perhaps a day or a week. Within the NHS are there no qualified staff available to cover from other depts?

No theirs is to ban zh contracts. The NHS is 66 on the 5th. It's a shame that the last 30+ years of government have been intent on destroying the envy of the world. Without treatment, my prognosis is grim. We need to stop our politicians selling of our health to profiteering businessmen.

Ok, I propose if we all got paid in magic beans and planted them that we'd all live happily ever after, but as we're not let's see if we can find an alternative to zero hour contracts without going into fairy tales about basic incomes.

I have a great deal of sympathy for your view on the imbalance of power relationships in the labour market but the above is just a number of segues from soundbite to soundbite.Ive not heard an alternative to a blanket ban, other than, 'it's fine - keep the status quo'. I'd like to hear a scenario where a zero hour contract is so unavoidable and vital to the greater good that it justifies the continued and potential exploitation of increasing numbers of workers.

Exactly. A modicum of foresight and planning trumps an exploited workforce. Therefore no need for a fudge, a total ban on zero hours should be brought in, no real losers, plenty to gain.

As I said, it's an attempt to analyse things in a constructive and objective manner, rather than wittering on about how unfair life is, with nothing but anecdotal evidence to back that up. An attempt, a very poor attempt. Questions like, we asked employers why they use zero hour contracts, none said to exploit workforce and maximise profit - insightful. The growth in contracts that can be and are used to exploit is worrying. There is no need for them, ban them.

That's a very rosy slant put on zero hours contracts there by the CIPD. A situation that will leave you with less job security, lower wages, no guarantee of work and less workers rights. Zero hour contracts are increasing, in a time when job security is decreasing, pay is decreasing and workers rights are decreasing.

In the hotels and restaurants sector, 19% of all workplaces (up from 4% in 2004). In the health sector, 13% (up from 7%). In the education sector, 10% (up from 1%) Zero hour contracts, (the fabulous McDonald's model of employment) may be coming your way soon. But it's for your own good. Vote Tory.

There we go, empowering the worker will cost jobs... Same old scare stories. 'Oh no you can't earn enough to live on, it will cost jobs!' 'Oh no you can't have a secure set of hours and a bit more job security, it will cost jobs'. Businessmen working for businessmen not the people. It's a shame some are falling for that bullshit.

No, always been a problem. They don't offer job security or protection, especially when times are hard. The normalisation of them is a worry, they're becoming more common. Correct a wrong, ban them now.

Of course it's a small minority. If hundreds of people are applying for McDonalds jobs as the 'lucky one' who gets the job you're gonna have zero protection from a zero hour contract and your boss is left free to make your life miserable. That's the reality of zero hours contracts for 99% of people who need regular full time work.

Exactly, which is why zero hours contracts should be banned. Too much power to the employer.

May was the hottest on earth since records began. We know temperature and CO2 levels are linked. We know a warmer atmosphere has more energy, we know an atmosphere with more energy leads to more extreme weather events. We know extreme weather events kill in poor countries and cause heavy disruption in rich countries. So why has Cameron backed CO2 producing fracking? Why has Cameron reduced insulation grants? The solutions aren't easy, the right thing to do isn't easy - this government are failing on both counts.

BBC would have been down there like a shot if the police had provoked a minor scuffle, with the headline 'rioting breaks out in London'. Running the same scuffle on loop for 2 days. It was very well organised, and everybody behaved brilliantly by all accounts. Well done to all that made it there and all who spoke. The real story is the 50,000 ordinary folk getting together in harmony to give the government a message, and how the media have ignored it. The peoples assembly's 50k isn't even as much as the 200k that unison can gather. The feeling out there is growing and the media cannot ignore us forever.

Which particular Romanian? Both of them.

Irony seeing BBC staff wearing gags in support of the jailed reporters/journalists.

So we have media phone hacking, government and media censorship and a dodgy legal system. Egypt aint all that too dissimilar to us. But we should all vote UKIP, it's the Romanian's fault, I read it in the paper.

Well they spoke for 10 mins between them, the day was about austerity cuts. The real story is the 50k ordinary people who marched that day, what they marched for and sadly, how it's been ignored.

It wasn't a Russell Brand tour date, people really didn't travel down to London to 'listen to Russell Brand'.

Still, not quite "not a single mention", eh? Is it really that newsworthy? There have been quite a few such protests, and maybe there were just more newsworthy things happening on the day. And even worse than Russell Brand, I see that little scrote Owen Jones was involved. Anything that keeps that little twot off my TV is fine by me. It is very newsworthy, and as for the 'not a single mention', I won't dance on the end of that pin with you - it's was shockingly under reported. A petition against the BBC has received 4,800 signatures. Stories like this must be reported in future. It's deadly serious. Like you, the government want to keep 'little scrotes' like Owen Jones or Russell Brand and 50,000 people quiet - because they're highlighting their failures and flagging up their agendas.

This here is the issue, victim, victim, victim - typical standpoint But yeah you right, like everybody who didnt give a **** about the austerity march I just shouldnt read it or take notice of it, not because I dont care, Im just bored of hearing the victim agenda Victim agenda? I'll ignore (as I usually do) this ad hominem attack on me and stick to the subject. I strongly disagree with your assertion that people who have to attend food banks, people who are told they're fit to work when they're not, people suffering inhumane sanctions, in work people who can't afford to fuel themselves or their cars...are moaners playing the victim card. I think most people do care, but I think that there is a media agenda to divert attention away from where the real blame and the solutions lie. I think big business control the media and the government and have far too much of a say in policy. Time for a government that works for us, the 99%, not the 1%.

It's people with genuine concerns about the cuts, I think it's disgraceful for you to call it bitching and moaning. It's like you're on the side of restricted media, is that what you want for this country? Bitchers, moaners ...what next 'middle class liberal lefty's, from leftyville? These are the usual ad hominem attacks I'm subjected to as a 'counter argument' to my standpoint in this thread - except I'm the one bitching? If you don't like it, and can't give a **** about it, don't read it.

And 50,000 others.

This is how the BBC reported a pro cuts march attended by all of 300 people. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13398966 Saturday's march had 50,000 people and nothing, nada, zippo. A complete national blackout. A tiny local news write up, tiny video, no TV coverage. It's a blatant agenda.