TUC Commission shocked by extent of vulnerable work

Reporter: David Barlett (RoFTRA)
Date online: 12/05/2008

The Report of the TUC's Commission on Vulnerable Work reveals that two million UK workers are trapped in low-paid and insecure work where mistreatment is the norm; Rochdale Borough's Economic Strategy estimates that 30,000 local workers, nearly a quarter of the workforce, are in that position.

The 16 strong Commission drawn from employers, unions and independent experts declared themselves shocked by the extent of vulnerable work that their report Hard Work, Hidden Lives, defines as: precarious work that places people at continuing risk of poverty and injustice resulting from an imbalance of power in the employer-worker relationship.

The TUC General Secretary and Chair of the Commission declared that the treatment of vulnerable workers was a national scandal.

Commissioner Kevin Beeston, Chair of support services group Serco said: it's disappointing to see how low the morals of some unscrupulous employers can be and it's time society stopped turning a blind eye to these workplace abuses that are shaming the world of work and tarnishing the reputations of good employers.