In September last year, UCU reported that over half of universities and colleges use lecturers on zero-hour contracts.

Whilst zero hour contracts are not used by Heriot Watt, we encourage members to be aware of UCU’s national campaign against casualisation. UCU has a long history of fighting casualisation and demanding fair treatment for all members and we know that campaigns against casualisation are supported by all members – not just those who are directly affected. Casualisation in all its forms is a blight to further and higher education bringing with it inefficiency, inequality and personal stress.

Some progress has been achieved, University of Edinburgh vows to abolish zero-hour contracts, and the Government has just launched an online consultation on the use of zero-hours contracts which focuses on:

• exclusivity clauses
• improving transparency
• questions for employers and individuals on how these types of clauses operate in practice.

UCU will be making a submission to the consultation, which will be published in the coming weeks, however all UCU members who have experienced working on zero hours contracts are urged to take part in the consultation. Members can complete the online questions 1-13 and 27- 41.

Most members’ experience of zero-hours contracts is that they have little choice but to accept them as no permanent full-time or fractional posts are on offer. It is important that individuals give answers in this consultation that show zero-hours contracts create insecurity not freedom for employees.

The consultation documents and online forms can be found here. The consultation closes at 11:45pm on 13 March 2014.