Living standards Doing the zero sums 2 July 2013 by Vidhya Alakeson and Matthew Pennycook Pressure on public sector budgets has led to a rise in zero-hours contracts, particularly in the care sector. The biggest losers are vulnerable service-users and staff on poor pay and insecure hours. It all adds up to the next big care scandal Over the past year, the government has repeatedly raised concerns about the quality … Continued READ MORE
Labour market The forward march of zero-hours contracts must be halted 25 June 2013 by Matthew Pennycook “It’s the uncertainty that gets to me,” Shirley says, despondently. “These contracts only work one way – they don’t offer any flexibility even if you wanted it because if you turn down hours you suffer. One of the girls had her hours permanently reduced because she asked the line manager for a day off to … Continued READ MORE
Economy and public finances The coalition’s welfare cuts mean a dramatic rise in council tax for the poorest 31 January 2013 by Matthew Pennycook This article originally appeared on the New Statesman The decision to reduce the budget for council tax support by 10 per cent means low-income households face a tax increase of up to £600. Accustomed to the inflated claims of successive governments, readers might be forgiven for rolling their eyes at the phrase “radical welfare reform”. Yet … Continued READ MORE
Labour market Where next for the living wage? Progress on low pay is imperative 4 November 2012 by Matthew Pennycook This post originally appeared on the New Statesman blog Tomorrow marks the start of the first Living Wage week. It is tangible proof that, 11 years after a small broad-based East London community alliance revived an idea first forged in the industrial heartlands of 1870s Britain, momentum for increased living wage coverage continues to gather pace. And … Continued READ MORE
Labour market Left behind in the lower realms of the labour market 28 March 2012 by Matthew Pennycook Times are undoubtedly tough for the 350,000-plus graduates who now leave university every year. Collapsing demand in some parts of our jobs market has seen competition for jobs intensify and many graduates now seek jobs for which they are over-qualified, accepting lower wages than their qualifications would usually be expected to command.And yet for all … Continued READ MORE
Labour market The problem of low wage work runs far beyond workfare 3 March 2012 by Matthew Pennycook This article originally appeared in the Huffington Post The recent furore surrounding the UK government’s Work Experience programme has centred somewhat narrowly on the rights and wrongs of large corporations benefiting from free youth labour. Largely absent from the debate has been the wider problem of low wage work in our economy. At a time of … Continued READ MORE
