UK employment is up – it’s just a shame the workers are so miserable | Faiza Shaheen

Philip Hammond may celebrate the stats, but these measures simply don’t reflect the realities of life in the gig economy

We hear it again and again - politicians boasting about “more people in work than ever before”. At the same time we hear about a woman having a baby in the Sports Direct toilet because of a culture of fear at the company, BHS workers losing their pensions, Carillion construction workers left without work and even a DPD parcel delivery driver, Don Lane, collapsing and dying after being fined £125 for going to a doctors appointment.

The gig economy has become synonymous with worker exploitation. Cases are lining up – from Pimlico Plumbers to university lecturers – the news is not one of jubilance but of desperation. So what does the headline employment statistic published this week, telling us that employment remains at near record levels, really indicate? Is it a sign that the economy is indeed doing well?

Related: Supreme court begins hearing plumber's employment case

We must take measures of wellbeing, workplace stress and perceived job security much more seriously

Continue reading... February 21, 2018 at 06:33PM