UCU: Zero hours and variable hours contracts

Motion

Motion text: This Congress re-affirms UCU's opposition to the use of zero-hours and unfavourable variable hours contracts in further and higher education.
This Congress also reaffirms UCU policy of seeking to transfer hourly paid staff in FE and HE onto permanent, fractional contracts on the same terms and conditions (adjusted pro-rata as necessary) as comparable teaching, academic and academic-related staff.
This Congress notes however, that in some instances it may be necessary to negotiate on the use of variable hours contracts to improve the job security of staff currently on fixed-term hourly paid contracts.
This Congress therefore instructs the NEC, in consultation with the Fixed-term and Hourly Paid Committee to:
1) Produce guidance on the types of variable hours contracts that may be acceptable to UCU and the safeguards that need to be in place
2) Produce guidance for branches / local associations on negotiating variable hours contracts such that any agreed contracts are not detrimental to our members