Anti zero-hour campaigners to target CBI

Anti zero-hour campaigners to target CBI

Day of civil disobedience:

Anti-zero-hour contract campaigners in Youth Fight for Jobs are planning to target CBI headquarters as part of a national day of action on 5 November.

As the CBI hold their annual conference, setting out the agenda of big business in the UK, young people suffering under many of their favoured employment practices will be mobilising.

The protest will take place at 3pm outside the CBI headquarters at Centre Point in London. Nationally, targets such as Sports Direct stores are also being hit with protests.

Helen Pattison, former zero-hour contract worker and Youth Fight for Jobs organiser said:

“5.5 million people are currently employed with less than three hours of guaranteed work each week. These contracts give maximum flexibility to the employers, but maximum insecurity to workers.

“Young people are disproportionately affected by these contracts. The Youth Fight for Jobs campaign is building the fight to put pressure on employers like Sports Direct to end this exploitation.

“We say that the solution to mass youth unemployment is not cramming people onto zero-hour contracts and into low paid insecure work.

“In reality this simply hides the problem, as thousands are counted as ’employed’ when often they have little or no hours of work each week.

The CBI have been staunch defenders of zero-hour contracts and little wonder. Freedom of exploitation by the bosses leads to higher profits and further lines the pockets of the super-rich 1%. Tomorrow’s protest will send them a clear message: we’re willing to fight back.”

Campaigners also plan to target the headquarters of Sports Direct in Shirebrook. The company hit the headlines last month for having 90% of staff employed on zero-hour contracts.

For a full list of events see: http://www.youthfightforjobs.com/wordpress/wordpress/?p=884

Helen Pattison is available for interview on 07540 189 052.

See website www.youthfightforjobs.com

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