By Sonia Elks
LONDON, Oct 21 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Workers on zero-hours contracts are victims of “extreme exploitation”, British film director Ken Loach said on Monday, ahead of the release of his new film exploring the human impact of the “gig economy”.
The 83-year-old director said the term concealed abuse of workers by businesses using zero-hours contracts, which do not specify set working hours or guaranteed income.
His latest film “Sorry We Missed You”, released in Britain on November 1, features a couple in the northern English city of Newcastle struggling to make ends meet working as a delivery driver and a carer.
“They have to exploit themselves because they are trapped in this idea they are self-employed, that they are entrepreneurs. They are nothing of the sort, they are workers controlled to within an inch of their lives,” he said.
“Some people call it slavery – I think it is simply extreme exploitation.”
Firms ranging from taxi apps to food and mail delivery services are hiring workers on flexible contracts that allow them to work simultaneously for different companies but provide no guarantee of minimum work hours or pay.
