Campbell, Iain. 2019. “Zero Hours
Work Arrangements in New Zealand: Union Action, Public Controversy and Two
Regulatory Initiatives.” Pp. 91-110 in Zero Hours and On-Call Work
in Anglo-Saxon Countries, edited by Michelle O’Sullivan et al. Berlin:
Springer Press.
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the intriguing story of a campaign in New Zealand against zero hours contracts, which began with trade union action in the fast food industry and spread quickly to the national parliament, where legislation aimed at prohibiting zero hours contracts was unanimously passed in 2016. It outlines the socio-economic context, pointing to the legacy of radical neoliberal reforms in the 1990s, which removed working-time protection for many employees and led to a proliferation of casualised work practices, including zero hours work arrangements. It reviews evidence concerning the extent and profile of zero hours work arrangements, the negative impacts on precariousness or insecurity and the causes of growth. The chapter suggests that the recent regulatory initiatives, centred on a principle of guaranteed minimum hours, fall short of abolition of zero hours work arrangements, but they nevertheless represent a valuable step forward for New Zealand workers and they offer important lessons for similar campaigns in other countries.
