Tag Archives: gig economy

As liberals, we should support different types of working

By Tom Purvis | Mon 20th April 2020 - 8:57 am

Prior to the lockdown kicking in, UK employment was remarkable. The decline in unemployment is something that should be applauded and something that begun when we were in Coalition. The benefits of employment are well known such as having more money to spend and improved mental health.

One of the reasons for this strong growth is people taking up roles within the gig economy, such as Uber, Deliveroo or Just Eat. The negative attitude towards the gig economy needs to go and I will present multiple reasons why.

Firstly, the academic evidence on the gig economy highlights the benefits that it can …

Posted in Op-eds | 17 Comments

27 November 2019 – the overnight press release

By Mark Valladares | Wed 27th November 2019 - 7:16 am

Lib Dems to give gig workers 20% increase to minimum wage and greater protections

A Liberal Democrats Government would increase the minimum wage by 20 per cent for zero-hour contract employees and introduce a raft of policies to create a working environment that protects employees.

The new, higher minimum wage for those on zero-hours contracts will seek to compensate workers for the uncertainty of fluctuating incomes.

As part of their plan for the future of work, the Liberal Democrats will also promise to establish a new ‘dependent contractor’ employment status for workers tied to one employer, which enshrines rights such as minimum …