Trade Unions welcome proposals from report on zero hour contracts

Employers groups have described recommendations from a report on "zero hour contracts" as "unworkable".

The report found that there is no extensive use of Zero Hour contracts in Ireland.

But it recommends paying staff time-and-a-half if they are called into work at short notice.

And it says workers should be contracted and paid according to the hours they normal work.

Trade Unions are welcoming the proposals.

But Mark Fielding of business group ISME says the proposals are not practical.

"Lets say I need you in tomorrow because one of my staff is ill, and if you come in without getting three days notice I have to pay you time-and-a-half, nobody is going to win on that one and as an employer I won’t be ringing somebody to come in I'll get one of my own staff to double up or whatever."