Jump to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleAlan JonesSaturday 29 August 2026 02:33 BSTMost employees on zero-hours or variable contracts stay in insecure roles for at least two years, research suggests (Getty/iStock)Research by the Trades Union Congress shows that most workers on zero-hours or variable contracts remain in insecure roles for at least two years.The study found over half of zero-hours employees stay with their employer for two years or more, with one in six remaining for a decade or longer.TUC general secretary Paul Nowak rejected claims that zero-hours roles are mostly taken by students, emphasizing that most workers rely on them as their primary income source.Union leaders condemned attempts to weaken proposed employment protections, describing criticisms of bans on exploitative contracts as blatant scaremongering.The TUC and shopworkers' union Usdaw have urged the Government to fully deliver promised rights to guaranteed-hours contracts to give low-paid workers financial security.In fullMany workers trapped in zero-hours ‘exploitative’ contracts for years, study saysMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in