More than two thirds of construction workers in a recent poll did not have an employment contract, with a further 20% admitting they were unsure if they had a contract or not.
The study by constructaquote.com, which polled more than 1,000 members of the UK construction industry, also found that 82% of respondents did not receive sick pay from their employer, while 86% said they don’t get any paid annual leave.
As well as those without a contract for their work, 16% said they considered themselves to be on a zero-hour contract, which allow employers to hire staff with no guarantee of work. In addition, more than three quarters (76%) stated that they don’t have any kind of contract and that they just turn up for work.
The new study comes after the Office for National Statistics revealed that the number of UK workers on zero-hours contracts has risen by 19%.
Lyndon Wood, chief executive of constructaquote.com, said: “Our survey reveals that zero-hour contracts are customary in the construction industry. The majority of those we polled told us that they did not receive any sick pay or paid annual leave – which I think is a worrying statistic as many of our tradespeople are out in all weathers keeping the UK economy ticking over.
“I also think it is very telling that just under three quarters said that they would prefer to have a written employment contract and that 76% just turn up for work, with no contract in place. Working in the trades without any form of written contract has been the way the industry has worked for years, but as this study has shown – maybe it is time for change.”
