Linda...make your mind up. Are you against zero hours contracts or not ? And if you are, shouldn't you be against them when anybody uses them, not just Labour MPs ? If you think they are so bad, why have the Tories not done anything about the situation since May 2010 ?
There is nothing much wrong with zero hours contacts in itself. I have worked using a zero hours contracts for 6 years. But cassa and Hymie have made very good points. When a zero hours contacts doesn't guarantee any work at all, but forbids you from working for anybody else, that is plain wrong. That is not the way my main employer works, so I can, and do take on other similar work for other employers.
But my niece is a home carer, on a zero hours contracts and forbidden to sign on with any similar employer. That is plain wrong, and I suspect would not be upheld in a court of law.
She is also not paid for the time spent travelling between her clients, resulting in her being paid less than the minimum wage, although that sharp and illegal practise looks as if it is to shortly change, at least here in Wales.