Recent reports reveal concerns over major retailers employing festive staff without basic rights.
- Gig platforms like Temper and YoungOnes are used for hiring temporary Christmas staff.
- Retailers such as Lush, Urban Outfitters, and Gymshark have sought “freelance” workers.
- Union leaders warn these practices bypass employment rights legislation.
- Traditionally, agency workers with rights were hired for busy periods.
Recent findings indicate an increasing trend among retailers to hire temporary staff via social media apps like TikTok. This method allows them to recruit young seasonal workers on gig contracts, bypassing traditional employment rights during the lead-up to Christmas.
Retail giants including Lush, Urban Outfitters, Uniqlo, and Gymshark have been identified as employing ‘freelance’ shop assistants through gig platforms such as Temper and YoungOnes. These apps attract thousands of UK users, particularly through influencers with large TikTok followings, increasing their reach and popularity.
Tim Sharp from the Trades Union Congress has labeled this trend as a ‘worrying development,’ pointing out the dubious nature of the employment status of these gig workers. “It would seem absurd to most people that someone can do a job like working in a shop and not be entitled to basic legal protections,” Sharp stated, questioning the fairness of such practices.
Historically, retailers opted for agency workers who were entitled to essential employment rights, including holiday pay and the national minimum wage, to manage the high-demand festive period. However, the shift towards gig economy workers has raised significant concerns about the absence of these protections.
For instance, a recent advertisement by Urban Outfitters on YoungOnes called for ‘friendly young people’ to work as freelance sales assistants in various UK locations, offering £12 an hour. Despite the pay being above minimum wage, workers must reapply daily for shifts, showcasing the transient nature of these roles. Similar strategies have been employed by Gymshark, Lush, and Uniqlo.
The Trades Union Congress has issued warnings that without intervention, these freelancer apps will continue to operate outside of forthcoming government employment rights legislation, potentially leading to similar exploitation by other companies in the future.
This issue emerges amid rising concerns from the British Retail Consortium over incidents of violence and abuse towards retail workers, with the most recent survey recording over 1,300 daily instances.
The ongoing use of gig platforms for hiring festive staff reveals a troubling gap in employment rights that may perpetuate further exploitation.
