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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Jeremy Corbyn attacks 'zero-hours' Glastonbury contracts | Jeremy Corbyn attacks 'zero-hours' Glastonbury contracts |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn is to speak to the organisers of the Glastonbury festival about their use of zero-hours contracts, his spokesman has said. | Jeremy Corbyn is to speak to the organisers of the Glastonbury festival about their use of zero-hours contracts, his spokesman has said. |
| The Labour leader appeared on stage at last month's event to speak about employment rights among other issues. | |
| Most of the workers, hired from around Europe, to clean up after the festival were reportedly laid off early. | |
| But organisers said the litter pickers had "temporary" agreements which guaranteed at least eight hours work. | |
| In a statement, Glastonbury festival said the "unusually dry weather" was partly responsible for reducing the amount of work after this year's festival. | |
| According to the Independent, about 700 workers had travelled to Somerset from the Czech Republic, Spain, Poland and Latvia to help with the post-festival clean-up operation, on zero-hours contracts. | According to the Independent, about 700 workers had travelled to Somerset from the Czech Republic, Spain, Poland and Latvia to help with the post-festival clean-up operation, on zero-hours contracts. |
| 'Unacceptable' | 'Unacceptable' |
| They were reportedly promised two weeks' paid work but were laid-off after two days because there was less litter than expected, leaving them stranded and out of pocket. | They were reportedly promised two weeks' paid work but were laid-off after two days because there was less litter than expected, leaving them stranded and out of pocket. |
| In a video filmed by the Independent, a supervisor is heard telling sacked workers obstructing vehicles in protest that they should be grateful for two days' work. | In a video filmed by the Independent, a supervisor is heard telling sacked workers obstructing vehicles in protest that they should be grateful for two days' work. |
| Mr Corbyn used his appearance on the festival's Pyramid stage to say young people should not have to "accept low wages and insecurity as just part of life". | |
| Asked whether he would boycott Glastonbury in future, Mr Corbyn's spokesman said: "Jeremy and the Labour Party have taken a very strong stand against the use of zero-hours contracts and the exploitation of migrant and other workers, and we would take that view wherever it happened. | |
| "How Glastonbury runs its event and runs its finances is entirely a matter for them. | "How Glastonbury runs its event and runs its finances is entirely a matter for them. |
| "But these contracts should not be in place and shouldn't be used. | "But these contracts should not be in place and shouldn't be used. |
| "We oppose them, and next time we are in government we will ban them." | "We oppose them, and next time we are in government we will ban them." |
| Unusually dry | |
| Asked whether Mr Corbyn would raise the issue with organisers next time he visits the festival, the spokesman said: "He is happy to raise it right now. | Asked whether Mr Corbyn would raise the issue with organisers next time he visits the festival, the spokesman said: "He is happy to raise it right now. |
| "This kind of contract and these kinds of employment conditions are unacceptable." | "This kind of contract and these kinds of employment conditions are unacceptable." |
| In a statement, Glastonbury festival denied they had used zero-hours contracts, saying: "We would like to state that Glastonbury festival's post-event litter picking team are all given temporary worker agreements for the duration of the clean-up. | |
| "The length of the clean-up varies considerably from year to year, based largely upon the weather conditions before, during and after the festival. | |
| "This is something the litter pickers - many of whom return year after year - are made aware of in their worker agreements (which assure them of a minimum of eight hours' work). | |
| "This year was an unusually dry one for Glastonbury. That, coupled with a fantastic effort from festival goers in taking their belongings home, meant that the bulk of the litter picking work was completed after 2.5 days (in 2016, a very wet year, the equivalent period was around 10 days)." |