Lambeth trade unions have accused Lambeth Council, a Labour authority of using fake casual contracts to avoid paying occupational maternity pay.
Staff who have been recently transferred in from the contractor GLL have been kept on “casual contracts” which classify staff as “workers” rather than “employees”, denying them many employment rights.
One worker was excited to begin maternity leave and spend time with her baby. She received advice from the Labour Council that she would only receive Statutory Maternity Pay as she was counted as “casual” though working full time at the leisure centre since 2017.
Statutory maternity leave is currently a shocking 43% of the national living wage, causing many families to experience financial hardship as a result of taking time out of work when they have given birth.
Research from the charity Pregnant Then Screwed has found that the majority of mothers (76%) have had to rely on debt or running down their savings as a result of low statutory maternity pay.
Ruth Cashman from Lambeth UNISON, trade union said:
“Lambeth Council is keeping council employees in our leisure centres on insecure contracts to avoid paying for basic workplace rights. No one should be forced to live in poverty, just because they have children.”
The campaign will hold a lobby of Lambeth Council Cabinet on Monday 24 November at 5pm, Lambeth Town Hall and a Parents and Babies protest at 10am the same day in Windrush Square.
