Fast food giant McDonald's is to offer UK staff a choice of working fixed hours or having zero-hours contracts.
The company has been trialling the move in 23 company-owned and franchise outlets. During the trial only around 20% of the staff chose to move to fixed hours contracts.
McDonald's currently has over 115,000 employees, the majority of which are on zero-hours contracts.
Paul Pomroy, McDonald's UK CEO, stated, 'The vast majority of our employees are happy with their flexible contracts, but some have told us that more fixed hours would help them get better access to some financial products.
'Thanks to the support of our franchisees, we are able to respond to our people's needs, and will begin to roll out fixed hours' contracts, including new joiners, across the course of the year,' he added.
Paul Maloney, the GMB union's southern region secretary, said, 'Workers at McDonald's should be offered up to 40 hours of work a week, and permanent contracts to include annual leave, sick pay and a pension scheme.
'The government has been examining possible changes to make precarious employment more secure.'
