Royal Mail working for Pertemps

P1

I have been working for Royal Mail since September via Pertemps.  I used pertemps before about 10 years ago and they were fine.  Now its bit of a nightmare.  Looks like I'm not alone.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/postman-financially-crippled-wage-slashed-26328247?amp;amp=

I believe I am on a zero hour contract.  Like the guy ion the article I have been booked in for a full week in advance only to have 4 of the shifts cancelled within 24hrs notice.  They pay change also appears to be nationwide.  I also get zero sick pay.

I have asked to agency to confirm a few job details in writing.  They are deliberately vague via email and say they would rather call.  Surely its not unreasonable to want all info in writing?

I have two issues right now.  

Firstly I filled out my timesheet honestly.  However, I was not told until 25th Feb by phone calll and then an email that we have to add times for our breaks.  This means I have not received a paid break since September 2022.  I have received no information before Feb 2023 regarding my break situation.  I assumed this would be a simple issue for Pertemps to deal with..  Can I retrospectively claim this?  This is their error so they should owe me right?  I'm so angry about it.

Secondly it says on my contract (looks like a zero hour to me, but they will not confirm this in writing) 

5.4 It is a Condition of your employment that you undertake work when required by the Company. If without good cause, you decline or refuse to work on any particular assignment then the same shall be regarded as gross misconduct, entitling the Company to terminate your employment.

Due to snow and no sick pay (I won't qualify for anything other than JSA or SSP) If I refuse work and/or return early due to unsafe conditions would the above clause apply?  I know a temp slipped at Christmas.  He gone.  If I slip and get injured Royal Mail will just get another temp.  Currently that would be expensive for me!

Note:  I am applying for jobs like crazy so should get out of this mess soon.  They advertised 11-7 but in reality its 11 - 5.  Any other forum readers working in the same hole?

Undervalued

Obviously the agency situation complicates this but in general terms....

A key part of a zero hour contract is that the employer is free to offer work or not and the employee is free to accept the work or not as they please.

However, if you think about it the second part of this is almost meaningless. If the employee frequently turns down work when it is offered, the employer will become less and less inclined to offer them work! Obviously there can be exceptions such as when a particular skill is in short supply but generally the most accommodating employees get first choice of the work.

No employer is obliged to offer sick pay, beyond SSP, so that is a purely contractual matter.

P1

Its annoying as hell.  They have screwed up my time sheets so it turns out I have not been paid for any of my breaks since I started!  

JCS1

Does your contract state breaks are paid?