Agencies (1 Viewer)

1969scaff

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Have noticed on the Jobs forum loads of ads for jobs through agencies.Heard through the scaffolding grapevine that Interserve get men through agencies WHY? NSG used to do it not sure if they still do.Is this the way the big companies are operating use agency labour not direct labour? Obviously they save national insurance and I bet no one gets holiday pay off them.Are they pushing for us all to be self employed?Heard of one firm who do PLF's work(big brickie firm)telling their scaffs they had to provide their own Public Liability Insurance.Does that mean the individual scaff becomes liable for any claims for injury or damage?Games getting worse now than back in the "lump labour" days!!!
 
worked for a few firms years ago that used to stop £3 a day for insurance , worked out that we where paying their public liability for them , when they done away with the 20% SC60 way of working the firm i was on tried to make the lads start up a small company in their name so as to avoid putting them on the cards and paying all the associated costs.
Another firm ( these are big players in London still ) formed a company and made the lads share holders and payed them dividends monthly instead of wages just to avoid putting the lads on the cards.
 
In my experience this is the norm for most construction trades. Before I started scaffolding I did nearly 25 years as as roofer & structural waterproofer. I would say I spent at least 75% of this time as a subbie as did all the brickies, chippies, sparks ect. It was impossible to get a job on the books & the few that were available paid fukc all. Maybe it's just the region I worked but it was the only way to get work. We had to provide everything, transport, tools, insurance & a couple of firms even made us supply our own cement mixer!
I have just recently finished working for Interserve through an agency & the umbrella company provided our liability insurance through their charges.
 
Have noticed on the Jobs forum loads of ads for jobs through agencies.Heard through the scaffolding grapevine that Interserve get men through agencies WHY? NSG used to do it not sure if they still do.Is this the way the big companies are operating use agency labour not direct labour? Obviously they save national insurance and I bet no one gets holiday pay off them.Are they pushing for us all to be self employed?Heard of one firm who do PLF's work(big brickie firm)telling their scaffs they had to provide their own Public Liability Insurance.Does that mean the individual scaff becomes liable for any claims for injury or damage?Games getting worse now than back in the "lump labour" days!!!

I would say it's more about modern employment law which just makes it easier to pick up and put men down when required. I think I may be a bit stuck in the bygone days of yore but I still think keeping a man gainfully employed all year round has got to be worth more when you work out all the down time working for agencies.
 
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