State of the Market

[WTFH]

Just been approached about an 18 month contract at a reasonable rate. I know the agent, so I know it's not a market trawl. No issue with IR35.
Client is in Germany and contract would be via Switzerland.

I've told them I'm not interested, the main reasons being:
1. I know the client and I know why they will only use contractors for this piece who are based outside German/EU regulations
2. Most of the resourcing has been driven purely by price, not ability
3. My current client is going to keep me busy.

The other guys who could do it will probably be messaging me later today for a catch up/laugh about it, given how we will all be approached about it on the same day.

In case you're thinking I should offer the role to anyone on here, the thing is it requires...

... a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career.

[eek]

Just been approached about an 18 month contract at a reasonable rate. I know the agent, so I know it's not a market trawl. No issue with IR35.
Client is in Germany and contract would be via Switzerland.

I've told them I'm not interested, the main reasons being:
1. I know the client and I know why they will only use contractors for this piece who are based outside German/EU regulations
2. Most of the resourcing has been driven purely by price, not ability
3. My current client is going to keep me busy.

The other guys who could do it will probably be messaging me later today for a catch up/laugh about it, given how we will all be approached about it on the same day.

In case you're thinking I should offer the role to anyone on here, the thing is it requires...

The resourcing based on price is the problem with most projects.

Going to have the same issue with the bit of work I'm interviewing for in the next 10 minutes - and if there was anything else in the market at the moment I wouldn't be looking at this piece of work because the client has already shown they are idiots.

[quackhandle]

Now hang on a minute, copyright issue here...

qh - will look for you and find you...

[dsc]

[...]
1. I know the client and I know why they will only use contractors for this piece who are based outside German/EU regulations
[...]

Why? genuinely curious to hear the reasons.

[eek]

Why? genuinely curious to hear the reasons.

No German union issues....

[dsc]

No German union issues....

Ah yes, the place I'm at now is doing a re-org and those unions were a proper pain in the ass...or someone simply forgot they also have to deal with them in the process.

Are contractors also part of unions? or is it the unions being against using contractors?

[WTFH]

Why? genuinely curious to hear the reasons.

As eek said, it's due to the Betriebsrat (Works Council). I was involved in a project in Munich where the IT department shut down at lunchtime on Fridays and most of them got an extra 2 weeks holiday a year to make up for them doing more than 37.5hr per week.

Absolutely fine if you're doing permie/day to day roles. Terrible if you're trying to deliver a project to a deadline.

[WTFH]

Are contractors also part of unions? or is it the unions being against using contractors?

Contractors can request to be covered under the works council, but don't expect to be kept on long.

As for how well the works council gets on with contractors, it depends on how good you are at working with rather than against people, and whether the direct result of you being there is that people will be made redundant. It can play to your advantage greatly. if you can get the leaders on board, you'll be able to get buy in from the staff very quickly, or if you need/want to make big changes to the plan these guys will get the company to agree to it.