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Which Trades Union for IT Contractors ?

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    #31
    Originally posted by CoolCat View Post
    For example the complete absence of men in infant school teaching
    There's no male teachers in infant schools? I find that hard to believe.
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      #32
      Originally posted by NotAllThere View Post
      Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy in action. Teaching unions exist to further the power of teaching unions - not to improve teaching, or even, really, a teacher's lot.
      The teachers (and ex-teachers) I know only joined a union due to the risk of being accused of doing something to a child. (Similar to contractors joining IPSE for the tax investigation insurance.) They aren't interested in the other tulip and some of them delibrately chose their union on their strike record.
      "You’re just a bad memory who doesn’t know when to go away" JR

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        #33
        Originally posted by CoolCat View Post
        Teaching is another trade where the insidious influence of trade unions is apparent. For example the complete absence of men in infant school teaching is largely down to discrimination fostered and supported by the unions. As is the politically correct dogma forced down trainee teachers throats as part of their training.

        So Teaching is a perfect example of everything that is wrong with unions, hypocritical, two faced, and so on.


        Having spent years as a School Governor the lack of men has more to do with men not wanting to go into infant school teaching more than anything else. From memory probably 1 in 5 applicants were male and that's reflected in the ratios in local schools.
        merely at clientco for the entertainment

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          #34
          Originally posted by Boo View Post
          Hi,

          Was thinking of joining a Union and wondered which Trades Union is most appropriate for IT Contractors ? Anyone done that recently and care to share their views as to which Union offers the most appropriate benefits to its members wrt IT Contracting ?

          I should say in advance that I am not considering IPSE after a tulipe experience with them in the past and am only looking at "proper" Trades Unions.

          Thanks,

          Boo
          A Trade Union will support you in employment relationships, not business relationships. If you're through a brolly, I guess you're an employee. Maybe Propsect? Not sure if they would be much use in a dispute with a brolly (perhaps if you don't get paid because agency doesn't pay brolly?)

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            #35
            Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post
            There's no male teachers in infant schools? I find that hard to believe.
            There are very very few, but there must be some. Common enough in junior schools.

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              #36
              Good friend of mine is a male primary school teacher, didn't seem to have any issues getting a job.

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                #37
                Originally posted by northernladyuk View Post
                A Trade Union will support you in employment relationships, not business relationships. If you're through a brolly, I guess you're an employee. Maybe Propsect? Not sure if they would be much use in a dispute with a brolly (perhaps if you don't get paid because agency doesn't pay brolly?)
                Given that you now live in Ireland and clearly don't understand what unions are actually offering may I suggest you do some research.

                http://Indycube.community are offering and I quote

                So, what's on offer? Firstly the “fun stuff”, sign up to get cheap cinema tickets, money off deals on holidays and a host of leisure offers, or get Total Motor Assist and protect your no claims bonus. In the event of a car accident, you get vehicle recovery, vehicle repair, like-for-like replacement vehicles, private healthcare and specialist legal support. It’s a no brainer really!

                Then we get on to the serious stuff, benefits that could massively change your business. We offer free legal support as part of your benefits package. Our experienced team can help directly with most legal queries. If they don't know, we have a panel of law firms across the U.K on hand to take up the challenge. From contracts to employment law, they are there to help and it's free to IC Members.

                We have also negotiated an invoice factoring service for all business to business transactions. No one goes into business to chase invoices, nor to get paid late, yet very few people know about factoring. For larger businesses, it's a big deal - in the U.K. almost five times as much finance is provided via factoring than is provided via bank overdrafts, but, until now, it wasn't available to smaller operators. In a first for the U.K., that's now changed. The deal is very affordable - in fact, it's exceptional. For 2.15% of the invoice value, you can guarantee to get paid on time, and even protect yourself if your customer goes bust and can't pay. Furthermore, you will no longer need to run your own credit control (invoice chasing) function. Our partners do that for you, so you can just concentrate on building relationships with your customers. To put it into perspective, and as a worked example, for £107.50 you can guarantee you'll get paid your £5,000 invoice on time, and use the time you used to chase that invoice to do something more rewarding.
                Granted its not something I as a contractor need. But if I was a freelancer, didn't have £100k in the bank account and wasn't working through an agency who factored the bills for me I would be interested.
                merely at clientco for the entertainment

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                  #38
                  Originally posted by eek View Post
                  Given that you now live in Ireland and clearly don't understand what unions are actually offering may I suggest you do some research.

                  http://Indycube.community are offering and I quote



                  Granted its not something I as a contractor need. But if I was a freelancer, didn't have £100k in the bank account and wasn't working through an agency who factored the bills for me I would be interested.
                  Still nothing there that IPSE doesn't already provide, plus little things like agency failure coverage and payment for enforced days off work. As has been said already, IPSE+ is both comprehensive and cost effective even if you subscribe to the "IPSE have done f*** all for contractors" nonsense.

                  But hey, if what the union are selling meets your needs, then go ahead.
                  Blog? What blog...?

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                    #39
                    Originally posted by malvolio View Post
                    Still nothing there that IPSE doesn't already provide, plus little things like agency failure coverage and payment for enforced days off work. As has been said already, IPSE+ is both comprehensive and cost effective even if you subscribe to the "IPSE have done f*** all for contractors" nonsense.

                    But hey, if what the union are selling meets your needs, then go ahead.
                    That's not what I'm saying and you know it... For contractors IPSE offers things they want, for freelancers not using Agencies I wouldn't be so sure that its value for money....
                    merely at clientco for the entertainment

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