Aviva Contractor Shake-Up - All Out Within 60 Days + Rate Cut of 10%

[fraymond]

I do think acting like a disgruntled employee is not the way though.

+1. nothing good comes from acting like a little child.

[TheFaQQer]

If you want to stay (or rather don't want to leave), then you accept the rate.

But see what else you can get instead, e.g.

• Shorter notice period, so you can walk if something better appears
• Shorter working hours - cut the rate by 10% and I'll work 10% less
• Work from home
• More flexibility
• More CUK time - an additional 10% a day to waste on drivel

Try to negotiate and see what you can get - if I wasn't working from home, then I'd take a 10% cut to be working from home instead of going into client site.

[fraymond]

I nearly started a gig at BarCap last year; quick onboarding process right up to the point where in the week before start of services I was informed that BarCap 'miscalculated its consultancy budget' and that I'd need to take a 10% haircut. We discussed, there was no movement in rate or deliverables; ultimately I declined, we parted professionally. I took a risk and it put me back at square one, but for me it was important to do this. As a small business, you have to be fully prepared to influence client behaviour to your good, not always theirs.

Exactly the same thing happened to me. Unfortunately I caved in and accepted, that was before the next 3 rate cuts came along. Such a bad way to start an engagement.

[Flubster]

Well, the email from Spring (clearly worded by Aviva) was sent to all contractors yesterday. In it, we have to respond to the 10% rate cut with a clear Yes or No by Friday. A nil response will result in contracts being terminated from 31/12/2012.

[psychocandy]

Good for you flubster. All well and good if you can afford to do this...

But like someone said, most people will take it.

Not sure what I'd do. Possibly suck it up but make sure I was looking for something else. And extra work just wouldnt happen.

Childish maybe. But get a builder in then tell him halfway through a job that hes got to accept 10% less. Then you'll see childish activity possibly resulting in violence or criminal damage!

[northernladuk]

Well, the email from Spring (clearly worded by Aviva) was sent to all contractors yesterday. In it, we have to respond to the 10% rate cut with a clear Yes or No by Friday. A nil response will result in contracts being terminated from 31/12/2012. My 'No' response was sent within 30secs of my receiving the email.

Merry Xmas Aviva! You bunch of twunts. I expect a call at the end of January asking me back, but you won't be able to afford me once I adjust my rate accordingly....

So you will be out of work a month, then price yourself out of more work with them and spend more time on the bench? Good plan.

Saying that though I have had a couple of calls this week already about work starting in mid Jan so there is deffo work out there. Lot worse times for this to happen so you could come out of it smelling of roses yet.

[LatteLiberal]

So you will be out of work a month, then price yourself out of more work with them and spend more time on the bench? Good plan.

Saying that though I have had a couple of calls this week already about work starting in mid Jan so there is deffo work out there. Lot worse times for this to happen so you could come out of it smelling of roses yet.

So you advise to accept rate cuts with no reason, but won't ask for a rate rise without significant justification? Why don't you just become a wage slave, you are clearly no able to run a business.

[northernladuk]

So you advise to accept rate cuts with no reason, but won't ask for a rate rise without significant justification? Why don't you just become a wage slave, you are clearly no able to run a business.

LOL, please go back to trolling in General, you are actually half decent at that.

If the OP had a hole in his arse he would have fought the cut as best he could first before mailing off no but I just couldn't be bothered pointing that out as he seems to have made his decision. You want to be trolling the OP not me.

I really don't see what your problem is about going in with justification when asking for a rise. You say I don't know how to run a business but every request for budget or spend requires a business case to secure funding and a poor business case can get it refused even if it is on a plate. There is absolutely nothing wrong with going in prepared to fight for your rise. If a decision is borderline your extra effort can make the difference. Where is the problem in that. Just asking for money and expecting it is the dumb move IMO.

[Flubster]

So you will be out of work a month, then price yourself out of more work with them and spend more time on the bench? Good plan.

Never said that so not sure why you're assumming this. All I've said is that I'm not accepting a 10% rate cut to my current contract. I already have two other offers of work to start 1/1/2013 so am currently mulling over which one to accept. If I didn't have a plan B or plan C, I'd still not accept the rate cut. I've not had any downtime for about 5 years (other than holidays), so am more than happy to have a few weeks off. Luckily, my skills are fairly niche and there's plenty out there. I'm not spoilt for choice, but I can be selective in what I go for.

[LatteLiberal]

LOL, please go back to trolling in General, you are actually half decent at that.

If the OP had a hole in his arse he would have fought the cut as best he could first before mailing off no but I just couldn't be bothered pointing that out as he seems to have made his decision. You want to be trolling the OP not me.

I really don't see what your problem is about going in with justification when asking for a rise. You say I don't know how to run a business but every request for budget or spend requires a business case to secure funding and a poor business case can get it refused even if it is on a plate. There is absolutely nothing wrong with going in prepared to fight for your rise. If a decision is borderline your extra effort can make the difference. Where is the problem in that. Just asking for money and expecting it is the dumb move IMO.

So next time you go to McDonalds and they have added 10p onto their Big Macs do you expect the counter staff to give a business case and justify the rise?