Changing the terms mid contract

[Mordac]

Try John Antell. You might have to google for him (he's in the west country somewhere, Marillion Fan has had some recent dealings with him) because he doesn't post here any more, but I reckon something like that would be right up his street.
Good luck, don't let the b@stards get away with this.

[Bagpuss]

Thanks Mordac et al, not one sarcy off topic comment, what is going wrong?

[AtW]

When I was in this position I bought the company in question and shut it down just to make an example of them.

threaded.

[BoredBloke]

"When I was in this position I bought the company in question and shut it down just to make an example of them.

threaded."

and then placed all their staff in pies and ate them

[Bagpuss]

Was this before or after he worked on the Nobel prize and drove home in his AMG Mercedes 'Elegance' I think someone should tail him in a Ford Sierra 1.3 L Cosworth

[AtW]

Was this before or after

These words have no meaning to someone with the Time Machine, especially so to threaded who has got at least 10.

[lukemg]

Situations like this are always the same :
- If you are happy to leave, play hard b'stard, refuse to sign (especially with any kind of reduction in revenue) and leave it to them to fight it out/get rid of you. In the meantime - get back into finding work mode and f**k 'em.
- If you don't want to leave/can't, adopt a more reasonable approach, try to get ability to bail (not good for IR35 but sounds like you might need a parachute on this one), try to get rate increase to cover additional charges (not your choice to use these chumps).

Either way, remain very calm around the office, don't whinge to permies/your boss/other contractors about it, carry on working as usual. That way you remain the hassled and hard done to party being messed about through no fault of your own which should give you plenty of support in the office.

[Mustang]

Maybe I am missing the point here but, by the fact that they want to give you a new contract with the intermediate 3rd party, aren't they in effect terminating the original contract? If that's the case, the negotiation on T's&C's (including renumeration) has to take place all over again.

Once again, professional legal advice required! Good luck!!

[quickweb]

If you have a direct contract with them, then you are an non-agency external supplier, providing your services to the company. Do the cleaners, couriers etc. have to also do this?

With a direct contract, this other company has no rights interferring with the relationship.

If your client wishes you to go through this new company then they have to do in a way that sticks to the contract: either serve notice, buy it out or generally come to an agreement with you.

But, IANAL.

[v8gaz]

I agree with the above - get some legal advice, but there could be an opportunity to take the 2.5% hit on a better rate, if the client likes you and doesn't want to see you go.

I'd point out how unprofessional the new lot are by showing the client the annotated contract....