Umbrella Companies: The latest way to exploit Britains temporary workers.

[SueEllen]

While finally there is an article in the mainstream press that explains how umbrella companies work - linky It's a shame that the headline is years out of date.

[Paddy]

Early this morning I was in a nearby city (no name to protect said worker). I chatted to a litter collector but I was shocked to find he was a “contractor working via an umbrella company. Capita had made the rubbish collectors redundant when they took over the council. He said it was impossible to do his job within the time allocated and after expenses he gets less than minimum wage. I felt gutted just listening to him. Meanwhile, I looked up to see how much the Capita council boss on; £265,000 plus expenses.

[original PM]

Early this morning I was in a nearby city (no name to protect said worker). I chatted to a litter collector but I was shocked to find he was a “contractor working via an umbrella company. Capita had made the rubbish collectors redundant when they took over the council. He said it was impossible to do his job within the time allocated and after expenses he gets less than minimum wage. I felt gutted just listening to him. Meanwhile, I looked up to see how much the Capita council boss on; £265,000 plus expenses.

Is it the fault of the capita bosses for selling a piss poor package to the council?

Or the councils fault for accepting it?

[BigRed]

or is it a conspiracy of fatcats?

[SueEllen]

Is it the fault of the capita bosses for selling a piss poor package to the council?

Or the councils fault for accepting it?

I doubt the council knows about it until it's done.

The council gets in management consultants and gets told to outsource because it is cheaper. They outsource transferring workers that they have left to the outsourcing company, these people leave and the new staff are on these contracts.

At the moment my LA is trying to outsource more things.

Unfortunately for them they have residents if notified about a consultation will go online and tell them outsourcing or whatever they have planned doesn't work, with detailed reasons why. As a result they try and hide their consultations but unfortunately find there are enough time people with legal knowledge in the area who will kick up a fuss so they have to re-do it or change the scheme they have implemented.