We're in a recession!!!!

[Cyberman]

Cutting fuel duty takes money away from Govt coffers now, whereas it would boost the economy with a time lag. They have schemes to make you eat rotten veg to pay for,

But boosting the economy now could negate losses to the exchequer that we would definitely incur through entering a recession if we do nothing. A balance has to be reached, but I must admit I have absolutely no faith in the current incumbents to achieve this. Their answer to everything is more TAX !!

[TheBigYinJames]

But boosting the economy now could negate losses to the exchequer that we would definitely incur through entering a recession if we do nothing. A balance has to be reached, but I must admit I have absolutely no faith in the current incumbents to achieve this. Their answer to everything is more TAX !!

Doom-mongering tax is due, pay up.

[Charles Foster Kane]

The last couple of days on Jobserve, I have found that if you search for jobs in London of type contract over the last 0 days (today) you will get less than a page of results. That is worrying, you normally get several pages.

Hopefully I won't be forced into permiedom.

[Ivor Bigun]

Is that even how you spell it?!!

Anyway.....what does it mean for us, the lowly contractor?

Should we be panicking?

Or will this mean permie redundancies...which will in turn mean a better contractor market?

Or is it all just sh*te?

If there's no "rainy day" savings then the answer is a definate YES.

PM jobs usually go first with the effects on others depending on age and skillset.
Recessions are never a bumper time for IT contractors. I was lucky last time, some decent long termers kept me afloat and I was never out of work.
Others I knew weren't so lucky - Most had to call it a day (no work with familes to feed).

One has to consider that the recession hasn't properly started yet. Even so, there are many "on the bench" here already.
One effect I noticed last time was that a lot of redundant permies decided "Oh I'll start contracting - why not?".
The extra bods diluted the rates for everyone (even though most weren't suitable).
Another is that the client no longer has to wait to fill the role. (does that happen anymore? - it used to )

[HairyArsedBloke]

I came across an old book the other day called “Economics in one Lesson”. It was written just after the Second World War, but all the mistakes that enumerates (actually one mistake, but in a multitude of instances) can be seen in the behaviour of the nuLieBore government.

It’s a cracker of a read.

[BrilloPad]

I came across an old book the other day called “Economics in one Lesson”. It was written just after the Second World War, but all the mistakes that enumerates (actually one mistake, but in a multitude of instances) can be seen in the behaviour of the nuLieBore government.

It’s a cracker of a read.

Did the book come from Atw?

[HairyArsedBloke]

Nope, this one talks sense.

Here you go link

[sasguru]

I came across an old book the other day called “Economics in one Lesson”. It was written just after the Second World War, but all the mistakes that enumerates (actually one mistake, but in a multitude of instances) can be seen in the behaviour of the nuLieBore government.

It’s a cracker of a read.

The subject of Economics has long been known as the "Dismal science" when it should really be called the "Bogus Art".

The essentials of economic common sense can actually be found in the old testament with the years of plenty in Egypt followed by the years of famine - probably the first documented instance of boom and bust.
El Gordo would have done well to read this summarised passage:

"During the seven years of plenty, the land produces abundant crops. Joseph husbands all the food of these years of plenty and stores it in the towns, placing in each town the crops of the fields around it. Joseph collects grain in quantities so vast like the sands of the sea.
At this time Joseph becomes the father of two sons, borne to him by Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of Heliopolis. He names his first-born Manasseh and he names the second Ephraim.

When the seven years of abundance enjoyed by the land of Egypt comes to an end, the seven years of famine set in, just as Joseph had predicted. Although there is famine in all the other countries, food is available throughout the land of Egypt. When hunger


comes throughout the land of Egypt and the people cry to Pharaoh, Pharaoh directs all the Egyptians to go to Joseph and do whatever he tells them.

When the famine had spreads throughout the land, Joseph opens all the cities that has the grain stored within and rations it to the Egyptians. Since famine is all over the whole world the entire world comes to Joseph to obtain rations of grain.

[sasguru]

From HAB's link:

Written in the 70s:

"An even greater irony is that, not satisfied with following such disastrous policies at home, our officials have been scolding other countries, notably Germany and Japan, for not following these “expansionary” policies themselves. This reminds one of nothing so much as Aesop’s fox, who, when he had lost his tail, urged all his fellow foxes to cut off theirs."

[rootsnall]

Hopefully I won't be forced into permiedom.

That door usually slams tightly shut just before the one for contractors starts to close. I'd also be careful, some places will take you on as a permie but then treat you as a cut price contractor and you'll be out the door just as quickly when the axe starts to fall. I remember one mate thinking he'd pulled a blinder by jumping ship just in time and being given the flick from his permie job 3 months in.