There is a way to challenge the 15% rate cut at Lloyds.

If you said you did not accept the rate cut, your line manager is sent a Exemption Form, if they write something nice and get their guv'nor to sign it, you keep your 15% ... until the next time. The retarded admin didn't get the forms to the line managers until last Friday.

The original email I got was poorly worded, it didn't say that if you didn't accept the rate cut you'd be given 4 weeks notice. I didn't and I still haven't had anything in writing.

Sharp practices like this need to be exposed. It is not in anyone's interest.

Got Accenture in your part of the bank? Current rates are:

Professional Services: £1,800/day
Professional Services + Strategy: £2,300/day

Word has it that a deal has been struck at the top to incorporate Accenture's rates into the internal smoothed rate that is charged to projects. How they gonna make it pay? Screw the contractors.

I hate this organisation, I hate my job and I hate myself for becoming enslaved to this way of life.

Oh and even the onshore/offshore Accenture India rates are higher than our Wipro, Cognizant and TCS chums. Wipro: 280, Accenture India: 325.

The government's backing of the bank legitimately places this information in the public domain.