Reply to: Contract of the Day (Barclays)

[vwdan]

The bit called Mutuality of Obligation.

When they say they don't need you, do you expect them to give you work? And when you are not given any work, do you expect to be paid?

Please help me understand how it works.

Uh, read it again:

They decided not to pay his last invoice. They paid all the ones up to that point because they needed him on site, but as soom as he wasn't needed on the project they witheld payment.

Contractor invoices on a monthly basis. He works Jan, Feb, March and April - client duly pays Jan, Feb and March invoices because they know they still need him, but he hands his final invoice in at the end of April on his last day of work. The client, knowing they don't actually need him again, decide to chance their arm and not bother paying.

[DimPrawn]

It mystifies me why banks, who have loads of money, want to cut corners and make savings with important items like (for example) database administration. They seem to put a huge effort into saving marginal amounts with contractors, while bathing other parts of the workforce in cash. The last year or so has seen several IT disasters at the banks (including Barclays IIRC). Why are they rumaging round the bargain bin ? Or is it the agencies taking a rather too big wack ?

Other businesses seem to pay more than banks now. A bog standard IT company will pay more then the above just for you to work on their non-production systems.

WHS.

Current client is a trading company. Everything IT related has been handed to a dozen different Bob outsourcing companies, where cost is the only thing they measure. The systems are falling on their arses and the traders are on the verge of throwing the computers out of the window as nothing works and support is non existent.

Contractor headcount is down 90% and no permies are hired.

Profits are falling like a stone off a cliff and they will be bankrupt in a couple of years, the core business can no longer function, but hey they've saved a few quid in IT.......

[FatLazyContractor]

Seriously, which part of that post are you struggling to grasp?

The bit called Mutuality of Obligation.

When they say they don't need you, do you expect them to give you work? And when you are not given any work, do you expect to be paid?

Please help me understand how it works.

[unixman]

+1 to this ^

It mystifies me why banks, who have loads of money, want to cut corners and make savings with important items like (for example) database administration. They seem to put a huge effort into saving marginal amounts with contractors, while bathing other parts of the workforce in cash. The last year or so has seen several IT disasters at the banks (including Barclays IIRC). Why are they rumaging round the bargain bin ? Or is it the agencies taking a rather too big wack ?

Other businesses seem to pay more than banks now. A bog standard IT company will pay more then the above just for you to work on their non-production systems.

[vwdan]

Not surprised by this. Why will they pay him when he is not needed anymore and hence doesn't have anything to do?

Seriously, which part of that post are you struggling to grasp?

[FatLazyContractor]

A mate of mine worked for a Bob consultancy doing a role in Prague. They decided not to pay his last invoice. They paid all the ones up to that point because they needed him on site, but as soom as he wasn't needed on the project they witheld payment. I don't know if he ever got the money out of them.

Not surprised by this. Why will they pay him when he is not needed anymore and hence doesn't have anything to do?

[northernladuk]

I have found that Barclays rates fluctuate greatly from month to month. No doubt they will pickup again once the next lot clear out and find better contracts. Though some part of me misses Radbroke, I am glad I got out after 18 months, hopefully a long break before I return to the place once more....

+1 to this ^

[Eirikur]

I've been here before and I feel your frustration, but honestly you could have saved 5 minutes of your life by just pressing delete. Talking back encourages them.

You are most likely abusing an ex-receptionist or call centre worker who thinks they have hit the jackpot. The people who really deserve our derision are the owners of these retarded sweat shops.

Well that's what I did, the below was an email from the agency's owner signing off by The Team

Hi Eirikur,

Following on from our earlier communication, I can confirm that we have identified a position with <huge dull consultancy> that closely matches your current skills and salary/career expectations. We will be submitting your CV to <huge dull consultancy>, to be considered for this and similar positions.

We will contact you the minute we have feedback from them with regards to your application.

If you prefer us not to submit your CV, please let us know immediately on the contact details below.

Kind regards,

The Team

Dear Team, I hope this is a mistake, I have had no conversation with you and I have not given you permission to submit my details. I have even told you in an earlier conversation, that I do not want to work for <huge dull consultancy> at all. If you did put me forward I demand you undo this immediately. I do not wish to be contacted by your agency anymore as you and your colleagues have demonstrated an extreme high level of amateurism over and over again, which was again confirmed by other emails sent by yourself earlier tonight.

Of course a few days later they tried to contact me again, their emails now go directly into spam and I blocked their numbers

[Steelman]

A mate of mine worked for a Bob consultancy doing a role in Prague. They decided not to pay his last invoice. They paid all the ones up to that point because they needed him on site, but as soom as he wasn't needed on the project they witheld payment. I don't know if he ever got the money out of them.

HA! Same happened to me! They used some spurious excuse about losing face with the client or something?

Sounds like a well worn tactic. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK

[BoredBloke]

A mate of mine worked for a Bob consultancy doing a role in Prague. They decided not to pay his last invoice. They paid all the ones up to that point because they needed him on site, but as soom as he wasn't needed on the project they witheld payment. I don't know if he ever got the money out of them.

[stek]

Is there a list anywhere of known Bob Agencies/Consultancies ?

Avance
Bright Purple
Silverlink

There's three...

[SunnyInHades]

Is there a list anywhere of known Bob Agencies/Consultancies ?

[Cenobite]

Only reason they need a contractor is because it needs SC so they're putting someone through it so no bobs on board here.

Sadly I've worked with Indian nationals who were granted SC. I remember this bob telling me he wasn't half-British or anything: a central London government department project went so wrong that the consultancy was allowed to get Indians SC'd. Really put me off SC work because I don't think it's ever attracted much of a premium but at least I thought it was safe from offshoring: not any more.

[doodab]

Only did the BobCo thing once. Never, ever again.

+1. It really wasn't any fun.

[psychocandy]

Hmm. Putting me off guys. I must admit the rate in my case is so low its a joke which concerns me. Only reason they need a contractor is because it needs SC so they're putting someone through it so no bobs on board here.

I too get the feeling that they're gonna want miracles for the money, bleed it dry and then get rid of asap.