The London-based Trade Union Congress is in the throes of a full-scale initiative to wreck the UK contracting industry. Fortunately the London-based Professional Contractors Group is fighting hard to see that this million-member body doesn't succeed.
TUC Seeks To Cut Out Contractors
First the TUC was already fighting full swing to get the Agency Workers Directive accepted by the Government, This is the directive that will oblige us contractors to have the same rights as employees, thereby eliminating 250,000 contracts and driving the costs of contracting way up.
Shameless Propaganda
In its latest elucubration on the subject: a pamphlet called ''The 'cost' of equal rights for temps: busting the business myths,' TUC suggests that in fact no work will be lost if the directive is passed. After all, none were lost when the minimum wage bill was passed...
This report lacks the necessary clarity of vision to stimulate serious debate
John Brazier-PCG
Since the cost of employment benefits for a 50-pound-per-hour contractor are a bit higher than that of hiring a minimum-wage worker, it's a little difficult to see how this comparison could possibly make sense. Every business organisation in the UK has condemned the directive as driving up costs to an unworkable level. But TUC doesn't care: the trade union prejudice against contractors is too pervasive for them to actually consider the facts. The pamphlet is in fact a piece of shameless propaganda, devoid of the slightest actual analysis of what is happening in the workplace.
Further the TUC 'analysis claims that contractors aren't happy as contractors. Strangely, we've just had a series of surveys all of which show that contractors not only appreciate the extra money earned in contracting, but that they love running their own businesses and forging their own lifestyles. Join a union, and the union will decide all that for you--this is part of the basis of the terrible prejudice that unions maintain against our industry.
''The TUC is simply ignoring the facts in regard to the Agency Workers Directive,'' says PCG managing director John Brazier. PCG is working hard to prevent the directive's being passed.
Further, for some reason, TUC has weighed in on the subject of the income shifting legislation, which the PCG is already working to put an end to. Brazier has written to the TUC condemning its 'report' on ‘tax avoidance’ which supports the Treasury's much decried move to prevent family companies from sharing dividend income between spouses or partners.
Writing to TUC general secretary Brendan Barber, PCG’s managing
director Brazier said, ''We certainly believe that a serious debate about
the fundamental structure of the UK’s tax system is needed. Unfortunately,
we feel that this report lacks the necessary clarity of vision to
stimulate one, and instead entrenches long-standing misconceptions
about taxation in the UK.''
The TUC is simply ignoring the facts with regard to the Agency Workers Directive
John Brazier-PCG
Mr Brazier also pointed out the weaknesses of the report’s analysis of
the proposed new legislation on 'income shifting': “The proposed
legislation will not penalise the seriously wealthy, but will instead
harm hard-working small business owners who have structured their
businesses in line with long-standing government advice. As a major
disincentive to enterprise, we feel it will hamper job creation and
social mobility in the UK: we are therefore surprised not to see the
TUC expressing concern at the proposals.”
PCG has launched a dedicated campaign website against the new Family Business Tax and its online petition and Early Day Motion in the House of Commons continue to attract support.
Published: Friday, February 08, 2008
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