Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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LynneA
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Councils spend millions on temps rather than hire own staffJust had the opportunity to look at an article in the GMB union magazine.
It's a survey of the amount of money spent by London boroughs on temporary and agency contract staff. Many councils are taking this route as until now it has removed from them the responsibility for holiday pay, pensions, sick pay, etc. and above all makes it easier to hire and fire.
Also, many services, from meals on wheels to refuse collection are now tendered out, so often these staff costs come as a "package".
Having worked as a temp, and processed invoices from agencies for temp services, I know that the actual costs to the company are double that of the gross wages the temp receives.
My local council paid out nearly £19 million on temps in the last financial year. Hackney, an area with high unemployment and thousands wanting low skilled jobs, spent almost double that.
I'm miffed enough at subsidising the Olympics. Paying over the odds for lazy Human Resources policies is yet another waste of MY money 
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Jonnyboy
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I'm not saying this is true everywhere, but RPA has resulted in a lot of areas running with up to 25% less staff, and a block on new recruitment until RPA is completed. So to even attempt to provide a service we have to use revenue budgets to pay temporary staff when we really want to recruit decent full timers. Crazy.
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Helen_A
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Its not new though - I worked, as a 'temp' in a couple of different departments for Hounslow in 1995. All but the most senior admin staff were agency, precisely because it removed the need to have us on the pension scheme, pay holiday, etc. and it kept the departments within budget whilst allowing them to have enough staff to actually function. They were both better paying as temp work went as well.
Helen_A
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