Temporary staff needed for Haringey Parks

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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on August 5, 2011 at 18:42

As ever, thanks to Dave Morris and to HoL for letting us all know what's going on in the Council.

Though maybe I just missed the meeting or report where this was unveiled as part of the big plan. Lose some permanent staff. Then - come the sunshine - realise there's a lot of litter out there not being cleared. And hire temp staff through an agency.

Manley Summers is an apt name for August. Who will deal with the unexpected leaf fall in September/October?

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Permalink Reply by L F T Snowflake on August 6, 2011 at 9:15

Amazing, so they want to save money and what do they do? Hire agency staff. 

For anyone who does not know, agencies charge FIFTY PERCENT commission on jobs like this. So, for every pound the worker gets, the agency gets fifty pence on top in commission. 

Why oh why, are they advertising through agencies for part time staff? This is almost as ludicrous as Hackney, who a few years ago advertised for staff to work 5 hours a week on a saturday in their library. Anyone fancying this pin money job had to apply for an 'information pack' from the same agency that recruits spies for MI5. 

By the time the poor application has had to jump through the massive hoops of red tape that are erected by agencies in order to put people OFF applying for jobs, we'll be well into Christmas.

For crying out loud, when is someone in these councils going to apply a bit of common sense? If you need part time staff to work for 8 weeks - STICK A CARD IN THE LOCAL NEWSAGENTS WINDOW! There are THOUSANDS of students around at the moment who would be grateful of the money. 

A scandalous waste of money. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Rachella on August 6, 2011 at 15:46

When you consider pensions, benefits, etc.......It's actually cheaper to hire agency staff -- but that doesn't make it right.

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Permalink Reply by L F T Snowflake on August 7, 2011 at 9:25

Hi there, 

 

Thats often an argument for using agency staff - but actually is it really cheaper? does an employer really have to pay 50% on top of what they pay their full time staff? 

 

And in any event here, we are talking seasonal work. Thus pensions and benefits are not likely to come into the equation. A far, FAR easier way to do this would be to hire them as freelancers and pay them directly. 

 

There are enough freelancers, contractors and consultants working in council offices and paying them weekly on an invoice is not a problem with today's sophisticated salary programs. Anything has to be better than paying 50% commission to an agency just to get a few litter pickers. 

 

I'll do the job myself as evening work if they need me. I've got the experience. 25 years of being a weekend and holiday volunteer at a 110 acre country activity centre. I've picked litter, I've done building works, dug ditches, done security 'lurks' in the dead of night and cleaned more loos than most people have ever seen. 

 

I could apply through the agency, but when they see my City and Guilds in Shoe Repairing they might decided I am 'over qualified'. 

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