I told you we wouldn't agree on all..
At the moment the Union case was brought by only a small number Uber drivers as a test case .... So the change whilst a momentous decision for the whole of the" GIG " economy will take a while to be implemented . But already we are seeing results Uber is now offering changes, that include giving Uber drivers more control over how they earn, and providing new protections like free insurance in case of sickness or injury. So the Workers and Union fight is already seeing benefits and worth the Union and members fight .....
The UK " gig " economy, has a workforce of approx 5.5 million people which this Supreme Court decision will affect, and now the Corporates will be trying hard to keep their "workers" happier, giving like them and Uber, their drivers, cyclists etc more protection and rights hoping they won't have to implement the whole package ....
Many of these GIG business have been very successful, not just Uber Taxi's but inc Uber EAT food delivery and many others etc whose take up as been vastly improved by the Pandemic, so don't see sitting on their profits and shedding staff when they have a profitable business model with extra revenue from data coming in just because of this Supreme court decision.
Say for example , I am wrong and you are right, and they do shed some staff... they certainly won't shed them all , it still will have been worthwhile as the ones kept on, and any new workers or companies setting up will now have to comply with workers protections and rights.
As for the NHS Unison whose members which inc nurses, paramedics, hospital porters and cleaners, is right to ask for 15%. Even if we were to put aside the gratitude, we should all feel for the tireless effort all these NHS staff have put in, during the Pandemic , putting their own and families life on the line .. having saved what would have been more deaths, if left to this Govt late policy and u turning ...
The Union was right to ask for 15% ( if it was left up to me personally it would be more) ... as with the Union fight with Uber and the corporates took 5 years ... this Govt whilst clapping for the NHS, when the public were looking on ...The Tories history in rewarding these heroic workers is poor and slow , Seen when the Tory MP's cheered in Parliament, after blocking nurses wages back in March last year .... So by the time its pushed through this 15% may be chickenfeed at best, So best to aim high in negotiations so a fair price can be derived in the end as these poor NHS staff are tired and running on empty ...and worth more...
My Sister who is a nurse has said what she heard that even the voice of the establishment the more moderate Royal College of Nursing is calling for a 12.5% pay rise for nursing staff across the UK, she thinks both the GMB / Unison is demanding the 15% you mentioned . Unison was asking last year for each employee to receive an increase of at least £2,000 by the end of 2020 under its campaign to give all NHS staff a decent pay rise which was refused by Hancock and the tories .
I would naturally agree with everything you say with the NHS but Tories don't pay in anything other than instalments. Anything they offer is phased over years with many staff employed today, might not be there in a year or two and are not being replaced pro-rata. That's why we have had the empty Nightingale hospitals.
Plenty of sick people and no-one to treat them. People have turned away from Nursing as today they have to take out student loans as the burseries were axed by the idiots who didn't ever look to future staffing problems.
Turning to the Uber judgement. It sounds like a success in principle but I doubt it will be in practice and the expression ' be careful what you wish for' might apply.
I had 25 years of self employment incorporating 3 different businesses/consultancies. It gave me no guaranteed work, no sick or holiday pay or other rights, but it was lucrative, it gave me quality of life when my kids were growing up, generous tax and NI breaks.
If I'd been 'employed' I would have had the right to a contract, guaranteed hourly pay in return of contracted hourly work.
It would not have prevented possible redundancy or sacking (subject to the correct rules being followed). I would have been put on fixed work start and finish times with potentially no flexibility, with pre set days off and no choice in the matter as to be employed, you take the rough with the smooth and the employer is always the boss. For the perk of holiday pay and sick pay, I would have been given probably the minimum amount of leave, only statutory sick pay and minimum pay according to legislation. I would be on PAYE and higher NI contributions.
If that is seen as a successful outcome, I wouldn't want it.
Then there is the percentage game, except that it's not a game.
The employer will decide which people are worthy of employing and which aren't.
With associated costs of giving workers rights, some previously self employed workers will no longer be required, so a percentage will fall by the wayside.
Fine, if you make the cut 'I'm alright Jack',
Not so good if your services are no longer required.
The last union shop steward I met had been a hgv driver, who had taken on the management at Argos to argue about shift pay for one of 10 fellow drivers.
It brought in senior management and branch and area union members for a conflict.
The management announced that as of a certain date, the transport would be going to an outsourced haulage contractor and the currently employed drivers on good pay and perks would be served redundancy notices. They could apply to the third party for a job but it would be on the terms of the 'new' employer if they were successful in their application with less generous pay and no perks.
The union called their bluff.
Two months later 10 drivers were made redundant. 6 were re-employed by the other firm. The shop steward remained unemployed and working crap hours on crap pay for an agency.
