Arb Assoc's view on freelancers and small businesses.

[Dan Maynard]

I'm with Joe, I think it's a pretty poor thing for the AA to publish as it does endorse the views.

 

He comes across badly to me, possibly wrote the article after 7 pints and sent it in for a laugh. Seems he tried being a freelance climber for a couple of months, couldn't hack it, and had a downer on small operators ever since.

 

The idea that there could be a freelancer with LOLER certificate who does a good job and pays tax is beyond him. I've done the HMRC CEST that he talks about and I'm not PAYE when subbing. Boof ! I don't exist !

[nath]

14 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

I'm with Joe, I think it's a pretty poor thing for the AA to publish as it does endorse the views.

 

He comes across badly to me, possibly wrote the article after 7 pints and sent it in for a laugh. Seems he tried being a freelance climber for a couple of months, couldn't hack it, and had a downer on small operators ever since.

 

The idea that there could be a freelancer with LOLER certificate who does a good job and pays tax is beyond him. I've done the HMRC CEST that he talks about and I'm not PAYE when subbing. Boof ! I don't exist !

Nailed it more or less. I'm going with 5 glasses of rosé though.

[Pete Mctree]

Perhaps it’s Mr Elcoat that is the parasite ? Feeding off wannabe AA approved contractors and the AA themselves.
Either way it is sad illustration of how little the AA values the majority of the industry.

[Joe Newton]

Just now, Pete Mctree said:

Perhaps it’s Mr Elcott that is the parasite ? Feeding off wannabe AA approved contractors and the AA themselves.
Either way it is sad illustration of how little the AA values the majority of the industry.

Nail on the head there I think, Pete

[Rich Rule]

It is a bad article from someone who appears to be trying to be funny yet clearly isn’t.

 

I wonder why he only lasted a couple of months as a hired gun?

 

Maybe, he just wasn’t able to hack it?  
 

I was a parasite for over 12 years in the UK.  Kept up to date LOLER records and even helped a few companies get through their AAAC status.  In fact, Paul assessed me at least twice.

 

This parasite also paid tax and NI contributions, drove a nice truck (because I could) and wore the correct PPE.

 

What an absolute scumbag I was for not working for a company full time.

 

 

[Dan Maynard]

I started to suggest as a positive idea the AA could develop a scheme for freelancers.

 

Something like NPTC tickets registered, basic organisation, invoicing system, LOLER records, maybe first aid. Then I realised that Steve just set this up, peer review will soon sort out who can do what they say, AA too slow and bureaucratic again.

[Joe Newton]

7 minutes ago, Rich Rule said:

It is a bad article from someone who appears to be trying to be funny yet clearly isn’t.

 

I wonder why he only lasted a couple of months as a hired gun?

 

Maybe, he just wasn’t able to hack it?  
 

I was a parasite for over 12 years in the UK.  Kept up to date LOLER records and even helped a few companies get through their AAAC status.  In fact, Paul assessed me at least twice.

 

This parasite also paid tax and NI contributions, drove a nice truck (because I could) and wore the correct PPE.

 

What an absolute scumbag I was for not working for a company full time.

 

 

You didn't have your own insurance though, so you're basically scum mate. 

[Sutton]

This is the most telling:

 

"The industry is diluting as established organisations lose people who start small enterprises with their mates or, worse still, become ‘freelance’ climbers."

 

I'd interpret this as meaning his consultancy is based on distinguishing business structures, management practises, administrative box-ticking (he actually believes it's important to tell us he remembers to bring pencils to meetings!) and workers on the actual ground (or up in the tree - you see what I did there!).

 

In short, he is clearly stating that if you're NOT part of a big organisation in arb then you're not in the industry - which is clearly nonsense!

Edited August 16, 2022 by Sutton
negging

[Rich Rule]

11 minutes ago, Joe Newton said:

You didn't have your own insurance though, so you're basically scum mate. 

Oh yes I did.
 

I had it for three years, then there was an incident and my insurance company said it was on the primary contractors insurance.  My insurance was worthless.

 

It was cancelled rather quickly.

[Joe Newton]

22 minutes ago, Rich Rule said:

Oh yes I did.
 

I had it for three years, then there was an incident and my insurance company said it was on the primary contractors insurance.  My insurance was worthless.

 

It was cancelled rather quickly.

Sounds like you might have taken business advice from Elcoat LTD