15th June 2005, 04:04 PM
Something as clear cut as not paying, or unreasonably delaying payment to, staff, whether it's wages or expenses, should be dealt with at once by a letter, preferably from a solicitor, reminding them of their contractual obligations. The local CAB will help or may even have a duty solicitor to write it for you. It should be made very clear that no dosh = no work. If an RAO they should also be reported at once to the IFA for unprofessional behaviour. I feel that through the unity of the BAJR forum, and the forthcoming conference, a fairer balance of power may result - staff may feel less intimidated. An employer with no staff is, well, not an employer!
There is a work ethic in architecture, it's supposed to be a vocation, people work long extra unpaid hours because it's an art, they love architecture and all that, and in the 90's recession many smnaller firms went under or struggled to pay staff. Being a miserable sod, I always made it clear that I am not a registered charity and worked for recompense. Obviously it was all it bit less aggressive than it seems in cold print, but the point was made.
CK, nice to hear of action on ethical grounds. My hopes for a better balance of power apply equally in this respect to those of employment matters.
Power to the people.......
Today, Bradford. Tomorrow, well, Bradford probably.
There is a work ethic in architecture, it's supposed to be a vocation, people work long extra unpaid hours because it's an art, they love architecture and all that, and in the 90's recession many smnaller firms went under or struggled to pay staff. Being a miserable sod, I always made it clear that I am not a registered charity and worked for recompense. Obviously it was all it bit less aggressive than it seems in cold print, but the point was made.
CK, nice to hear of action on ethical grounds. My hopes for a better balance of power apply equally in this respect to those of employment matters.
Power to the people.......
Today, Bradford. Tomorrow, well, Bradford probably.