ROTTEN BOROUGHS: More HATS
It is my opinion that HATS/Olympic South continues to operate illegally while enjoying the bulk of the Triborough's lucrative Special Education Needs Transport Contract.
All HATS staff are only allowed to work on a self-employed basis! This means no National Insurance payments, no holiday entitlement, no pension entitlements, no job security, no employment protection, therefore saving HATS at least 20% on their wage bill. But worse still, where does this leave the insurance relating to their service? If there is an accident with a child on a vehicle which the driver or assistant are responsible for (not a motor accident but a child being dropped etc) clearly the driver and assistant do not have their own personal insurance. The parent would go to HATS for this insurance claim. HATS cannot insure self-employed staff, so the claim would have to go back to the Triborough. Yet another case of HATS therefore being subsidised by the Triborough.
This just gets worse. How can this be allowed to happen?
ReplyDeleteIf it is true then HATS are most probably breaking the law you cannot force someone to be self employed. Also where are RBKC on how a contractor treats their employees? Also this transport contract you will find is a contract between Westminster and the Transport companies. The number of alerts that RBKC have received regarding how the contract is being performed would amount to negligence should a problem occur. RBKC have allowed Westminster to negotiate a contract breaking all the rules that they enforce in their own contracts. RBKC are party to persistent law breaking because officers and members are acutely aware of what is going on, officers will not back down on this contract because they are trying to make the unworkable work to the detriment of some very vulnerable people. Good directors and officers have left because of the Tri Borough and RBKC were advised that this contract was unworkable and risky.
ReplyDeleteThis is scandalous, but typical of the Rotten Borough. One doubts that the necessary criminal record checks have been carried out for self employed people working alone with vulnerable adults and children.
ReplyDeleteRBKC routinely runs its services in ways that are unlawful. It's for the Labour party to inform residents of the details.
If this is true and the contract is a Westminster contract Kensington should withdraw from it. Blindingly obvious Westminster don't give a damn about anyone. The two other boroughs are relishing dragging Kensington through their mud. Get out now and set some standards.
ReplyDelete