back to article Google to jettison 'second class citizens'

Google is to "significantly" reduce the number of contractors on its books. But it claims this has nothing to do with The Meltdown. And it insists there are no plans to layoff full-time employees. "We have been thinking for some time, before the acute phase of the economic crisis, about significantly reducing the number …

COMMENTS

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  1. Chris Wren

    Company events ??

    Not having to go to company events or being so destitute that we rely on perks is one of the great benefits of being a contractor........... if someone thinks that I would swap to perm, just so I can drink free beer and wine (no spirits) at the Xmas party they are very much mistaken.

  2. KenBW2
    Stop

    I for one

    am sick of hearing about this alleged credit crunch. Probably caused by the meeja getting all excited and scaremongering everyone.

  3. kain preacher

    @Chris Wren

    In the US contractor is often times the same as a temp worker.

  4. yeah, right.

    @Chris

    what kain said. In North America in general, "contractor" is equivalent to "full time temp worker with no benefits and no security and gets paid less than salaried employee". Often seen as a way "into" a company, but mainly a way for companies to keep a float of employees they can treat like shit to make the regular employees feel better about themselves. Contractors have all the downsides of being an employee, with none of the perks.

    Yes, there are better paid "contractors" - they're usually called "consultants" to differentiate.

  5. Neil Greatorex

    "world-renowned Google shuttle bus"

    I'm sorry, I've never heard of it.

    Where's the "meh" icon then?

  6. Jared

    I'm with the wren

    Strange, I'm in Arizona and I've never noticed a difference between 'contractor' and 'consultant.' I've had several contract positions and the pay is generally better than my salaried W2 counterparts'. I despise all company events, so I've never been disappointed to not be invited to sales rallies and the like. I do envy the full timers for their paid vacation though...

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It sounds like

    not too many non tech are actually employed by Google.

    That could be all the support staff :) The worse companies to work for are tech companies if you are not tech. And the worst companies for tech to work for are non tech companies.

    I wonder what pattern that will create eventually :)

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    No IR35 in the US, then

    Cultural differences: dontcha love 'em?

    In the UK, the general contractor desire is often to be excluded from company events, in a (perhaps vain) effort to avoid being tarred with the IR35 brush.

    In the US, this sounds like they get paid contractor rates then grouse that they don't get employee benefits.

    Well, shucks. Special Commissioner Charles Hellier would have a field day.

  9. Joe K

    Sheesh

    Well the Reg should differentiate and point it out then, because to us UK readers Contractor certainly is different than a lowly poor temp.

  10. BigTim
    Pirate

    Just waiting for the regualr Permie backlash comments

    Good enough for them, fat cat contractors etc. etc.

  11. TeeCee Gold badge

    Re: @Chris

    Ah, now I understand. That's cleared up a little terminology confusion that's been puzzling me round here for a while.

    One question. What's your word for the eye-wateringly well paid git who breezes in to make your management's decisions for them, produces some slides and then exits, stage left, resulting in you hiring a flock of "consultants" to do a shed load of design and build to implement his "strategy"?

  12. Paul

    @By yeah, right. & kain

    So they are a Temp.

    I have yet to see why people get so upset about companys dumping temps. I was a temp once and was let go with 1/2 days notice. I knew that might happen when I went in to the job, and no, I didn't get paid more. If people think they are being clever and getting a "way in" to the company, they realy need to ask themselfs why they have not been taken on full time.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Pay?

    And are full-time staff on the same pay as contractors? Or do contractors earn significantly more "per-hour" than their full-time equivalents?

    Yes, I know contractors have to sort their own holiday pay out, their own pensions, miss out on company bonuses etc, but that's the choice many make. The freedom to be a contractor and potential to earn much more than being "employed", but with more financial responsibility to look after themselves.

    Paris? Because I'd free-lance her.

  14. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    10,000 temps ?

    For Heaven's sake, how can a company possibly justify using 30% of its workforce on a temporary basis ?

    On the other hand, Google is obviously not at pains to pay them, so why not waste some cash like that ? It's deductible, after all.

  15. kain preacher

    One more thing

    About temps. If I'm getting paid $15 and hour the temp company that hired me gets $20. In some case I've seen them get paid $30 and and I get $14.

  16. Eduard Coli
    Thumb Down

    Cow=>Milk==Free

    Nuff really

  17. TT
    Alien

    crocadile tears

    For gods sake I have been a manager of contractors as both a permie and a contractor and these poor contractors should think themselves lucky the party lasted so long.

  18. TimM

    Re: crocadile tears

    And again, to stress the other comments, these guys in the US are not like UK contractors. Here contractors can be highly paid, more like consultants, and expect no benefits from their client or be required to partake in company events (or should do if they want to remain outside of IR35 !!). In the US it appears they are more like simple temps. Paid and taxed like full time employees, but denied any other benefits.

    In the UK, part of the risk is downturns. Something you can deal with if your business is profitable (so long as HMRC haven't ruled you inside IR35 and prevented you making a profit, then you're denied the possibility of retaining your business during a downturn, have to fold the business and make yourself redundant).

    I get the impression that in the US a "contractor" is out the door and onto the dole queue.

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