"Yup, and last I tried I couldn't get an employment lawyer at ?5 per hour on 24 hour call-out. Why shouldn't builders be paid the same as employment lawyers?"
No, I doubt I could get an employment lawyer at ?5 per hour on 24 hour call out either. I'd more than likely pay the same as I would for a plumber- the only difference being that I wouldn't have to wait two weeks for him to turn up, he'd stick to his appointment and he wouldn't cancel at the last minute (or indeed, refuse the job at all) because I only wanted a radiator moving and not my entire boiler overhauling.
The fact is, we do need more plumbers. I've got a plumber living over the road. When my boiler packed up two years ago- he fell all over himself to replace it. When I needed a radiator moving a couple of months ago, could I get him in? Could I fuck. Could I get anybody else? Eventually, yes- but not before numerous cancellations and pissing about.
Same goes for the leaky roof that I had. No less than eight different roofers said they'd come and have a look, with only two actually doing so and with only one (eventually) coming round to do the work.
The whole argument of more plumbers bringing down plumbers' salaries is laughable. I'll pay a plumber what he asks for because he's providing me with a skill I don't have myself. If I've got no hot water in the middle of winter and he's willing to come out in the middle of the night to fix the problem- he's earned his money. I just want the fucker to turn up and do the job.
Any lawyer I've ever had to use has been on the case from the get go. In the highly unlikely event that he told me I'd have to wait for three weeks before he could even see me, I'd just go elsewhere. You can't do that with plumbers because they're rarer than rocking horse shit.
No, I doubt I could get an employment lawyer at ?5 per hour on 24 hour call out either. I'd more than likely pay the same as I would for a plumber- the only difference being that I wouldn't have to wait two weeks for him to turn up, he'd stick to his appointment and he wouldn't cancel at the last minute (or indeed, refuse the job at all) because I only wanted a radiator moving and not my entire boiler overhauling.
The fact is, we do need more plumbers. I've got a plumber living over the road. When my boiler packed up two years ago- he fell all over himself to replace it. When I needed a radiator moving a couple of months ago, could I get him in? Could I fuck. Could I get anybody else? Eventually, yes- but not before numerous cancellations and pissing about.
Same goes for the leaky roof that I had. No less than eight different roofers said they'd come and have a look, with only two actually doing so and with only one (eventually) coming round to do the work.
The whole argument of more plumbers bringing down plumbers' salaries is laughable. I'll pay a plumber what he asks for because he's providing me with a skill I don't have myself. If I've got no hot water in the middle of winter and he's willing to come out in the middle of the night to fix the problem- he's earned his money. I just want the fucker to turn up and do the job.
Any lawyer I've ever had to use has been on the case from the get go. In the highly unlikely event that he told me I'd have to wait for three weeks before he could even see me, I'd just go elsewhere. You can't do that with plumbers because they're rarer than rocking horse shit.