Contractors are insisting that the time has come in the Irish contract employment market to disclose what the contract rates being offered are for contracts, much like what commission is being paid on Life Assurance policies to a Broker. Contractors are saying, (not to recruitment agencies because of fear of losing a contract), that they are fed up asking agencies what is the rate for the contract, only to be asked, what rate were you on for the last contract?

What difference does it make what rate the contractor was being paid on the last contract. If the contractor has the relevant experience, and most contractors will come with a broader range of experience due to their career diversity, then the contractor should be paid the rate applicable to the contract on offer. The agency will know what the rate is and contractors feel that the agencies want to keep a bigger slice of the pie by playing down rates. Contractors also feel that they may be getting passed over for contract positions if they ask for the going rate so they will put forward lower rates, which allows the agencies to increase its margin on the contract.

Contractors are saying that they want to see transparency in contract rates. This will stop the contractors from having the feeling that they are being ripped off because agency margins are well down due to the current economic crisis. Also, Employers will not be paying over the odds for a contractor because the agency is keeping a bigger margin. With transparency it will be a win/win situation all round for Agent, Employer and contractor.