Where did ALS go wrong?

Apart from the fact that it pissed off too many stakeholders from different areas I think they got too gready too. I understand that we live in world with a messed up economy and one needs to make savings in order to stay on top of things, however one needs to note “how much savings” and how these are applied.

Who have they managed to piss off so far? Well…let’s see: interpreters, translation agencies, MP’s (to be fair some of them as majority do not care much about it), chartered bodies, alliances, unions, solicitors, and the list goes on.

The Government/MOJ awarded this contract to ALS in the name of savings creating a monopoly on the market and allowing to one almighty agency to rule the market. This is wrong at so many levels.

Firstly we, the UK people, are supposed to be living in a democratic society and operating a free market. Having one agency rule the market is not the way forward. Maybe in China and other dictatorship countries…but UK is supposed to be “special”.

The MOJ did not think for a second that it might actually be beneficial to attach some strings to this contract such as: use local people for local jobs, give a certain percentage of jobs to other stakeholders and agencies, etc? Oh..no..God forbid!

And what does almighty ALS do? They publish piss taking rates which – note!! – are not for negotiation. These non-negotiable rates are for freelancers such as spanish translators who work as self employed. Hmm…I wonder what does HMRC think about that when one of the tests of establishing if one is self-employed is “who dictates how where and when and how much”. So then if the answer is ALS, then surely these people all of the sudden become PAYE. Or has common and statutory law changed since this contract was awarded? Have we all of the sudden live on Greek or Spanish grounds?

 So their attitude is “take it or leave it” or “take it or leave profession”! What does the Governement do? Well…to put is bluntly N O T H I N G. They don’t care people go out of business – the very business that is suppose to support the fragile economy – and that these very people are thrown back at the system. How are they thrown back? Well “simples”: if one can’t afford to live they claim benefits. Superb!

I ALS would have partnered with a few other agencies and split the pie, they would have had a lot more success.http://www.appliedlanguage.com/