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thanks brm, replied

Hello,

I have a role for a Classic Bicycle Mechanic, please see below:

Sargent and Co is looking for a mechanic.

We are looking for a mechanic with experience working with Classic bikes, which includes both road bikes and pre-90′s town bikes.

The role will be self managed, you will be in charge of booking and managing your own clients., whether it be for servicing, rebuilds or complete restorations.

The mechanic will also be responsible for ordering his own parts and managing his own stock.

The mechanic would operate from the Sargent and Co shop (N5 2LT), in a self employed capacity, with access to all tools and existing customer base. The mechanic would be responsible for managing his own accounts and takings in store.

The role ideally would be 4/5 days a week, but this is negotiable. The shop would be available for sole use by the mechanic for a minimum of 3 days/week.
A weekly charge would apply for use of the premises, which would be inclusive of overheads (Business Rates, Water Gas, Electric). This rate will be dependent on the number of days/hours a week the mechanic wishes to use the store.

All works carried out by the mechanic in store would be in line with ‘Sargent and Co’ ethos i..e no aluminum bikes, no mountain bikes, no BMX, no modern (post 1995) road bikes, no hybrids. Charges made to customers for any repair or restoration would be in line with the Sargent and Co price list. A copy of all receipts would be submitted monthly.

This is an ideal opportunity for somebody looking to build (or extend) their own business with a minimum of overheads and initial outlay.

A passion and consideration for Classic bikes and excellent customer service skills are an absolute must.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the right person.

Interviews will be held on the 19th October.

Please send C.V’s/details to Rob@sargentandco.com

If you do not hear back please do not be offended, unfortunately we will only be able to contact successful applicants.

^
Good for people who do vintage builds for others from their kitchens.
An access to the workshop with tools and an established customer base? Perfect.

This looks like a great way for some cheapskates to have a mechanic. Dislike. I can't imagine anyone with any experience wanting to do this.

This looks like a great way for some cheapskates to have a mechanic. Dislike. I can't imagine anyone with any experience wanting to do this.

I saw that listed some where else and thought the same thing, I have 18month in a bike shop with modern bikes experience and desperate for a job but even I wouldn't be interested in that, let alone someone with the years of experience I think they are trying to attract.

It'd be nice to have that much freedom and its right up my street in terms of the bikes, but I think I'll stick to my salary.

Good luck.

er, what freedom? The freedom to not get holiday pay and to have to pay your own taxes, yet still having the freedom to work under someone else's name?
Sorry, I think I missed something.

There was something on the tellybox about this- might even have been watchdog or similar.

Anyway, the gist of it was that if you define someones working practices to the degree that they wish to do at Sargents then they can call it self employed if they want- but they have to pay the minimum wage for the hours that the person is at work, as it is basically an employed position.

If they actually gave the mech total freedom to do what they wanted then it would be self employed- but there are so many conditions/instructions that there is little question about that being a "boss/employee" relationship- just one that they wish to avoid paying a salary for, or holiday/sickness pay.

i.e. minimum wage, holiday pay/sickness pay would be owed to the mech due to the definition of the working conditions, if it came to laywers at dawn.

I dunno, I think it is morally dubious anyway- if they want an employee then they should commit to paying one.

Anyone fancy exercising their legs on a power assisted cargo cycle? I work for them as their mechanic and it is a pretty chilled place to work.
here's the link if you are interested, it's a paid 8 hours but you normally finish early. Here's the spiel:
http://www.gumtree.com/p/jobs/unique-scootercargocycle-delivery-opportunity-for-a-green-logistics-company/67903355

There was something on the tellybox about this- might even have been watchdog or similar.

Anyway, the gist of it was that if you define someones working practices to the degree that they wish to do at Sargents then they can call it self employed if they want- but they have to pay the minimum wage for the hours that the person is at work, as it is basically an employed position.

If they actually gave the mech total freedom to do what they wanted then it would be self employed- but there are so many conditions/instructions that there is little question about that being a "boss/employee" relationship- just one that they wish to avoid paying a salary for, or holiday/sickness pay.

this is true but the problem is that it isn't enforced. It's rife across the construction/manual labour industries, and in the courier and private taxi world to effectively force someone to be self employed to get around labour laws.

sargent &co can stick their pretentious ethos

Currently trawling my way through job sites of all types and seems there are more and more of these 'self employed' positions springing up posing themselves almost like a franchise, but without the backup.
That new national courier company that keeps loosing things is one that does this.

Currently trawling my way through job sites of all types and seems there are more and more of these 'self employed' positions springing up posing themselves almost like a franchise, but without the backup.
That new national courier company that keeps loosing things is one that does this.

yup no redundancy money , no sick pay , no holiday pay no unemployment benefit cos you were self employed and didnt pay your stamp etc . welcome to the uk this place fucking sucks !

Being self employed in the right way can be a fantastic liberating experience that can allow you to do things you would have otherwise never attempted.
But the offer above, isn't one of those.

Since thatcher the country has been steered away from primary & secondary industries (fishing/farming/mining/production/finishing/engineering etc) and toward the tertiary sectors, unfortunately it has never been attempted very well (insert pages of political spiel here if you like) so now we lye in a place where the vast majority of our material needs are imported at a rising cost to us, yet we don't have an entire nation of degree holding highly educated individuals to sell our skills & services back out to the world. I.E. we are trailing as a nation and its unlikely to ever change in our favour.

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere... Bikes Not Bombs (USA) is looking for someone to send to Uganda:

http://bikesnotbombs.org/uganda-field-worker

There was a time I'd be all over that myself, but not anymore.

While I'm here, anyone got a lead on a job:
• 25-30 hrs/week
• Social
• Flexible
...for:
• experienced community organizer
• bike mechanic (8 years on and off)
• lots of experience w/ youth

Doesn't need to check all the boxes; I'd be happy slinging lattes or pints. Hackney preferably.

yup no redundancy money , no sick pay , no holiday pay no unemployment benefit cos you were self employed and didnt pay your stamp etc . welcome to the uk this place fucking sucks !

I was in a full employment without any extra benefits myself and when it went under I was left without a penny. You want extras - work for a council or similar place full of jobsworths.

yup no redundancy money , no sick pay , no holiday pay no unemployment benefit cos you were self employed and didnt pay your stamp etc . welcome to the uk this place fucking sucks !

You're free to go live in Europe you know.

Bye

EDIT: Actually, go live in fucking Burma then come back and tell us all how much this place sucks. Ungrateful.

er, what freedom? The freedom to not get holiday pay and to have to pay your own taxes, yet still having the freedom to work under someone else's name?
Sorry, I think I missed something.

I've been self employed a few times. Here are some findings:

Budget well and plan correctly and holiday pay is something you manage yourself (ie save up and live off that in holiday time). Obv you need to be paid well enough in the first place for this to work.

Also have you ever completed a tax return? Its not very hard tbh. So paying your own taxes isn't an issue plus you can claim tax back on things related to your work that you spend money on.

Finally if its all too hard then get an Umbrella company to do it all for you. That way you get proper payslips, tax paid at source (no bills), holiday pay etc... I did this once, it cost me £20 a month and was lovely and easy.

You're free to go live in Europe you know.

Bye

right am off see ya pal , bratwurst on unter den linden sounds fine to me . shall i put the keys in the post once we all gone and your still here ?

no need for your agression prick

EDIT: Actually, go live in fucking Burma then come back and tell us all how much this place sucks. Ungrateful.[/QUOTE]

or get an account to do it for you and claim their fees back

my self employed friend hasn't "paid" for clothes, records or instruments for years

But then his a clown, right? Expenses.

I've been self employed before, and in the industries that I've worked in all it means is that the companies that you work for have carte blanche to do what they like while you foot the bill.

Although there is a lot of freelance work out there that doesn't mean this, unless you are being paid a pretty decent amount it does.