My grandfather amongst many things, was an artisan, a ‘Master Shoemaker’ (as distinct from a cobbler), through rose tinted spectacles I perceived him toiling within a rather splendid shed in the back garden, (in Middlesbrough from whence he hailed) or better still in a garret at the top of the terraced house where he and Isabella (Grandma King) lived. Sometime before the first world war his skills were reduced in value, as fewer people required hand made shoes (with the onset of Clarke’s marching up the high street) he was forced into the factories, he kept wife Isabel and assorted offspring (my father included) well fed and also very well shod I surmise.
I hope he employed his skills throughout his life and when not toiling in the steel mills, he would continued to turn out a neat pump or two. I emphasise “employed his skills” as The Oxford defines the word, to MAKE USE OF, not in it’s derivatives employee, employer, employment and the worst form, the noun employability and adjective employable, these words have entered our vocabulary alongside master and slave.
I shall resist ranting further and deliver the main point, which is that I firmly believe in the resurgence of the individual making use of his or her own skills, delivering them to a chosen market, to receive just rewards. To be continually re-gigging the PAYE scheme confirms my belief, it is not fit for purpose, an individual has the right to choose who they provide their labour/skills too and in seeking job or professional satisfaction may choose freely, best suited for purpose; not necessarily the highest bidder, more perhaps a lifestyle choice
So wake up UK PLC! as the multi layered multinationals collide with each other, spilling unwanted staff into the marketplace, the future, as always, will lie with individuals having several income streams (something the present PAYE scheme is ill equipped for, see tax coding blog) and as the working week has diminished with EU rulings, leaving us spare time, and no beach to barbie on, we tend to work to fill our time.
Help us HMRC, don’t hinder us.