Being blocked to work for another company by completely different company

Kai123

Hello,

This is a friend who is experiencing this issue. Sorry if this is a little vague but I'm trying to protect his anonymity.

The friend works on a big building site, his contract has him as a "cleaner" but he works on a operator on behalf of his company for a bigger company.

This job is stressful. I know him very well and its not him to be stressed for work, but this is sapping the life out of him. On the same building site he was offered a completely different job, better conditions and much better pay.

The foreman of the site has said if he moves company he will not be allowed on-site, so hes stuck doing the operator work. The company offering the job only have this building site going at the moment so he will be effectively joining another company into unemployment.

Are there any rules against this? He is essentially being denied a better job because on the word of the foreman (who I assume can do this). If he joins the other company and he is not allowed on-site and gets fired, could there be any repercussions towards the company managing the site?

The relationship between his company and the site company is fairly vague. He is essentially contracted to the site company and even his own company say everything has to be done through that company.

Its a great opportunity but he has hit this wall. I've suggested he goes ahead and joins the other company as well, but if he goes on the dole we both will not be able to rent the apartment we live in.

Any advice would be welcome. I can try and throw additional information if asked. I really dislike that the person who is nothing to do with his company in terms of employment is everything for his employment, but I am not familiar with large building sites and how they operate.

Regards,

Kai.

cml387

Your friend is working for a subcontractor for the larger building company.
It's possible that the company your friend is working for has a "no poaching" arrangement in that the larger company can't hire staff from the subcontractor,at least working on the same site. This is just a guess.

Mrs OBumble

Has he tried talking to the company that has offered him the new job about the situation? They may be able to get it sorted for him.

_Brian

This is really common. Some seem to get an exemption but often the transfer is blocked and that's it.

Happened me years ago I was working in a company, one of our sister companies had a job, I applied but transfer was forbidden, I ended leaving completly and finding work elsewhere.

Kai123

Thank you for all the responses. He's gone ahead and joined the other company anyway, they are training him from next Monday. The company he is going to know of the drama around it so it will be interesting to see how this all pans out. It will be an interesting few weeks!

pauliebdub

It's quite common. A company that I used to work with had a business arrangement with another company in a similar line of business, part of that arrangement barred that company from recruiting staff from the company I worked with.

doolox

...otherwise known as serfs, and I thought serfdom was abolished in Europe in the 1830's.

testicles

This post has been deleted.

Victor

doolox wrote: »

...otherwise known as serfs, and I thought serfdom was abolished in Europe in the 1830's.

No. The employees are allowed work anywhere they want, except for another employer on the same site. I think the position is not unreasonable.

Problems could arise on site where there is an existing relationship between individuals and that suddenly changes. For example, Tom used to have authority to sign delivery dockets when Harry delivered stuff and now he doesn't. Tom signs anyway, but stuff goes missing. who is responsible?

endacl

Victor wrote: »

Tom used to have authority to sign delivery dockets when Harry delivered stuff and now he doesn't. Tom signs anyway, but stuff goes missing. who is responsible?

Dick. Obviously.