Dib-Unites position on this matter has not changed with this version (6.0) of the revised CoP.
The Motor Schools Association will of course support the revised code. After all they wrote the code.
As this is being written neither ADINJC or the DIA have made any comment. This maybe as they await a response from their membership.
Any updates will of course be reported.
Dib-Unite have a schedualled meeting with the DSA in June, no doubt this matter will be raised at the meeting. Hopefully the question will be along the lines; why do the DSA feel the need to impose a voluntary code of practice on self employed driving instructors?
Drawbacks of Voluntary Codes
While voluntary codes can have significant benefits, they can also have harmful effects when not properly developed and administered.
Poorly designed or implemented codes can frustrate or mislead. As well, codes not backed by action can have legal consequences under deceptive advertising regulations and through contract and tort law actions.
Poorly designed or implemented codes can bring negative publicity and lead to loss of business that can be difficult to recoup.
Codes that raise expectations but do not deliver can have a negative impact on any industry.
Codes that are poorly designed can be anti-competitive.
Codes should not create barriers to trade. A poorly designed code could.
Codes can create an “uneven playing field.”
Consumers can develop a false sense of security about the characteristics of a service that is not actually the subject of a code. As well, firms that do conform may be penalised: they may have to bear unrecoverable costs associated with adhering to the codes and could be tainted by the non-compliance of others.
The development and implementation of voluntary codes may not be sufficiently transparent and inclusive
Codes that do not have the vast majority of support from within a profession are doomed to failure. Codes should have unanimous support from industry leaders, before it is presented to rank and file members, this way the code has the greatest chance of being accepting.
CoP for employees are easy to apply and enforce, CoP for the self employed are more difficult to implement. The self employed a strictly governed by a plethora of regulations. Any CoP would take second place behind any legal requirement to operate the business in line with current regulations.
CoP should have built into them a structured conciliation process that is transparent. A conciliation process should be conducted by the industry and not a regulator. With all voluntary codes either party can refuse to comply with conciliation and any result would not be binding on either party. As the conciliation process should be conducted by the industry, who pays for this? In a self employed situation the problem is exasperated.
This is why imposing CoP on the self employed is fraught with problems.