How do we break the current crappy contractor system?

[Hobosapien]

This may be true and not a problem when things are going well, but it's when things don't quite go as planned that this falls apart.

After all, who is likely to have more liquidity and greater cashflow? The large, national (or multi-national) client, or the fly-by-night agency that lives hand-to-mouth? Who do you think is more likely to be able to pay your invoices when a significant amount of creditors come calling at the same time?

I hear you, and having been stung by a dodgy agency run by thieves (or so incompetent they may as well be) I am very wary of pursuing contract work via small agencies with no longevity and positive reputation. The smaller the agency the tighter the billing cycle I want and the less bs I'll take if they start coming up with excuses about late payment.

Fortunately my more recent contracts have been with agencies larger than the clients, that offer weekly billing cycles and absolutely no hassle at all (things haven't gone wrong to test that though).