I quit

Hello again, if any of you have read my last thread you’ll know I’ve been unhappy in work for the past couple of weeks, most of which I think is down to my employer. There’ve been a few occasions (as stated in the last thread) I think I’ve been taken advantage of and subject to general underhanded-ness. Anyway here’s what happened last night and the straw that broke the camels back.

I’d agreed to stay out Tuesday night on the way down to Alresford to deliver some new machines to the salad plant down there. I don’t mind staying out the odd night if I’m needed and I know in advance. Before heading off I’d been told ‘Ring me when your empty and I’ll find you a load to bring back home’ which I thought was fair enough. I rang the office back after I’d been tipped at 9am yesterday morning and was told ‘Theres a load up here in lutterworth here are the details…’ which was no problem. I’d go pick the load up on the way back and run it into the yard.
After a complete balls up at the logistics company handling Harveys furniture in Magna park (which wasn’t the fault of my gaffer and I had kept him informed) I hadn’t finished being loaded until 4:15pm. They hadn’t given me any paperwork with the load so I’d rang the boss to ask if i needed any and this is where it got interesting.

Me: Do we need paperwork for this load? I haven’t been given any
Him: No it’ll be ok, you know where it’s going don’t you?
Me: Back to the yard?
Him: No you’re taking it down to Croyden
Me: I’m taking it down to Croyden?
Him: Yes, head there now
Me: Ok then give me the address

As he started to reel off the address I thought ■■■■ it, if I start doing unplanned nights out at the drop of a hat there’s going to be no end it it. I’m employed as a day driver, last week I did two nights now he wants me to do atleast another two week. How long before he’s got me tramping 4 nights?

Me: Hang on a minute, when did you know I’d be taking it to Croyden and staying out again tonight?
Him: Since 9 o’clock this morning
Me: And you didn’t think to tell me all day?
Him: What difference does it make?
Me: I’ve got plans, I’ve got no supplies with me, If you’d have let me know I could stopped at a shop. You’ve given me zero notice. You said I’d be home today
Him: That’s the job
Me: That’s not the job, I’m a day driver

At this point I’d completely had it. He’d dropped this on me at this time of the day because he thought I wouldn’t be able to say no, whereas if he’d have told me in the morning when he knew (and failing to mention it the other 3 times I’d spoken to him during the day) I’d have said no.

Me: Infact I’m not taking it. I’m heading back to the yard
Him: I’ll see that as you failing to carry out a basic instruction and not doing your job
Me: My jobs not doing nights out at your disposal with zero notice. Still no
Him: If you do that, that’s it
Me: Ok, that’s fine
Him: You’re going to cost me money. If you do that then this is the end
Me: Yeah like it say, that’s fine. I’m sure I won’t struggle to find employment elsewhere
Him: All the best
Me: Gotta go, need to get this load back. hung up

Anyway, I drove back to the yard as I always do, didn’t do anything stupid or rash and decided to leave with some dignity. Unloaded all of my belongings and said bye to some of the lads. I headed into the office where said employer was sat and he didn’t say a word to me while I did my paperwork. Just before I was ready to leave I told him what I thought, I wasn’t malicious, I didn’t swear or shout and all he had to say was ‘You knew there’d be some unplanned nights out when you got stuck’ I replied with ‘I wasn’t stuck out of hours today, you planned it since this morning and assumed I’d just do it’. The last thing he said to me was ‘I didn’t get the impression you’d be here that long anyway. If you’re such a great driver I’m sure you’ll get a better job elsewhere’ and I thought that just about summed him up. I’d given him 7 months good service, never had a sick day, did the job to the best of my ability until the end and that’s all he had to say. It shows what sort of a person he is.

I’m sure I could contest it if I wanted. I have no contract but I’m fairly sure I should’ve been given one after 3 months service. I had no verbal warning, no written warning, just an ultimatum. I’m just glad to be out of there it had been building up for a while. If anybodies considering working for a firm in Wellington, Telford that pulls curtainsiders I’d reconsider.

Well done for standing your ground,many others would of crumbled.
Clearly by him not asking or informing you when he knew of it he just took it for granted that’d you’d do it regardless on his say so…but be aware there will be some along shortly to tell you you’re not a real driver

You’re best of out of there mate, they employed a day driver but actually wanted a tramper.

Good luck finding something else, just coming out of the winter period too, not bad timing, if you can try to find a job carrying your own goods.

I hope you get paid up to date without hassle, if that proves not to be the case and you keep copies of all your correspondence, then the follow up threads will prove far more damaging (read expensive) to them that it will to you.

Bravo!..

Good on you for having the bollox to walk instead of taking it.

You’ll find something better soon enough.

Better off not working for two faced TMs like that.

beaver would be so proud if he were here

look at it from the other side…if they employ a tramper,then no doubt he will be asking for night out money for 6 nights a week even if he is doing day work the same as that other nugget on the other thread.
catch 22 for some jobs.
how hard would it be to expect to be tramping 4 nights a week if required,but more than likely itl be 1 or 2 and just go with the flow.
that way nobody needs to be bothered about moaning to get lifted in a van and all that guff.
road haulage is a series of constantly moving goalposts and route changing greif.
loads get cancelled and new loads lifted to best pay for the wages.
there is always the thought that you wernt fitting in and he is quite happy to sicken you out the door depending on how flexible the other drivers work?

Temps on Call just put out a load of work out of Telford area, wonder if they’re covering you

To be honest I thought I was getting on quite well there, I’d always get the work done and I’ve only ever brought 3 pallets back to the yard in the time I’d worked there. I got on with everybody, did my best in the job and was very reliable. In a sense I can see why he was how he was, I think in this particular situation I think he knew he was in the wrong but he can’t really have drivers telling him what they’re doing if he can get some other mug to do it all no questions asked.

I know sometimes ■■■■ happens, plans change and you may need to stay out which I’m fine with, it’s more the underhanded nature of him not telling me I’d be staying out when he knew well in advance. Truth is if he’d have gone about it in the right way and asked me at 9am when I spoke to him I’d have probably agreed to do it and cracked on with the job. It’s taking liberties when he didn’t keep me informed and just expected me to go along with it.

Fwiw I think you did the right thing by leaving. A one sided relationship is never going to work long term, it seems that your boss was doing all the taking and giving nothing back (apart from your wages of course). I personally hate it when bods in the office assume that because you’re a driver you can be treated somehow different from other non driver employees.

My pet hate is when an office wallah comes out with the classic “well you can work 15 hours”, to which my answer invariably is “well you can work 24 with no comeback but I don’t see you doing that”.

You did the right thing by leaving.

Just make sure your next job is explicitly days. I can’t be doing with this ‘occasional nights out may be required’ malarkey, it’s just leaves the door open for your gaffer to shaft you & utilise you as a tramper when it suits.

I agree with your stance, a pity more drivers won’t take the same stance. I walked out of my job a couple of weeks ago and my phone hasn’t stopped ringing since. Registered with two agencies and have all the work I need. You will get something better, good luck and well done.

I must guessing that was cappers in Wellington ?

I don’t know if I’m allowed to name the company, but I only know of two hauliers in Wellington and one of them pretty much only pulls flats

Yes, the right thing by leaving as expectations weren’t marrying up on both sides. Good it ended without anger.

I’ve returned a lorry to the yard only once from all the way darn Sarf. In my case I was being yelled and sworn at by the owner and it was at the end of a long list of things

The old school of thought probably points to a driver needing to be flexible in this profession and nights out would always be on the cards especially if you looked round and saw a bed behind you.

However doing the odd night out is one thing a manager blatantly taking the ■■■■ and not having the managerial skills to inform/ask the driver if another night out is possible is another.

Probably better off out of there.

There’s a whole world of difference in a last minute night out because you got stuck somewhere tipping or loading and ran out of time, or a night out because a road was shut and you couldn’t make it back. Compared with a night out that your boss/planners knew about all day.

It’s one of many reasons younger lads aren’t interested in joining the industry. How are you supposed to plan any kind of social life/family life around ■■■■ like this.

Traditionally expect last minute nights out maybe, but nah not any more.

Well done for standing your ground.

This gaffer has probably pulled this stunt tens of times before with a near perfect success rate. Most of these haulage outfits don’t give a monkeys about their drivers deep down, they accept having a steady turnover & so just take their chances. The OP obviously wasn’t one of the favourites.

Rowley010:
There’s a whole world of difference in a last minute night out because you got stuck somewhere tipping or loading and ran out of time, or a night out because a road was shut and you couldn’t make it back. Compared with a night out that your boss/planners knew about all day.

That’s it in a nut shell really, where I used to work we had ‘day’ people, people who would do a night out if told a day or two before and those of us happy to do whatever nights out Mon-Thursday run in Friday afternoon.

Any good boss should adjust work accordingly to what has been agreed with each driver so the longer runs and extra/emergency loads that come in late the tramper drivers get the phone call.

Where I work now is a bit different so I carry my passport, Euro’s and plenty of clothes with me all the time

yourhavingalarf:
Bravo!..

Good on you for having the bollox to walk instead of taking it.

You’ll find something better soon enough.

Better off not working for two faced TMs like that.

beaver would be so proud if he were here

Good man. You come into this world out of a fanny.

This doesn’t mean you should be treated like one. Stand firm and stand proud.

Loads of truck driving jobs around Brother, if you are struggling for any uniform-give me a shout. I have plenty

As for being proud, I’m proud of all you fella’s on here who reach down and find a pair (you know who you are ) As for the ’ I just get on with the job ’ crew, carry on getting rinsed lads…you are a long time dead though, remember that

rob22888:
Just make sure your next job is explicitly days. I can’t be doing with this ‘occasional nights out may be required’ malarkey, it’s just leaves the door open for your gaffer to shaft you & utilise you as a tramper when it suits.

+1000.

My position with employers is crystal clear. I do not do nights out. Not occasionally, not if the work requires it, not if I have been delayed loading or tipping, not even if I have to go five hours over my driving time to get back, I don’t do them period. Taking a hard line stance is the only way to ensure they don’t try to shaft you when it suits them.

You did the right thing. If it hadn’t been now, it would have been sooner or later. When things go sour, there is nothing you can do but move on. Better off somewhere else. Good luck.