Drivers who moan about an early finish

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

kcrussell25:

xichrisxi:

Rowley010:
But on the hours an money thing, if I’ve just done 62 hours or whatever already for that week, and it’s my last day in, (which is the case when I’ve heard them moaning), then I don’t get why you’d not take the chance at that point and be out the door.

Maybe because by finishing early on one day wipes out the extra hours you did previous to that of which you thought you’d be getting paid extra for but instead it disappears due to the early finish.
I’m salaried so wouldn’t need telling twice to finish early but can see why it would ■■■■ some off if you worked extra hours with the thought that you’d see extra pounds for it.

In my previous job in a supermarket the drivers were on a 4 week pay with I think 190 hours guaranteed. Anything over that paid at overtime. It was a frequent complaint that for the first 2-3 weeks they would be up on hours and then get them clawed back with 6 hour days on week 4.

I can see their point as they have “done” the overtime so to speak. They have done 13-15 hour days with no chance to do anything after work before going in again. In week 4 they have had to sleep ready to do a 13-15 hour day but then to be sent home after 6 meant they could do little at 6-7 in the morning. I think in that case I would be pretty annoyed with it too.

For the record I am salaried so when they told me go after 7.5 hours this morning I was gone :laughing:

If I’m going to do a long day then I want paid for doing a long shift. If it;s a short shift I expect,nay, demand a minimum 8 hours pay.

22

If you like to earn proper money in transport you usually have to do the time, if you’re salaried then yes gone like a flash.

I work at maintaining my hours and I target at least ten hours of paid overtime a week minimum to get sent home early on day 4 when you are on target for a whole shift of overtime on day 5 rarely happens however when it does I’m more than a little unhappy.

So when you hear a driver moaning thats probably why, factor in the extra some drivers are paid for nights weekends and general overtime then you’re looking at £20 an hour and more for the last shift on O/T.

23

Heres an alternative view that will no doubt get some of you frothing at the mouth.

I night trunk, some of our jobs can be done in 7-8 hours (some drivers rush and get them done in less), others are longer and take 12ish hours. Longer if there’s a backload to collect. We get paid minimum 10 hours per shift, so getting the job done quicker means sat at home still on pay.

For me, I don’t see the point of this. Finishing at 2 or 3 in the morning is pointless. I can’t do anything noisy around the house. I can’t go shopping. I can’t meet up with mates for a coffee. I can’t go to bed because I’ll wake up too early for the next shift. Anything I need/want to do gets done before my shift, so even though I’m still on pay at home, it’s dead time to me.

Tonight is a prime example, I started at 6, finished at 2 and start tomorrow at 6. I’ll go to bed about 7 to get up for 3. That’s 5 hours where I have nothing to do.

Frankly, I go to work to earn money, so I’d rather do a few extra hours and get the (calculated daily) overtime in.

24

Reading lots of these post, loads of driver’s seem to work for companies that nick hours of them, dock 45mins here, and not pay that half hour because it’s over you aggred hours, typical big company management crap, were paid card in to card out, right thro no stoppages for breaks,

25

biggriffin:
Reading lots of these post, loads of driver’s seem to work for companies that nick hours of them, dock 45mins here, and not pay that half hour because it’s over you aggred hours, typical big company management crap, were paid card in to card out, right thro no stoppages for breaks,

As above. Clock to clock with nowt taken off.

26

Isn’t it odd how the Left and the EU bang on about “workers losing rights” like “Paid holidays” but keep very quiet about this practice mentioned above of “paying from card in to card out only”, which surely is Bent?

I reckon it’s bent because if you have a trip or fall whilst on the premises, but whilst booked off - then who sues whom?

The firm will try and say "Hey, he left the moment his card popped out. No handing keys in, no de-brief, no fault form filling, no turnstiles or clocking out to do. If he tripped and smashed the windscreen on the boss’s car whilst walking out to the car park, then… WHAA AT!? He’s on the property uninsured! That’s criminal damage! I want a full public enquiry!"

27

Wonder if this guy still moans if he goes over his agreed working hours?

youtube.com/watch?v=KuM0NzEfgBA

28

Rowley010:
We are a funny breed as truck drivers. In no other job I’ve ever done have I seen staff moan when someone’s says your all done, get yourself gone…4 hours early.

In 2 different companies I’ve witnessed drivers have a proper moan at the transport desk when the planner tells them this. I know we get paid hourly (in these 2 companies) but come on, why would you not want to get going if you can and do something other than work?

If I get told I can go at 2pm on a Friday then I’m off like a bullet before they change their mind and suddenly realise there’s a collection they’ve forgotten about.

Don’t get what the moaning is for over 2 or 3 hours pay when you could start your days off early.

In my current role, I don’t get paid a proper overtime rate I get TOIL… so I build it up , currently at about 450 hours, then I give the ample notice, get a few weeks off on toil then go in and do overtime so works out double bubble. For the same hours.

To be fair in most jobs, they don’t do 55/70per week in hours … so when drivers are thinking cool I am finished 4 early after doing 65hours still 25 more Thanfolk knocking off after 38

29

biggriffin:
Reading lots of these post, loads of driver’s seem to work for companies that nick hours of them, dock 45mins here, and not pay that half hour because it’s over you aggred hours, typical big company management crap, were paid card in to card out, right thro no stoppages for breaks,

Mixed feelings on that one.
You know how this industry is awash with dicks, you’ll no doubt get some of them saying ‘‘Well I get paid for my breaks, may as well work through them’’ :…typical example of a terminally thick driver’s logic. :unamused:
You could also get the same thing off crap firms expecting you to do just that also. :bulb:

30

Captain Caveman 76:
Heres an alternative view that will no doubt get some of you frothing at the mouth.

I night trunk, some of our jobs can be done in 7-8 hours (some drivers rush and get them done in less), others are longer and take 12ish hours. Longer if there’s a backload to collect. We get paid minimum 10 hours per shift, so getting the job done quicker means sat at home still on pay.

For me, I don’t see the point of this. Finishing at 2 or 3 in the morning is pointless. I can’t do anything noisy around the house. I can’t go shopping. I can’t meet up with mates for a coffee. I can’t go to bed because I’ll wake up too early for the next shift. Anything I need/want to do gets done before my shift, so even though I’m still on pay at home, it’s dead time to me.

Tonight is a prime example, I started at 6, finished at 2 and start tomorrow at 6. I’ll go to bed about 7 to get up for 3. That’s 5 hours where I have nothing to do.

Frankly, I go to work to earn money, so I’d rather do a few extra hours and get the (calculated daily) overtime in.

That’s my experience too, working a night trunk with variable start times, back in the yard between 4am and 11am, too early for waking anyone up and too early for the pub, although we didn’t have Wetherspoons in those days.

31

Winseer:
Isn’t it odd how the Left and the EU bang on about “workers losing rights” like “Paid holidays” but keep very quiet about this practice mentioned above of “paying from card in to card out only”, which surely is Bent?

I reckon it’s bent because if you have a trip or fall whilst on the premises, but whilst booked off - then who sues whom?

The firm will try and say "Hey, he left the moment his card popped out. No handing keys in, no de-brief, no fault form filling, no turnstiles or clocking out to do. If he tripped and smashed the windscreen on the boss’s car whilst walking out to the car park, then… WHAA AT!? He’s on the property uninsured! That’s criminal damage! I want a full public enquiry!"

To clarify… if I start at 6am, get my paperwork, head to unit etc it maybe 06.10 when I get there. I manual entry back the ten minutes. Prior to that ill also add ten minutes on the previous day for reversing the above process.

I get paid from when my manual entries start/finish - hence clock to clock

32

toonsy:

Winseer:
Isn’t it odd how the Left and the EU bang on about “workers losing rights” like “Paid holidays” but keep very quiet about this practice mentioned above of “paying from card in to card out only”, which surely is Bent?

I reckon it’s bent because if you have a trip or fall whilst on the premises, but whilst booked off - then who sues whom?

The firm will try and say "Hey, he left the moment his card popped out. No handing keys in, no de-brief, no fault form filling, no turnstiles or clocking out to do. If he tripped and smashed the windscreen on the boss’s car whilst walking out to the car park, then… WHAA AT!? He’s on the property uninsured! That’s criminal damage! I want a full public enquiry!"

To clarify… if I start at 6am, get my paperwork, head to unit etc it maybe 06.10 when I get there. I manual entry back the ten minutes. Prior to that ill also add ten minutes on the previous day for reversing the above process.

I get paid from when my manual entries start/finish - hence clock to clock

Same here. Not long after I started with my current employer I started at 06:00, got into the yard about 13:30 to be told “If you want to do some shunting you can but if n…” I was out that door before he could say “ot” :laughing:

33

Im always happy with an early finish, as we are guaranteed 10 hours and ot over that :smiley:

34

Winseer:
Isn’t it odd how the Left and the EU bang on about “workers losing rights” like “Paid holidays” but keep very quiet about this practice mentioned above of “paying from card in to card out only”, which surely is Bent?

You have such a chip on your shoulder.

Paid holidays are governed by the law and the subject affects everyone that is an employee. Whether a lorry driver is paid to what his card says or otherwise is certainly not governed by law, is a matter for the employer and employee to agree between themselves and affects only a small percentage of the working population. There is absolutely no correlation between the two and I have no idea why ‘the Left’ (sic) as you describe it would have any interest in the latter.

I struggle to understand why you always want to paint some lorry drivers (including yourself) as hard done to, and as the victims of something that is outside their control. The answer is very simple: If a firm operates in a manner that you don’t like, don’t work there.

I went for a job once that was paid by the load. ‘What happens if the wagon breaks down or there’s a four-hour wait to tip?’, says I. ‘Hard ■■■■, you get paid by the load’ was the gist of the reply. That was the end of that conversation.

35

toonsy:
To clarify… if I start at 6am, get my paperwork, head to unit etc it maybe 06.10 when I get there. I manual entry back the ten minutes. Prior to that ill also add ten minutes on the previous day for reversing the above process.

I get paid from when my manual entries start/finish - hence clock to clock

Just out of curiosity… if you happen to have to do something for yourself whilst you’re out and about, on the firm’s time ( for example nip to the bank or pick something up from Halfords) do you expect them to be okay with paying you for that as well?

Please don’t interpret this as a personal dig at you, it’s not; but in my experience it’s a two way street which some seem to think only runs in one direction, although in fairness employers can be equally as guilty of this. I’m perhaps fortunate; my boss doesn’t bother me so long as all my work’s done on time and I don’t mess him about, so there is never an issue with that occasional half hour or so, or even calling in for a dental check-up en route. In return, I don’t feel the need to be greedy and ping the firm for every split second I spend there.

To be truthful, if I was that desperate for the relatively minimal return that applying your actions would bring, I’d consider that I was in the wrong job.

36

Sidevalve:

toonsy:
To clarify… if I start at 6am, get my paperwork, head to unit etc it maybe 06.10 when I get there. I manual entry back the ten minutes. Prior to that ill also add ten minutes on the previous day for reversing the above process.

I get paid from when my manual entries start/finish - hence clock to clock

Just out of curiosity… if you happen to have to do something for yourself whilst you’re out and about, on the firm’s time ( for example nip to the bank or pick something up from Halfords) do you expect them to be okay with paying you for that as well?

Please don’t interpret this as a personal dig at you, it’s not; but in my experience it’s a two way street which some seem to think only runs in one direction, although in fairness employers can be equally as guilty of this. I’m perhaps fortunate; my boss doesn’t bother me so long as all my work’s done on time and I don’t mess him about, so there is never an issue with that occasional half hour or so, or even calling in for a dental check-up en route. In return, I don’t feel the need to be greedy and ping the firm for every split second I spend there.

To be truthful, if I was that desperate for the relatively minimal return that applying your actions would bring, I’d consider that I was in the wrong job.

It’s not being desperate for a return - it’s keeping my working record for the day accurate as I didn’t just teleport from my car into the seat of the wagon. Likewise I don’t teleport back from the wagon to the car. I’ve actually started work before my card goes in and finish after my card comes out, I’m just showing that on the tacho. On a night out it’s easier because I just sling my card in, do a walkround and away I go. Likewise finishing I pull my card as soon as I’m parked.

As for appointments such as dentist, I had a check up this Monday organised for when I was off and I’ve got a days holiday next Tuesday for the treatment booked at short notice. If I need to do anything else I can do it in my break, which I’ve taken at home if it’s worked right (rarely) and I just get left to it because they know that if they call me up and need me to “just pop” somewhere I’ll do it.

37

Olog Hai:

Winseer:
Isn’t it odd how the Left and the EU bang on about “workers losing rights” like “Paid holidays” but keep very quiet about this practice mentioned above of “paying from card in to card out only”, which surely is Bent?

You have such a chip on your shoulder.

Paid holidays are governed by the law and the subject affects everyone that is an employee. Whether a lorry driver is paid to what his card says or otherwise is certainly not governed by law, is a matter for the employer and employee to agree between themselves and affects only a small percentage of the working population. There is absolutely no correlation between the two and I have no idea why ‘the Left’ (sic) as you describe it would have any interest in the latter.

I struggle to understand why you always want to paint some lorry drivers (including yourself) as hard done to, and as the victims of something that is outside their control. The answer is very simple: If a firm operates in a manner that you don’t like, don’t work there.

I went for a job once that was paid by the load. ‘What happens if the wagon breaks down or there’s a four-hour wait to tip?’, says I. ‘Hard [zb], you get paid by the load’ was the gist of the reply. That was the end of that conversation.

I think you’ve got the wrong end of my stick here.
There was never any danger to UK workers “Losing their paid holidays”. I’m not one of those that believes the lie, but despair at the way the same lie gets bandied about.

It’s not a problem at work at all, so there’s no chip-on-shoulder to be had, at least not from me.

When I say “The Left”, it’s quite correct that you point out that I may have erred in ■■■■■■■■■ the wrong group here. I, of course meant “Remainers”, which are neither Left, Right, nor Center. :blush:

Those arguing that “We’ll lose paid holidays if we Leave the EU” are the same group that say the “£350m on the side of the bus was a lie”, when in fact - it’s just as yet failed to materialize.
The country is still paying it to Brussels, so it can’t be spent on the NHS unless the country takes out a loan from the EU (Issues new bonds the ECB then buys a large chunk of).
The only part the “Left” have in all this I guess, is that they want money spent, even if we don’t have it yet. Irresponsible or not - the results of elections past, present, and future - are about what governments SPEND rather than what they “save”.

No one likes a “Saver” really. If the Tories get their hands on that £350m - if they don’t then spend it ALL - they’ll still lose the next election.
If they don’t get their hands on it at all - they’ll also lose the next election.

A Labour government is as imminent as when Blair took over the party, and no - I didn’t like nor vote for him either.
I just got on with my life throughout the Labour years, disconnected from politics.
I have only been wildly politically active during periods of “hung parliaments” like 2010-2015, and of course again - now.

The effect this all has on “early finishes” is that in our austerity workplace we’ve had for some time now - if you can’t get paid overtime (See my other thread “The Quest for Overtime”) then you’re going to try and carve the job up instead. Minimalism becomes fashionable, even though I personally find it irritating when people all around “leave something important to someone else”…

That happens wherever one works, at some point…
In the meantime, get paid as much as you can for doing as few hours as you can - but don’t shirk on the work whilst doing those fewer hours. That’s my ethic. :sunglasses:

38

The-Snowman:
Wonder if this guy still moans if he goes over his agreed working hours?

youtube.com/watch?v=KuM0NzEfgBA

^^^^^^^^^^^

i saw a documentery about that guy and the tower.
theres also one of them in ireland.
they waited till he came down and asked him why he had to put up a lamp at the top of the tower.he replied,“its so that nothing crashes into the top of the tower”.
when they asked him what the tower was for,he replied" well they need something to hold the lamp up"… :open_mouth: