Grumpy Dad:
Being a driver we are slightly discriminated against through the night working hours regulation, albeit an opt out regulation ( favouring the majority ), if a driver adheres to the regulation then he/she cannot work no more than 10 hours, if the shift starts, ends or works through the hours of 00:01 - 04:00.
If you’re a warehouse op for example, the rules are very different, night shift hours a a 6 hour period from 23:00 - 05:00 ( though this may be altered an hour either way through a mutual agreement between management and staff ie 22:00 - 04:00 ) and no worker completing a night shift can work longer than 8hrs.
All true enough - but has NOTHING to do with pay rates for nightshift working. There is no link at all between WTD limits and enhanced rates.
There never has been, if there were increased rates of pay then it was down to the individual company to put them in place, wether nightshift or weekend work.
Haulage has never been union represented the way the coal and steel industries were, haulage has unions but in all fairness they are a waste of time, money and effort, there’s better representation from FTA and RHA.
But even they don’t represent the industry the way it should, we have continually asked the RHA about professional recognition for the industry, their reply basically said as we were not trained in the same means of other trades or professions ie our licence is only an enhancement, we are not professionals.
The same body kicked off when Sajid Javid said future immigration would be on a skill set basis, and only professionals from key sectors would be permitted, the RHA response was “how can we fill the 52,000 driver vacancies without foreign labour ?”
If you want better pay then you need better representation.
mrginge:
2am start is not a night shift, it’s a [zb] day shift.
And this is what is wrong with the job, among many other things. I work nights,6pm start, and the amount of day driverswho are starting at midnight, 1am,2am is stupid, especially when they turn around and say you wouldnt catch me working nights` WTF
As I said earlier…‘‘Drivers eh?’’
They are a strange breed who never cease to amaze me.
In my life there is only ever ONE 1o’ clock and 2o’ clock I see,…well on a work day anyway.
toonsy:
Think it’s an age thing. I used to like my early starts it now anything earlier than 5am grates on me. Srartsctimes after 5am also grate on me.
I’m getting bloody worse these days, I could not raise the required amount of enthusiasm needed to start before 5 now, my day usually starts with a shout of ‘‘Oh f off’’ …from me to the alarm when it goes off at about quarter to 6.
However funnily enough, when it’s something that suits ME I’ ve no probs getting up. I started at 0430 on Sat morning at Avonmouth, …just because I knew I wanted to get back home early enough to meet somebody to watch the football.
Didn’t go to plan as my trailer was not bloody ready until 0715 am …still made it back in time though.
Just got a complete lack of interest and enthusiasm towards the job these days.
mrginge:
2am start is not a night shift, it’s a [zb] day shift.
And this is what is wrong with the job, among many other things. I work nights,6pm start, and the amount of day driverswho are starting at midnight, 1am,2am is stupid, especially when they turn around and say you wouldnt catch me working nights` WTF
^^^^^
And there I thought it was just the dull daywalkers at my place doing this!
…still made it back in time though.
