Unsocial underpaid shift trends

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

paulant18:

Conor:

chester1:
Hoyer deduct the 1st hour of delays

They do what now? Sod that. I’m paid from when I start to when I finish regardless of any delays and never in a quarter of a century of truck driving have I ever had that nonsense.

Had an interview there last week, they deduct the first 15 mins, still a bit of a joke really, -45 Min for break so an hour a day deducted at £18ph or £90 a week or £360 a month!
Quite a saving they’re making at our expense!!

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This us why myself and others often say on here about looking at the detail of the deal rather than the headline.

I’ll use myself as an example… I could get a full time job at one if bug players. I could get a higher hourly rate with them but I’d lose stuff like paid breaks and I’d be micromanaged to the end of my tether.

Right now I get paid through, there’s no monitoring and I’m allowed to use common sense. The headline pay rate us a but lower but being paid through levels it out and the fact I’m trusted to be left pretty much to my own devices is worth more than money to me because it reduces any stress caused by interference.

So yeah the Hoyer salary is good but as is being discussed the caveats applied make it seem less appealing than the headline rate.

22

toonsy:
This us why myself and others often say on here about looking at the detail of the deal rather than the headline.

I’ll use myself as an example… I could get a full time job at one if bug players. I could get a higher hourly rate with them but I’d lose stuff like paid breaks and I’d be micromanaged to the end of my tether.

Right now I get paid through, there’s no monitoring and I’m allowed to use common sense. The headline pay rate us a but lower but being paid through levels it out and the fact I’m trusted to be left pretty much to my own devices is worth more than money to me because it reduces any stress caused by interference.

So yeah the Hoyer salary is good but as is being discussed the caveats applied make it seem less appealing than the headline rate.

We were talking about this thread in the office and how difficult it is to work out what a job actually pays. Hoyer pays a lot more than us on an hourly basis, but we pay double time sunday, overtime after 8 hours, through breaks, and if they are abroad, I can go a couple of days without talking to any of the drivers, sometimes I just ring so they feel loved! :blush: :wink:

23

toonsy:

paulant18:

Conor:

chester1:
Hoyer deduct the 1st hour of delays

They do what now? Sod that. I’m paid from when I start to when I finish regardless of any delays and never in a quarter of a century of truck driving have I ever had that nonsense.

Had an interview there last week, they deduct the first 15 mins, still a bit of a joke really, -45 Min for break so an hour a day deducted at £18ph or £90 a week or £360 a month!
Quite a saving they’re making at our expense!!

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

This us why myself and others often say on here about looking at the detail of the deal rather than the headline.

I’ll use myself as an example… I could get a full time job at one if bug players. I could get a higher hourly rate with them but I’d lose stuff like paid breaks and I’d be micromanaged to the end of my tether.

Right now I get paid through, there’s no monitoring and I’m allowed to use common sense. The headline pay rate us a but lower but being paid through levels it out and the fact I’m trusted to be left pretty much to my own devices is worth more than money to me because it reduces any stress caused by interference.

So yeah the Hoyer salary is good but as is being discussed the caveats applied make it seem less appealing than the headline rate.

That’s a great point mate. Yes, I am definitely been seduced by the headline rate, that’s what’s making it a difficult decision to make. The shifts are a bit odd but you ultimately only work 204 shifts a year!! That’s not a lot for 40k

I haven’t heard much good on here, so far, about Hoyer though.
It does appear that they micro manage you a bit but it’s an industry that’s difficult to be left to your own devices. ADR fuel deliveries are definitely not the same as, " you’ve got 4 drops today mate, bell me tomorrow unless there’s a problem" !!

I’ve got a very good job at Muller working permanent nights Sun to Thurs. 1.5 times 2x 3x overtime rates ect and my average works out about £14.50. Been there 16 years.
I suppose I’m just curious about the grass on the other side!

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24

paulant18:
I haven’t heard much good on here, so far, about Hoyer though.
It does appear that they micro manage you a bit but it’s an industry that’s difficult to be left to your own devices. ADR fuel deliveries are definitely not the same as, " you’ve got 4 drops today mate, bell me tomorrow unless there’s a problem" !!

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We move explosives around UK and Europe. My theory is I train people, give them the right tools, make sure I’m happy they can do the job and then let them get on with it. If I can’t let them make decisions for themselves and let them get on with it, then I’ve employed the wrong person. So yes, they give me a bell when they’ve done, I don’t see why fuel should need that much more micro managing on a day to day once you know what is expected.

25

albion:

paulant18:
I haven’t heard much good on here, so far, about Hoyer though.
It does appear that they micro manage you a bit but it’s an industry that’s difficult to be left to your own devices. ADR fuel deliveries are definitely not the same as, " you’ve got 4 drops today mate, bell me tomorrow unless there’s a problem" !!

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

We move explosives around UK and Europe. My theory is I train people, give them the right tools, make sure I’m happy they can do the job and then let them get on with it. If I can’t let them make decisions for themselves and let them get on with it, then I’ve employed the wrong person. So yes, they give me a bell when they’ve done, I don’t see why fuel should need that much more micro managing on a day to day once you know what is expected.

Yeah, I like that. Not all managers and trainers are like you though. Most need to feel like there in control!
I suppose the difference between explosives and fuel is demand. I guess there are a 100 garages in a big city that all want their delivery yesterday!

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26

Night work is the easier way to earn the premium rates for this job.

If, like me - you insist upon a minimum hourly rate of around £12.50ph these days (as I do now) - then Night Work is where it’s at.

Weekends?

I’d rather work Sunday night than Friday Night.

Thus, Sunday PM is the best start to the week for someone like myself - who’ll also get any “weekend premium” going as well, and STILL be free Late Friday Nights - if they want to go out.

I’m amazed that night and weekend work - are not more popular than they are really, especially among the young.

I’ve been driving lates and nights for 25 out of the past 28 years I’ve been a C+E licence holder.
I’m completely a fish-out-of-water on Earlies - but I can do that, at least for the occasional agency shift in January, where “needs must”… :sunglasses:

27

Winseer:
Night work is the easier way to earn the premium rates for this job.

If, like me - you insist upon a minimum hourly rate of around £12.50ph these days (as I do now) - then Night Work is where it’s at.

Weekends?

I’d rather work Sunday night than Friday Night.

Thus, Sunday PM is the best start to the week for someone like myself - who’ll also get any “weekend premium” going as well, and STILL be free Late Friday Nights - if they want to go out.

I’m amazed that night and weekend work - are not more popular than they are really, especially among the young.

I’ve been driving lates and nights for 25 out of the past 28 years I’ve been a C+E licence holder.
I’m completely a fish-out-of-water on Earlies - but I can do that, at least for the occasional agency shift in January, where “needs must”… :sunglasses:

Yeah. Definitely easier.

Fri-sat rest days the best.
Been on nights for 10 years but a decent days sleep is still evading me!!

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28

I’m not to bothered by the hours I work, I do what makes it easier for me whilst getting the job done.

Yesterday started at 10:30 finished at 21:30 and parked up till 16:30 today and will probably finish at 01:00 tonight. Then back in at 04:00 Monday.

29

Juddian:
Most proper companies, especially where the staff are unionised have negotiated pay rates where the premium rates are included.

ie the £18 odd an hour across the board at Hoyer mentioned, does anyone seriously think that rate would be just for mon to fri daytime working hours? and saturdays would be x 1.5, sundays x 2 and bank hols @ £36.50 an hour plus a day in lieu? get real, its blindingly obvious to anyone that a rate like that would be across the board.

Would people rather be on £10 an hour basic but get x 1.5 for anything over 8 hours, x 1.5 on a saturday and x 2 on a sunday, giving you the magical £20 an hour 1 day a week , which is less than £2 over the standard rate anyway.

I think the “Unionized” right-through rate is a splendid idea actually.

Here’s some reasons as to why:

Take Royal Mail, where they have this policy: People are going to gravitate towards the perceived “cushier” shifts, which align with monday-friday daytime hours…
Who’s gonna want to work nights, saturdays, and sundays for the same rates? You get a different rate for C2 than C+E as far as I know - and that’s it.

People like me - are going to aim for the weekend work at the “same rate” - because I know I’ve got a better chance of leapfrogging someone else to get that work, on agency at least.

Indeed, I’m considering going for some this coming Christmas, as it is now lucractive enough to be worth going out of one’s way to land…

Another reason why “right through” is better - is that the firm will try and plan you for more hours, because there is no premium to pay for a longer shift.
This is the case at outfits like F&W where if you are working via an agency that is “1.5x after 8 hours” - you get planned to be booked off at 9hrs into your shift, not only denying you any overtime ever - but “not letting you go home early” as well… A 9 hour shift means take an hour off for Meal Relief, and you get the flat 8 hours having worked 9. NOT good!

Finally, there is the “shift start time”. If you start say, 18:30 hours, then you know you’re not going to get called at the last minute to come in “an hour early” - and then find out in retrospect that “This is day rate, so the firm is going to dish you up with a 15 hour shift, because it’s a great management wheeze to do thus!” - ripping the driver off and running them ragged at the same time. 15 hour shifts are not popular, but a driver won’t be very popular at an agency - should they say “I don’t work 15 hour shifts” let’s say…

30

paulant18:

Winseer:
Night work is the easier way to earn the premium rates for this job.

If, like me - you insist upon a minimum hourly rate of around £12.50ph these days (as I do now) - then Night Work is where it’s at.

Weekends?

I’d rather work Sunday night than Friday Night.

Thus, Sunday PM is the best start to the week for someone like myself - who’ll also get any “weekend premium” going as well, and STILL be free Late Friday Nights - if they want to go out.

I’m amazed that night and weekend work - are not more popular than they are really, especially among the young.

I’ve been driving lates and nights for 25 out of the past 28 years I’ve been a C+E licence holder.
I’m completely a fish-out-of-water on Earlies - but I can do that, at least for the occasional agency shift in January, where “needs must”… :sunglasses:

Yeah. Definitely easier.

Fri-sat rest days the best.
Been on nights for 10 years but a decent days sleep is still evading me!!

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I concur. Alas, all good things come to an end in my case. :blush: :smiley:

On agency, if the hourly rate is good enough - I’m not adverse to doing Monday-Wednesday 3x15 hour shifts, and doing a good week’s wages with 4 days off to follow. Less commuting cost, and more whole days off to myself. Providing the hourly rate is good enough. A “Right Through” rate that doesn’t get tamped with by “calling one in early” or “calling you in 1 minute after midnight” to drop the rate to “early doors” rate - works best for me on that front.

Are agency shifts starting to look better than Full Timer fayre - I wonder? :open_mouth:

31

I find a lot of employers take advantage of the working situation as befits them, for example many of us oldies still see Mon - Fri as the normal working practice, and if offered a sat or sun, would expect 1.5 or x 2 for the sunday pay, and a bank holiday is either 3 x the hourly, or 2 x + a day in lieu.
Also an addition is the fact drivers dont like working weekends anyway ( unless the price is right ) but an inbred thing that we endured for years. So in order to fulfill their weekend quota, drivers applying for a job will be given a start day to make sure they are available at weekends ie, start the new job on a wednesday, which gives a 5 day week over 7 so the weekends get covered, and your rest days are on a mon/tues…i found this very annoying for a couple of reasons, firstly we were on a salary ( which was ■■■■ poor anyway ) and secondly drivers resting during the week, never spent time with their loved ones, as they worked during the week…btw it didnt affect me as i was old school and kept to my older contract which was mon - fri…and i refused to change it. But any new drivers starting were also very annoyed too…but this practice is everywhere in transport…just as much as the max hours and reduced breaks which i am in a position to refuse to do…as far as agencies go, they seem to offer a great rate if one wants to work a sat sun, as it can in some instances pay more for those 2 days, than if you worked 5 days…lubbly jubbly.

32

I like Friday/Saturday rest days, 'cos it gets me out of the added risk of having to commute and work during the “graveyard shift” responsible for the most commercial driver deaths as measured by six-hour blocks.

Friday 18:00-Midnight - is easily the most dangerous “gauntlet” to run of the week, both commuting to work, and then going straight out on the road with a bunch of other road users who will

(1) Be on their way home, and tired
(2) Be in a hurry to complete their journey
(3) Likely to drop in at third-party locations on the way home, adding mass to their vehicle, be it for passengers or shopping. It is harder to control a fully-loaded car in rush hour traffic than an empty one with just a commuting-home driver.

(4) How many “pro drivers” - start their friday night shift between 18:00 and Midnight - having been up all damned day when they should have got some sleep in?
(5) Freight traffic is heaviest on fridays?
(6) Sodd’s Law will make a breakdown far more likely at this time on a friday - than at any other time.
(7) More inebriated drivers are on the roads during this six hour period
(8) Peoeple who’ve just finished their last shift of the week - are going to be at their most tired at that time on a friday evening.
(9) Statistically, you’re three times more likely to get killed this coming friday - than win a prize of six figures or better on the lottery.

My solution is to have Friday as a rest day, get the family shop in before the evening, and then be at home by the time the hassle starts.
Saturday - is my lie in and take it easy day. I don’t mind working Sundays though, as I tend to not have much on at home, and would rather be earning than gurning. :stuck_out_tongue:

33

For what it’s worth, you argue what you like, wether it maximum mega bucks or 50 pounds an hour, I don’t care.
I work 3.5 days a week. I have 4 days off every week. 4 days off. Not 1 and a half. Not come home Saturday midday, get going Sunday night 0200 again…
I get as much time at home, as I get at work. And I get paid the same amount every week, regardless of how many, or how little hours u work… And I’m at home 3 or 4 days every week. And still clear 400 every week.

34

Indeed. If you can’t get the big bucks - “going for the fewer hours” has got to be the next best thing.