Gidders:
I did some agency work when I returned to live in the UK for reasons given by several above such as better hourly rate and the ability to choose where when and if I chose to work.Another reason is that I wouldn’t want to work for a lot of the crap companies out there even as an agency driver.As it happens I had a really good job for a good company as an agency driver working alongside their own drivers but being paid more and being more independant.This came about because I didn’t mess about or cause damage,I assume.
Regarding expenses,I wouldn’t mind claiming expenses on the same basis as our Members of Parliament.
Dont start slagging off our poor M.P.s ! Imagine, George Osbourne has had to take on a third job now. I hope hes claiming travel allowance to get to his part time (6 figure salary (ref-Guardian)) job as an advisor to Black Rock, from his “full time” job as M.P. and full time (?) job as an editor and other speaking engagements. Im glad M.P.s dont do anything at all remotely important, after all we wouldnt want them working over hours if anything nasty was likely to happen now, would we? Wouldnt do for him to show up after doing his two full time jobs, and one part time job, at a dinner speech engagement a bit tired would it?
Maybe I should go back on the Adblue thread: My “Milk of Human Kindness tank” has been topped up at the “Scarcasm” pump.
Latique:
they are happy because it suppresses wages
Suppressing wages when most spots I used to go into my basic rate on agency was what the permanent drivers got for overtime. Funny way of suppressing wages.
Franglais:
No need for agency drivers to keep account of their holiday entitlement, so thats a saving on admin. No need to chase the company for sick pay if theyre off. No company pension scheme to pay into.
I’ve got holiday pay from agencies since it became law in the mid 90s. I got a company pension scheme with my last agency as its now the law that all employers have to offer workplace pensions.
Latique:
they are happy because it suppresses wages
Suppressing wages when most spots I used to go into my basic rate on agency was what the permanent drivers got for overtime. Funny way of suppressing wages.
As I recall, you were on less than Howdens own drivers, and that was the only place you worked for that agency.
So how long ago before that are we talking? As I don’t think it’s quite like what you say above anymore…
Franglais:
No need for agency drivers to keep account of their holiday entitlement, so thats a saving on admin. No need to chase the company for sick pay if theyre off. No company pension scheme to pay into.
I’ve got holiday pay from agencies since it became law in the mid 90s. I got a company pension scheme with my last agency as its now the law that all employers have to offer workplace pensions.
Any other bollox you want to post?
As an employee of an agency, yes of course you are entitled to all of that. And those who chose, or are persuaded, to go self employed or umbrella or whatever? Don’t worry I’ll be sure to have more blx to post later.
I got a tax bill from mileage I was claiming whilst on agency, but then had revoked for not being “Self-Employed”. This bill got merged into my tax code for the coming tax year.
I also got a bill from some third-party american debt collecting outfit that said “I owed HMRC, their client - £2500 for overpaid tax credits” during the same period.
I contacted HMRC and asked them to “stick this on my tax code, if indeed I even owe it” to which I was told “This is not our concern anymore.”
I don’t pay written-off debts. It would be aiding them to commit their own tax fraud if I did so.
A written-off debt has already been claimed back as a tax loss offset. Once this is done, then as far as I’m concerned, the debt is quashed, and the tax rebate claimed.
They can whistle for it. No further action taken so far, and it’s been nearly two years now. The debt dies officially at the six year mark of course, under statute barred legislation.
I understand a lot of students do a similar thing with their defaulted student loans.
I’m not sure why HMRC have apparently decided to “outsource” their debt collections, but it’s sure weakened their hand in doing so!
They never asked me for anything, unlike the travel expenses, which of course I ended up paying back in full, because “sticking it on the tax code” makes it 100% enforceable. Seems daft of them to scrap a good idea for collections eh?
Question: WHICH agencies pay less than the full timers at the yards they send people into?
I suggest that there is a “Premium” to be paid for sticking an agency into a full timer who’s off sick, on holiday, etc.
If this were not the case, then the full timer would be booted @ say £12ph and replaced by said agency @ £9ph to the driver, for which the agency still invoiced for say, £11.50ph.
I’m sure most companies would chase that 50p saving IF it existed!
Truth is, the firms that pay sub-£10ph to their full timers - don’t get agencies in, because they won’t afford them.
I never found myself once working on agency for outfits like DPD, PolyPipe, and Canute for instance…
Conor:
Suppressing wages when most spots I used to go into my basic rate on agency was what the permanent drivers got for overtime. Funny way of suppressing wages.
As I recall, you were on less than Howdens own drivers, and that was the only place you worked for that agency.
So how long ago before that are we talking? As I don’t think it’s quite like what you say above anymore…
I’ve been driving for agencies most of the time since 1994. Howdens was the ONLY company I went to where I was on less than their drivers however with their new driver training scheme the new drivers that go through it are on the same hourly rate as agency now. What I said applies to everywhere else I could have gone to with my agency. You will find there are a few companies, mostly those whose main business has nothing to do with transport, where they pay their drivers the same or more than agency but they are very few and far between.
There’s one where you hold a C1 licence, and are getting say, £10ph on agency driving artics.
You then get your HIAB/Moffet/Palfinger Ticket - only to be taken off artic (wagon and drag brick trucks) and put on C2 builders deliveries all the time instead. An extra 50p/ph for holding the Hiab doesn’t make up for the £2ph you drop for being shifted off C1 to C2.
“Get qualified - Get a pay cut! You know it makes sense!”
