Just a quick bit of my background.
Class 2 driver worked for same bloke for 7 years, I’m the only driver, for company in Derbyshire
Basic rate £8p/h
Overtime paid after 47.5hours per week at £12p/h
Night out pay £18 per night out
Truckstop paid for, minus food expense
Not taken for a ride completely but you’re certainly being taken for a bit of a day out.
Find some Class 2 jobs on the Jobcentre website that aren’t agency, print them off, walk into the office and tell them you want a wage rise to the going rate.
If they don’t offer one and there’s plenty of work around or you can afford to do agency for a bit then hand in your notice on the spot. If they value you chances are they’ll come to some agreement. I’ve known a couple of people personally (not in haulage) who have got some quite considerable wage rises when they handed in their notice and it became apparent just how invaluable they were to the companies they were at especially one for book-keeping when a few of those being interviewed as a replacement pointed out the duties involved were actually 3 different jobs.
Only you can answer that. Look at jobs about weigh up all the pros and cons of starting a new job. Distance to work, job security , workload etc . Apply for another job and see if you get any. You don’t have to say yes. If you get offered then go to boss and say nicely look I’ve been offered this job but would like to stay here (or not) can you at least match it
Don’t do it before finding a job. In my youth I tried it and the bloke just sent me packing. Scared the bejeepers out of me. He phoned me later that evening and we made up.
James7716:
Just a quick bit of my background.
Class 2 driver worked for same bloke for 7 years, I’m the only driver, for company in Derbyshire
Basic rate £8p/h
Overtime paid after 47.5hours per week at £12p/h
Night out pay £18 per night out
Truckstop paid for, minus food expense
In a word I would personally say YES on night out payment alone,looking at a couple of websites going rate is £26.20 with a sleeper and £34.90 without, with what ever parking charges paid seperate.
£380 for 47.5 is a silly low rate,where as £380 for a 40hr week would be more realistic to give you £9.50 p/h and £14.25 o/t
I pay my van drivers more than that an hour, overtime starting at 40 hours. Night out at £23.00 for the artic lads, not that we do much overnighting in the cab, + parking.
really it depends as said before, if that is around what other Class 2 drivers in your area are getting.
Yes…
If you are doing lots of driving you will hardly ever get onto the overtime rate before maxing out the hours . Night out money is pants too.
Sit down and show him job adverts and if he does not agree to more it’s time to leave.
I’d say you are doing ok apart from night out money…
You have to weigh up the pros and cons.
I’m not earning what I used to but the job I have now is a great one and I enjoy it.
Also what part of the country you living in ■■?
yorkshire terrier:
I’d say you are doing ok apart from night out money…
You have to weigh up the pros and cons.
I’m not earning what I used to but the job I have now is a great one and I enjoy it.
Also what part of the country you living in ■■?
I live in Worksop and in same situation as you I guess? I love the job and the boss treats me well. I don’t need bucket loads of money, but a little extra never goes a miss does it? You get talking to various people on you travels, and get talking about terms and conditions to find out you’re way down on rates of pay!
James7716:
yorkshire terrier:
I’d say you are doing ok apart from night out money…
You have to weigh up the pros and cons.
I’m not earning what I used to but the job I have now is a great one and I enjoy it.
Also what part of the country you living in ■■?I live in Worksop and in same situation as you I guess? I love the job and the boss treats me well. I don’t need bucket loads of money, but a little extra never goes a miss does it? You get talking to various people on you travels, and get talking about terms and conditions to find out you’re way down on rates of pay!
Yes I know what you mean but I wouldn’t swap happiness for money,iv earnt the big bucks but hated every minute of it…
I’m on the same money per hour now but don’t do the mega hours or night out money…
If it makes you feel better you beat a lot of class one drivers I know with that rate.
Conor:
Not taken for a ride completely but you’re certainly being taken for a bit of a day out.Find some Class 2 jobs on the Jobcentre website that aren’t agency, print them off, walk into the office and tell them you want a wage rise to the going rate.
If they don’t offer one and there’s plenty of work around or you can afford to do agency for a bit then hand in your notice on the spot. If they value you chances are they’ll come to some agreement. I’ve known a couple of people personally (not in haulage) who have got some quite considerable wage rises when they handed in their notice and it became apparent just how invaluable they were to the companies they were at especially one for book-keeping when a few of those being interviewed as a replacement pointed out the duties involved were actually 3 different jobs.
I’d agree with Conor on principle minus the details and a lot of the points. Try asking for a pay rise, citing that you’ve struggled along for a while on the pay as you enjoy your job but you can’t help but noticing better pay is available almost across the board locally with employers. Explain you wish to discuss a pay increase. This is bread and butter discussion in business. If you can’t come to an agreement do not jack it in on the spot and go on agency. You know this job, I’m guessing you quite like it from the tone of your post. Jumping to agency will leave you out of pocket for the short term transition between jobs and you have jacked in a full time job with no guarantee of permanent full time employment. If a pay rise becomes a sticking point, seek other work, find it, and then hand in your notice.
It’s better to try and work a way to make more money out of a job you enjoy than turn a better paying job into a job you enjoy. Start with that ethos first and then move on if it’s not working for you.
If you left, he might struggle to find somebody to fill the vacancy. Why? Because the hourly rate is very poor. He might get an inexperienced monkey, but you’ve been with him for 7 years and that’s worth something to him whether he realises it or not.
If I were you I’d definitely try and negotiate a pay rise. That’s business.
ezydriver:
If you left, he might struggle to find somebody to fill the vacancy. Why? Because the hourly rate is very poor. He might get an inexperienced monkey, but you’ve been with him for 7 years and that’s worth something to him whether he realises it or not.If I were you I’d definitely try and negotiate a pay rise. That’s business.
Yes agree with you 100% ezydriver. I do enjoy my job, probably the best one I’ve had. Thanks everyone for your input, quite a lot of varied opinions which I didn’t expect, just thought it’d be, ‘yep, you’re getting taken for a mug’!
Have you had a pay rise in those 7 years?
ezydriver:
Have you had a pay rise in those 7 years?
Well, this is where it gets abit complicated…
Started working for my boss in 2008, when I’d just passed my test, had a few pay rises up up till 2013 where the company ceased trading, making me redundant, won’t go into details, then he started up again and took me back on, but on different terms, and a pay cut, and been on the same rate to this day. Just need to point out that I was desperate to get taken back on full-time as I’d just become a father for the 1st time!
James7716:
ezydriver:
Have you had a pay rise in those 7 years?Well, this is where it gets abit complicated…
Started working for my boss in 2008, when I’d just passed my test, had a few pay rises up up till 2013 where the company ceased trading, making me redundant, won’t go into details, then he started up again and took me back on, but on different terms, and a pay cut, and been on the same rate to this day. Just need to point out that I was desperate to get taken back on full-time as I’d just become a father for the 1st time!
As a matter of interest what type of work are you doing,not that it makes any difference that starting up again as a new business is an excuse for paying crap wages.
From what you say reading “between the lines” he went into liquidation and then started up again presumably doing the same kind of work,if it didnt work last time why is it going to work now.Sounds hes bit iffy.
Bet he still has a decent house and a decent car,even though the company went bust.
Keep your job but have a look around to see what is out there. No harm in going for a couple of assessment drives.
If/when the boss notices on your tacho download, simply tell him that you are struggling a bit financially, and didn’t fancy telling him as you ’ love ’ working for him, but have bills to pay.
Cant do any harm IMO. Might even get you a little pay rise if he thinks you are serious about going.
The wage shouldn’t be a issue ,there’s loads of benefits that you can claim these days to top it up ,you and your other half need to look into this .
We got this even though I and the o/ h were both working full time,if I remember right it was child credit ,family allowance ,we didn’t need it to live on so used it to pay for holidays ,obviously you can use it for what you like ,live on ,new car ,house improvements etc .
This should be your first move ,what benifits are you entitled to ,£8 p.h + benifits = £10 p.h ,stay then in the job you like
weigh it all up, its not just about the wage, travel to work costs? are you happy with it? family life ect…
I got slated on here for working for what in £ was a low wage but as i live in the sticks I always had to have a second car, the job above was a walk around the corner working for a local guy, my own planning my own hours ect whatever as long as job got done. no need for the second car… believe it or not in the bigger picture I was actually better off doing this then travelling the 15 miles to my previous job, and my home life got better too…
many will make you believe they are on megga money just to boost their own egos.
just do what you are happy with…
eagerbeaver:
Keep your job but have a look around to see what is out there. No harm in going for a couple of assessment drives.If/when the boss notices on your tacho download, simply tell him that you are struggling a bit financially, and didn’t fancy telling him as you ’ love ’ working for him, but have bills to pay.
Cant do any harm IMO. Might even get you a little pay rise if he thinks you are serious about going.
How much more, might he get? An extra 50p p/h? lol
I’m paid one rate for all the hours I do (mine is higher than the OP though) and looking at just that, some other class 2 jobs pay more around here. Looking more closely I get a company pickup, if I finish early my boss tells me to book until 5, the job is easy and stress free (worth £1/hour at least for that), I choose my start times and I’m paid for breaks. It’s also quite common to be told to have an extended break. 
The downside? According to some glory boys on a certain big tipper firm is that the trucks I drive are old. 
True but I’m not rushing about like them being told how many loads are “reasonable” with a number in brackets beside their work details.