Just wondering how many drivers out there have been given work by their agencies in this post xmas week?
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Made myself available and nothing.
This is with just 1 agency and i did say rate dependant and they have had murder with me demanding pay rises so that could be why… 
I’d have thought that most agency drivers would have made the ‘lifestyle choice’ to have taken the week off. Just like they do all of January and most of February to sip cocktails on the beach in Rio.
Olog Hai:
I’d have thought that most agency drivers would have made the ‘lifestyle choice’ to have taken the week off. Just like they do all of January and most of February to sip cocktails on the beach in Rio.
Yep that’s what I’ve done while it’s quiet, haven’t decided when I’m going back to work yet 
I’ll stay off until I feel like going back, oh the joys of agency work 
happy days
Had a few ‘possibles’ from Agency’s last week but didn’t transpire into anything. I figure if it’s going to be quiet, I’ll be renewing my counter balance fork lift licence and look for work with that as well as hgv stuff.
I turned work down. I wanted the time off. I start back with them next week, probably Weds 
Done Wed to Fri this week,and been offered tues to fri next week, doing wed to fri as I’ve got physio on my right foot tuesday. Done the ligaments on my foot due to keep climbing up the step ladders that pull out from under the trailer. Weird as I’ve never had this injury before using these.
Yes, back to normal as from Tuesday and right through January and February, the agency has a year-round contract to supply drivers to the haulier.
Thursday to Tuesday (except Sunday), Wednesday off, Thursday to Tuesday, Wednesday off then back to real life.
I am on contract which has been agency only since it started over 3 years ago
It’s been absolutely manic where I work this week. They simply could not get enough bums on seats and have resorted to shipping agency guys in from as far afield as the Co Op contracts at both Andover and Avonmouth and also guys normally on the JLR contract in the Midlands. They’ve been put up in hotels and paid £15 p/h straight through.
TheTachoKid:
Just wondering how many drivers out there have been given work by their agencies in this post xmas week?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Two days this week, both with the same Heathrow-based cargo company, plus another night next week. They said they’d found work for all next week but it got cancelled.
Got a text from my now former agency asking if I’d be willing to work Saturday at Goole Tesco for Stobbies. Shifts starting from 12pm, 9pm latest finish, guaranteed minimum 8hrs plus a £100 bonus. Works out at least £22/hr.
Does anyone think that some of these agencies are lying through their teeth - just to get people to chuck in a stable job, only to find out that the pledged bonuses etc. don’t actually apply?
It’s easy to make promises like “£25ph for any driver who’s held a licence over 80 years” and other stuff that can’t be fulfilled by the driver for some reason or other.
On another note: Anyone working anywhere noticing that the management are “struggling to fill agency shifts of late”…?
I’m booked solid, 3 nights every week in Sainsbury’s and 2 nights in Lidl’s although they’re switching me between depot’s which is a bit of a pain. Also turning Sundays down now as I want to limit it to 5 nights.
Conor:
Got a text from my now former agency asking if I’d be willing to work Saturday at Goole Tesco for Stobbies. Shifts starting from 12pm, 9pm latest finish, guaranteed minimum 8hrs plus a £100 bonus. Works out at least £22/hr.
Have had the same at Co-op, 8 hours @ £13 and £100 bonus, £25.50 per hour
So after the rates being quoted here, am I the only one thinking our cost is negligible in the grand scheme of things? 
And therefore the normal glut of labour is the detrimental factor to our rates, not a driver shortage!
TheTachoKid:
Just wondering how many drivers out there have been given work by their agencies in this post xmas week?
Don’t worry about it, Thomas cook it, this is where agency drivers should spend the post Xmas weeks
My lot have had me in from Wednesday on the supermarkets. Going to have tomorrow off then on the grain bulk Tuesday onwards. I haven’t had to call in once they have been really good this year.
Evil8Beezle:
So after the rates being quoted here, am I the only one thinking our cost is negligible in the grand scheme of things?
And therefore the normal glut of labour is the detrimental factor to our rates, not a driver shortage!
If the normal glut of Labour is now drying up (for one reason or another) then it’s high time that wages DID finally rise.
They were always going to rise on agency rates first - if you think about it.
I wonder how much they’d have to rise to and stay at - to entice drivers to chuck in full time to take the rates that’ll leave them out in the cold in January…
My last year on agency during a January had me taking “anything I could get”.
Now… I hate working “early doors”, digging my car out of a snowdrift, and commuting even further than usual - all for some crappy daytime rate. Needs must though. I’m in no hurry to go back to “Januarys at agency” as I sit on the cusp of another January, but this time with an actual salary. 
I wasn’t tempted back to the agency by offers of £18ph over this Christmas, but again - that was because I’m still assuming that the work dries up as of Monday…
Of course, if there was another actual full time job on offer @ £18ph (basic rate with £27ph for the OT) - then I’d drive a ABP wagon for that money - right?
Been back in since Tuesday,been in every day and got tomorrow as well.