Have been offered training for c+e at freshlinc in spalding but one person is telling me something and then the other is saying something completely different I asked if I could do day shifts and the guy said yes we will put you on days 6am starts and the other person said no you get given your shift and start time varies everyday? If anyone had some information on there shifts that would be great thanks.
A lot of foreign drivers. If you aren’t working currently give it a go. You can always tell them to poke it. If you are leaving another job then best way is to ask a freshlinc driver not go on hearsay
I couldnt just leave because it’s a 3 year contract they pay for my class 1 training, I’ve passed my class 2 but cannot get a job anywhere so I really don’t know where to go from here
We subbie for them and the work is a piece of ■■■■ mostly RDC’s mainly adsa give it a go what have you got to lose?
It’s a foot in the door…
Yeah but I don’t wanna get messed around and treated like rubbish if I’m stuck in a contract then I can’t get out, does nobody know what the shifts are like there ? And who’s likely to know more about the drivers shifts? Would it be the hr manager or the transport manager because I’ve been told completely different things by each one
Brettf1994:
Yeah but I don’t wanna get messed around and treated like rubbish if I’m stuck in a contract then I can’t get out, does nobody know what the shifts are like there ? And who’s likely to know more about the drivers shifts? Would it be the hr manager or the transport manager because I’ve been told completely different things by each one
I think your answering your own questions. No one but you can make the decision. Do you need the job enough to take the chance■■?
The ball’s in your court. Good luck
You won’t get any freshlinc drivers on here they all speak no english
From what I’ve heard its real easy work. The kit is a bit hit and miss, I’ve seen brand new Volvo’s but I’ve also seen beaten up old Daf’s. I had a talk with one Freshlinc driver who was lost, he wasn’t given any paperwork with the name or the address of the company. He was just told “be here, at this time”. Now he was forgien so that may of made it harder for him to understand.
But in the end it comes down to this. Do you want to be tied to a company for 3 years? One that doesn’t exactly have a glowing rep? On the flipside, its work and easy work at that. Its a foot in the door and valuable experience.
You can’t be tied to this type of job for three years by an employment contract. You might have to pay back the cost of training but that’s all.
I wouldnt be concerned about the 3 yr thing. Ive never heard of anybody actually being held to this condition. As far as I`m aware its virtually non-enforceable and even if it was you could soon make yourself “unpopular”, and they would be only too happy to see the back of you…faulty alarm clock etc!
If anyone knows to the contrary then I`m happy to be corrected, but a £1200 investment by them to get you trained up is like loose change in their world.
I would be inclined to take it, if the jobs ok, then fine… if not, after giving it a fair crack of the whip just leave…they won`t bother you much.
cheekymonkey:
I wouldnt be concerned about the 3 yr thing. Ive never heard of anybody actually being held to this condition. As far as I`m aware its virtually non-enforceable and even if it was you could soon make yourself “unpopular”, and they would be only too happy to see the back of you…faulty alarm clock etc!If anyone knows to the contrary then I`m happy to be corrected, but a £1200 investment by them to get you trained up is like loose change in their world.
I would be inclined to take it, if the jobs ok, then fine… if not, after giving it a fair crack of the whip just leave…they won`t bother you much.
Agree on that.
You have nothing to lose except your final wage.
The deliveries are easy, a lot of ASDA rdc’s etc, but they must have collections too. Is that produce from farms?
I would go for it, good luck.
My missus uncle works there, he says it’s pretty laid back, n/o is £18.50 a night and pay is £7.10 ph last I was told.
They do loads of work for IPL and anyone in the fridge game will tell you they’re SLOW! You’ll get MANY hours of POA in there.
Volvo’s are on containers, the fleet at Spalding were mainly DAF’S but I’ve recently seen new Scania’s and a few new T Range Renaults going in.
If you want your licence paying for you, you’d be better off (financially) at Browns at Bicker.
cheekymonkey:
I wouldnt be concerned about the 3 yr thing. Ive never heard of anybody actually being held to this condition. As far as I`m aware its virtually non-enforceable and even if it was you could soon make yourself “unpopular”, and they would be only too happy to see the back of you…faulty alarm clock etc!If anyone knows to the contrary then I`m happy to be corrected, but a £1200 investment by them to get you trained up is like loose change in their world.
I would be inclined to take it, if the jobs ok, then fine… if not, after giving it a fair crack of the whip just leave…they won`t bother you much.
Is precisely not the thing to do. I’ll admit 3 years seems a long time. In my industry it used to be current practice to be bonded for 3 years for the price of a conversion course. The value normally was 15-20k. The amount decreased linearly. If you left early, you paid the amount. Now that’s gone and they charge people up front or expect you to obtain the training privately.
You know the terms of the contract. If you enter with a ‘walk without paying’ attitude you’ll just mess it up for the next person. If you walk, at least pay what you owe if you signed the contract. If you don’t agree don’t sign. If they break their part of the bargain then that’s a different discussion.
I’m in an industry where training costs to the employee run to over £100,000 and each conversion course costs £25-£30,000. It’s the desperate actions of generations that have destroyed the job and created the Frankenstein’s child that exists today.
NewLad:
My missus uncle works there, he says it’s pretty laid back, n/o is £18.50 a night and pay is £7.10 ph last I was told.They do loads of work for IPL and anyone in the fridge game will tell you they’re SLOW! You’ll get MANY hours of POA in there.
Volvo’s are on containers, the fleet at Spalding were mainly DAF’S but I’ve recently seen new Scania’s and a few new T Range Renaults going in.
If you want your licence paying for you, you’d be better off (financially) at Browns at Bicker.
■■■■, I got better for a night out ten years ago.
Seems some driverz are still happy to work for sweepings…
That’s why it’s mainly flipflops there,local English lads won’t go & work for peanuts.
Harry Monk:
You can’t be tied to this type of job for three years by an employment contract. You might have to pay back the cost of training but that’s all.
+1
I agree with Harry, the OP may as well take whats offered, irrespective of the shift patterns, bite his lip, keep his head down and get the necessary experience. Then when theyve had enough (without telling anyone) start looking around for another job, and move on. They may well write off any training costs when he goes. But I`d worry about that when the time comes.
Personally I have worked at Freshlinc on and off for years, mainly driving on agency, and I would say go for it. Browns at Bicker (now Turners) are a firm that I wouldn’t drive for, although many do.
At Freshlinc the dispatchers are pretty good at fitting in jobs around the start times I want, and from what I see/hear, it is the same for most guys; particularly if English is your first language.
I didn’t know they were offering training now, which must only have started this year, but I’m sure that it would be a good move to join them. As others have said, enforcing the 3 year contract is difficult, but despite the usual moaners, the job and company is pretty good in my opinion.
If you want to chat any more, you can give me a pm.
Ok thanks guys I’m just gonna go for it, does anybody know what type of hours I will be on as a class 1 driver there doing locals? would I be having any 15 hour shifts unexpected nights out etc.
I worked at Freshlinc.
Poor pay as you’ll know. Thats pretty transparent,
Works nice and easy. Long waits at the start of the day to get going and another long wait at end of day to get on a bay at base. Hours on runs to rdcs can be long, but if you want shorter day just tell them. Locals is alright as never far from base. Can be 8 hours, can be 15. For me they always asked what time I was starting next day when I signed out at night so seemed like it was up to you within reason as you’re expected to sort your legal rest out yourself. It’s a round clock operation so they don’t just have day and night men on fixed times, blokes seemed to start at all times.I think it’s workable between you and them.
The day generally involves reporting to transport office and getting signed in. You’ll then sit waiting from 30 mins to 3 or 4 hours (my record was 5) for a job/unit/trailer. Once you get going generally involves running straight to an RDC loaded from the yard, 1 collection then home or running out empty, 1 or2 collections tip then maybe a reload.
As said work is nice and easy. Asda and Waitrose. They run nice and legal. No hassle or pressure from them if stuck for hours or problem with the motor. You wont get hassle if you have a problem woth a unit say at start of shift. Tackle ranges from old Dafs and some bad rental motors to a good amount of 14 plate XFs. Theres often a shortage of equipment like straps and bars. They get nicked I think. Problem with hours can fen be when sitting there 3 odd hours then they try and give you a Bristol. You tell em you’ve not got the hours and you need something realistic. Always worked with me as they want the wagons back for the night shift. The other problem as mentioned is at end of the day. Often a que waiting to tip loaded trailers. They don’t want you to just park up with a mixed re load on board. They expect you to wait and tip backload. You can be waiting a long time. If stuck for hours, just mention to shunters and they’ll sort you out.
Lots of foreign blokes working but it’s not a bad place. Down sides are low low pay and waiting at beginning and end. The rest in the middle is grand. They don’t hassle you and there’s some good staff there in the office. Some not so, like anyplace.
If you’ve not a class one and need a break you’d be well to take it. Just do ya figures and make sure you can live with the money so you’re not back on here winging in six months time.