I have just been let go from a company based in Birmingham for no reason other than the operations Directer who i will not name did not not like me. I had not been with this firm very long and was always looking for some thing better. Now i know this is quite a difficult one as the company concerned mainly run sprinter vans into Europe mainly Germany. If i am not wrong vans still have to run to driving hours 10 hours a day 11 hours on duty okay it is hard to enforce this rule as there is no tacos fitted but the fact this company have trackers fitted would help to prove these rules our being broken. What makes me angry is the operations directer is a bully and when a van driver comes back from a run say 15 hours driving he will put the driver in a 7 1/2 tonne as he sees it as if the driver is in that lorry for a hour the DSVA will not know he just got out of a sprinter after 15 hours driving.
What would you do knowing what i know and the fact i hate the fat ■■■■■ and how do you feel that the guy in the 7 1/2 tonne lorry behind you and family may of been driving for over 20 hours without a break. Do you say nothing or do you report him and if so who to.
I’m not one to grass normally but i think i would report him as he sounds a nasty bit of work and what he’s doing is dangerous, i suppose you could contact the DVSA and get some advice off them.
So in a nutshell, youve been working for this firm since Jan breaking all the rules, doing all the bad things you mention and putting my families life in danger who drive into Brum regular.
Now having been let go / sacked for whatever reason you wish to have your moment of revenge.
Fair enough, trot down to your local police station with any evidence you have and blow the whistle on em, maybe you might be lucky and get some whistleblowers protection as well.
Let us know how you get on. Obviously you wont do anything but you could name and shame the company at least, before you do this make sure you have facts available as they could sue.
OVLOV JAY:
An operator doesn’t break drivers hours rules. The clue is in the word driver
I get that and agree with you however he is a BULLY and if you say no your out the door. And he is the person taking the work knowing that if you dont drive for 15 to 20 hours non stop the job cant be completed by road so he is taking the work and pushing the drivers to do it and the guys want to keep there jobs
OVLOV JAY:
An operator doesn’t break drivers hours rules. The clue is in the word driver
I get that and agree with you however he is a BULLY and if you say no your out the door. And he is the person taking the work knowing that if you dont drive for 15 to 20 hours non stop the job cant be completed by road so he is taking the work and pushing the drivers to do it and the guys want to keep there jobs
Goes back to what I said - what do you put as your priority ?
If you go down the whistle blower route you’d better be sure you don’t need to work in transport again, these things have a habit of coming out via the grapevine, indeed it wouldn’t be too difficult for anyone who works there or the gaffer himself to work out who you are from what you’ve already said, even if you grass them up anonymously.
Known as a whistleblower or whatever the term is no operator would give you a second glance, many years in the future some bugger will remember and drop your name into the frame.
Do whatever you want, but be aware they might well be job repercussions years ahead for you.
As for bullying and terms and conditions, this is why working people need unions.
I’ve heard all the responses to that before, if you join a union i’ll shut the company etc etc, oddly enough though they don’t.
Its only the drivers that work there that are keeping that operator in business so if the drivers choose to work to the law and the employer sacks them all then they have no business - simple and no need to report them to anyone
Work that the company was doing will then go to other operators who will then need more drivers
You have to ask yourself what you wish to acheive to satisfy your desire for revenge / closure.
Looking beyond the fact you are guilty of enabling this to continue by doing the same I would hazard a guess you would like this ‘bully’ to feel some form of pain be it emotional, physical etc…
Now thinking logically about this causing grief for his employees is a messy route so why not just have it out with him or break into his house in the middle of the night and do stuff, I dont like to use the phrase ‘man up’ in this context as we are all restricted by our job to behave in a certain manner with our managers / employers but now that restriction is lifted your free to do whatever you like, well unless its illegal and you get caught.
In reality though over time these wounds will heal and your next job may prove better, still an onus on you to report anything illegal though, just make sure you have proof.
I do not see how you regard it as a loss, you have some experience, you have not killed anyone, you now know the law, move on and be grateful to have got out of the place, a bad boss will always remain a bad boss while someone that knows better drives the vehicle for them,
I feel some sympathy for the O.P. He doesnt want to break the law but has to put food on the table.Just see your last job as experience and move onwards and upwards.You could drop an anonymous note to the new vosa ,they might look them up.
I’m more concerned that if what the OP says is true than this is still going on and will carry on until the company is stopped. If a few employees get a slapped wrist in the process then tough ■■■■■, they all knew what they were doing is wrong but they colluded in the company’s actions.
I have just been let go from a company based in Birmingham for no reason other than the operations Directer who i will not name did not not like me. I had not been with this firm very long and was always looking for some thing better. Now i know this is quite a difficult one as the company concerned mainly run sprinter vans into Europe mainly Germany. If i am not wrong vans still have to run to driving hours 10 hours a day 11 hours on duty okay it is hard to enforce this rule as there is no tacos fitted but the fact this company have trackers fitted would help to prove these rules our being broken. What makes me angry is the operations directer is a bully and when a van driver comes back from a run say 15 hours driving he will put the driver in a 7 1/2 tonne as he sees it as if the driver is in that lorry for a hour the DSVA will not know he just got out of a sprinter after 15 hours driving.
What would you do knowing what i know and the fact i hate the fat [zb]. and how do you feel that the guy in the 7 1/2 tonne lorry behind you and family may of been driving for over 20 hours without a break. Do you say nothing or do you report him and if so who to.
Are you employed or self employed and whats the money like?
if you join a union i’ll shut the company etc etc, oddly enough though they don’t.
One firm I worked at many years ago did exactly that, shut the firm down.
Was that a loss or a blessing now you look back at it?
it is a real blessing now. The week at home gave me the time to sort a new job bloody hard to get a interview when you do not know when you will get home and you end up in Germany in a service station waiting until Monday to get a return load and not even getting paid for waiting. New job all UK work and home every day and no sleeping in a van so the answer has to be a blessing LOL
