Banned from Site

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

A small whinge of my own after reading Lawrence’s article re Jako.

I was on a very handy weekend agency job for Ceva Crown Paints Hull prior to Christmas. Job was to sometimes shunt a few empty trailers into position for loading, take a load to Crown Darwen, swap/unload then return empty, and perhaps shunt some more empties into position to reload. Never did more than 8 hour shifts.

About 3 weeks before Christmas I got a call from the agency explaining that I had been banned from site, and asking me what had happened.
I was absolutely baffled. I had been on this job for a number of months with no problem, and had also done other jobs for them including double shifting when they were short of drivers, thus saving them money and problems.

After a few telephone calls between the agency and Ceva it became apparent that I had been banned for refusing to shunt some empty trailers after my shift the previous Sunday.
This was, of course, nonsense. I had never refused to carry out any tasks requested by the customer, and highlighted to my agency times when I’d gone over and above the call of duty, to show it was not in my character to refuse instructions.
My only explanation was that of a case of mistaken identity.

I had always got on well will the managers and supervisors on site, and even suffered a head injury when an insecure curtain pole hit me when I was pointing out a defective tyre on a stand trailer I had noticed, that I just shrugged of as “One of those things”.

My agency have “said” they have been trying to resolve the issue even up to now but, because it is some manager at head office who has to lift the ban, are unable to sort it.
Either this story is correct, or the agency cant be arsed to rock the boat and are keeping Ceva sweet.

Either way, it really peeves me that, on the say so of some forky, who is actually mistaken, a hardworking honest fella can lose an income stream through no fault of his own, with absolutely no recourse whatsoever, and that, If the agency are to be believed, this all lies in the hands of a little Hitler in another part of the country who has no working relationship with me, and is far too busy to be dealing with whether my ban should be lifted or not!!

2

I feel for you mate.
If you’d done something wrong you can understand it but the injustice of it isn’t an easy pill to swallow.
I was accused once of damaging a trailer. I was agency so expected the push. To be fair when I protested my innocence the firm in question looked at CCTV and I was cleared. I was blamed because it was thought I was the only driver in the yard at the time. It was my agency that pushed a bit too.
Life aint fair, just move on. Easy advice to dish out from me I know but there’s nowt much else you can really do.
Maybe visit them off your own back and ask some probing questions?

3

mick.mh2racing:
I feel for you mate.
If you’d done something wrong you can understand it but the injustice of it isn’t an easy pill to swallow.
I was accused once of damaging a trailer. I was agency so expected the push. To be fair when I protested my innocence the firm in question looked at CCTV and I was cleared. I was blamed because it was thought I was the only driver in the yard at the time. It was my agency that pushed a bit too.
Life aint fair, just move on. Easy advice to dish out from me I know but there’s nowt much else you can really do.
Maybe visit them off your own back and ask some probing questions?

It is a bitter pill when the only work at the moment means travelling from Hull to Cannock.
I thought about paying them a visit but its a closed site with a security gatehouse to navigate.
Just hoping trade picks up soon only averaged 1 day a week through January.

4

coreysboys:

mick.mh2racing:
I feel for you mate.
If you’d done something wrong you can understand it but the injustice of it isn’t an easy pill to swallow.
I was accused once of damaging a trailer. I was agency so expected the push. To be fair when I protested my innocence the firm in question looked at CCTV and I was cleared. I was blamed because it was thought I was the only driver in the yard at the time. It was my agency that pushed a bit too.
Life aint fair, just move on. Easy advice to dish out from me I know but there’s nowt much else you can really do.
Maybe visit them off your own back and ask some probing questions?

It is a bitter pill when the only work at the moment means travelling from Hull to Cannock.
I thought about paying them a visit but its a closed site with a security gatehouse to navigate.
Just hoping trade picks up soon only averaged 1 day a week through January.

That ■■■■■,but Hull to Cannock, are thing that bad round there?

5

I’m sure there is work closer but my Hull agency, who hoover up all the local work, have nothing at weekends and I registered with a Cannock agency because I’m from Wolves originally and, at the time I registered, they were the only ones who gave me an honest appraisal of the work rather than usual agency BS.

6

There is definitely work closer, might not be brilliant but there was a thread on here the other day about Stobart/Tesco Goole screaming out for drivers.

It might not be what you want to do but if it puts food on the table during quiet season…

7

Semtex:
There is definitely work closer, might not be brilliant but there was a thread on here the other day about Stobart/Tesco Goole screaming out for drivers.

It might not be what you want to do but if it puts food on the table during quiet season…

Used to work in the office. Not an option.

8

The Green machine at Goole/Tosco operate a similar regime although there its breathe and your banned, the amount of agencies advertising for drivers to go in there is unbelievable…I wonder why :laughing:

9

This is exactly why I choose not to work for agencies and large logistics firms.

If my gaffer has a problem with my my work I get a bollocking. If he’s happy with what I do I get ignored or perhaps if his wife has succumbed to his amorous advances I may get an attaboy.

I feel for you drive I honestly do. There’s very little you can do about your situation but some of the advice given here is very good.

I fail to understand why you’ve been banned and I hope it all gets sorted out.

Good luck

10

Tipper Tom:
This is exactly why I choose not to work for agencies and large logistics firms.

+1 Go find a perm job & cut down on these type of problems…

mick.mh2racing:
Life aint fair, just move on.

+1

11

Pimpdaddy:

Tipper Tom:
This is exactly why I choose not to work for agencies and large logistics firms.

+1 Go find a perm job & cut down on these type of problems…

mick.mh2racing:
Life aint fair, just move on.

+1

sound advice but im a lone parent with 2 kids 6 & 4 who live with me all but 3 weekends each month. Can’t see any permanent trucking firm working to those restrictions. Sometimes agency is the only option.

12

coreysboys:
sound advice but im a lone parent with 2 kids 6 & 4 who live with me all but 3 weekends each month. Can’t see any permanent trucking firm working to those restrictions. Sometimes agency is the only option.

Some companies offer zero hour contracts etc, knock on doors & ask…good luck:)

13

One of the many perks of being an agency driver is that you have absolutely no rights whatsoever. Yes they tell you that you have many rights but when it boils down to it there is nothing you can do about anything.
Get banned from a site fro something you didn’t do = nothing you can do and the agency will rarely back you up for fear of upsetting the client.
Paid short or the wrong rate = normally falls upon deaf ears, create too much and your phone stops ringing.
Agency double book you and you demand payment = phone will stop ringing for making them look stupid even though its their fault.

You could try the old chestnut of complaining to so called representative bodies = they are not interested, believe me, try it!

14

Truckbling:
One of the many perks of being an agency driver is that you have absolutely no rights whatsoever. Yes they tell you that you have many rights but when it boils down to it there is nothing you can do about anything.
Get banned from a site fro something you didn’t do = nothing you can do and the agency will rarely back you up for fear of upsetting the client.
Paid short or the wrong rate = normally falls upon deaf ears, create too much and your phone stops ringing.
Agency double book you and you demand payment = phone will stop ringing for making them look stupid even though its their fault.

You could try the old chestnut of complaining to so called representative bodies = they are not interested, believe me, try it!

Agree with above, also try getting holiday pay out of some agencies, even though the employment law is on your side, some will riggle and squirm their way out of it. Some agencies I have worked for treat you well but many dont, its a numbers game for them, bums on seats, unions have absolutely no power these days and as an individual they are not interested in your problems.
Some agencies/companies will ban you, not because you have done anything wrong but for their own reasons, its not right but they get away with it, it may be political, a downturn in work or someone in the office/yard who doesnt like you. My advice is move on, put it down to experience and the next time the agency rings you, agree to do a job for them , then dont bother turning up, it appears that the firm concerned have made the decision but your agency have not exactly supported you. What goes around comes around. :laughing:

15

Agency is never the only option. It’s the easier of the options but if you get out to a recovery firm they tend to offer zero hour contracts and will be flexible what hours you can work, maybe even school hours

16

Tipper Tom:
Agency is never the only option. It’s the easier of the options but if you get out to a recovery firm they tend to offer zero hour contracts and will be flexible what hours you can work, maybe even school hours

as in “vehicle” recovery firms??

17

I’ve been banned from two local sites now for over three years. The first one I was banned from is a large plc discussed many times on here. I was banned from site for following procedure :open_mouth: You see when you follow procedure and it causes them a problem you are instantly a trouble causer.

The second one was a smallish company whereby I was banned from site for causing damage to the building. Apparently I reversed the trailer into a warehouse wall even though I was sunning myself on a red hot beach in the Caribbean. :open_mouth:

On neither occasion did the agency want anything to do with sorting it out. We’ll just find you other work. Just the perils of working for agencies.

Stan

18

wouldnt mind but theyve found me nothing since. absolutely useless. they keep saying its dead. thank goodness for my cannock boys.

19

coreysboys:
wouldnt mind but theyve found me nothing since. absolutely useless. they keep saying its dead. thank goodness for my cannock boys.

Try approaching longs of leeds or keedwalls direct about weekend work and explain your situation.

They both do a lot of work off the including weekends.

20

I’d imagine Reed Bordall would be able to provide working patterns to suit. Ok the money is rubbish but you’ll save a huge amount of fuel outlay which may offset the wage.