hi feeling a bit down and worried right now i have been working for a genaral haulage firm the past 16 months ihad my class 1 when i started and was on class 2 until april then was put on the arctics , i was doing well , bit slow at leaning but ok i thought then i had a bump i got lost and tried to turn round in the rd i caught the front bumper and cracked it was a mess to be honest i was not sacked but put back on the class 2 and my wages were docked every week towards the damage, well i caught the back of a car bumper in thee ridgid yesterday he was turning right i was turning left insted of just waiting i pulled up along side him and i knew i was stupid b4 i made my move! scratch just caught him i told boss got number and so on so this morning i was sacked i dunno what to do, even if i should do wagon driving again i know the reason been i was rushing and thats that when i passed i did not rush i dunno what to do
If you had said that they fired you for dangerous/drink driving or similar then I could understand why but from what you say this seems a bit harsh.
Many drivers have little bumps and scrapes from time to time.
Odd. IMO, that the company can MAKE YOU pay for damage 
You have been there for over 1 year which gives you certain legal rights so that might be worth persuing through a union, CAB or lawyer.
try to be a little more careful next time you have a job but i think there might be a little bit more to it than you are letting on■■?
maybe your face didnt fit or you have had an argument but i cant see a company just sacking you for having a few bumps?
by the way, why the hell are youpaying for damages to your bosses truck? why does he pay so much insurance if drivers are going to pay to fix them■■?
seems like you had a lucky escpe if that is what they do. as soon as they mentioned paying for damage to the truck you should have walked, unless it was down to stupidity or negligence.
ROG:
Odd. IMO, that the company can MAKE YOU pay for damage
Agree, they cannot legally deduct the money towards damage unless by agreement.
mrpj:
ROG:
Odd. IMO, that the company can MAKE YOU pay for damageAgree, they cannot legally deduct the money towards damage unless by agreement.
We lost a driver once I think because he wrote a lorry off… but that’s a different kettle of fish i think.
Depends on the damage and how it was caused but my ex boss would make you pay for the damage by takin it out weekly from your wage
Why not if it is your fault or else the insurance would be far to high if you claimed for everything
If it was driver negligence then it should be down to the driver
But please dont be to disheartened by what has happened go out and look for another job and put this down to experience
You are only hurt not injured
Hurt being you pick yourself up dust down and move on
Injured you stay down
hi pal i was just wondering wot happened to the three stage disiplinary procedure i.e verbal warning written and the final before dismissal. If wot you say is true i’d take that further. But i wouldn’t let it get you down everyone has bumps now and then. Hope you find something soon try p:b foods they want class 1 drivers it’s on the job centre.
Animal if a driver done damage to the tune of £100,000 and was totally his fault then you think he should pay…what a load of rubbish.
The employer pays his insurance for the risks, he is in business to make money and it is a risk he takes and when it is good he gets a good reward. When it is good does the driver get a reward…NO…just his wage.
Slackeye, did you agree to the wage deduction? If not take the matter further, but you will need proof so keep your wage slips as evidence.
The term "Unlawful deduction of wages " springs to mind,search for that phrase,the A.C.A.S website perhaps,and depending on circumstances you could be heading in the direction of an employment tribunal,check your contract and read anything that you are asked to sign.
Just because the company is insured doesnt mean that they have to foot the bill for negligence, To me I would rather pay the excess (£500 or so) than stand there getting a bollocking off some jumped up prick and a year on a final written.
What the OP hasnt disclosed as to whether the comany was a national set up or just a 1 man band with a few trucks, both of those factors can determine how the OP was treated and the outcome.
Keep yer chin up pal, stop rushing and good luck in the job hunt.
I know it’s a “closing the stable door after the horse has bolted” suggestion, but I can’t recommend joining a union strongly enough. Speaking from experience, they can offer excellent advice to help you fight your ground. You’ll probably find that the laws of employment are on your side but if you don’t know the complete ins and outs of the law, then you really have no leg to stand on. I’ve seen companies rely on employees not being unionised or knowing enough about their rights to get rid of them because of personal, sometimes even racist reasons under the guise of “underperformance”.
In certain aspects, the workplace is still jurassic in terms of fairness and you can easily be taken for a ride if you don’t have the right support. I’d also recommend the citizens advice bureau for this.
animal:
If it was driver negligence then it should be down to the driver
I disagree completely. If you go along this line where do you stop? If you write off a truck cos you were driving too fast should you have to remortgage your house to buy a new one? Of course not. If you are late for a delivery and your employer is penalised because of it because byou took a wrong turn should you pay for that? Of course not.
It’s a fact of life that even the best drivers have the odd bump now and again and the employer should factor that in when working out their rates and pay for enough insurance to cover any risks they’re not prepared to accept themselves.
Paul
Well i have never and will never work for a company that tries to make the driver pay for damage. If it’s only minor bumps then a d.p might be in order if its a major then it should be taken further ,but to expect me to pay “i really don’t think so”
i would rather sweep the streets than work for a boss like that 
well i reversed nt a barrier in the arctic £3000 it cost i heard,theni bumped into a giveway sign stralis bumper smashed ,new bumper and repaint £800 then in class 2 yesterday small dent on back of rear wing and bumper £500 so i have caused havoc i deseve to be sacked dunno what ahppened i have been ok for over a year since i passed my class 2 just over 2 years ago , did loads of different jobs and never bumped anything then after i was let lose in the arctic it all goes down hill on the occasions i had bumps i was panicking first i got lost in leeds and stupidly tried to swing the arctic round in a street it was wide enough but i was panicking and hit the give way sign, i would not have minded but there was a junction 200 yrds down the road bloody stupid!and yesterday was the same i have learnt my lesson the hard way i just hope i get chance to work in the industry again lost a lot of confidence and with the job market has it is i am worried 
animal:
Depends on the damage and how it was caused but my ex boss would make you pay for the damage by takin it out weekly from your wageWhy not if it is your fault or else the insurance would be far to high if you claimed for everything
- Because that’s what insurance is for.
- Because it’s illegal.
- Because they pay rubbish low wages in the first place so you can’t afford it.
I guess you’re just another in the long line of MUGS in this industry who sit behind a steering wheel.
I wrote an L200 Mitsubishi off that was on the back of my truck by nothing more that driver error on my behalf. Not proud of it, infact very embarassing at the time, but you learn from your mistakes. Cost me £60 monthly bonus and cost the company £1000 excess. Owned up to it as soon as I did it. You are driving their trucks. Mistakes happen and you should not be made to pay for it. Best out of that place anyway in my opinion.
slackeye:
well i reversed nt a barrier in the arctic £3000 it cost i heard,theni bumped into a giveway sign stralis bumper smashed ,new bumper and repaint £800 then in class 2 yesterday small dent on back of rear wing and bumper £500 so i have caused havoc i deseve to be sacked dunno what ahppened i have been ok for over a year since i passed my class 2 just over 2 years ago , did loads of different jobs and never bumped anything then after i was let lose in the arctic it all goes down hill on the occasions i had bumps i was panicking first i got lost in leeds and stupidly tried to swing the arctic round in a street it was wide enough but i was panicking and hit the give way sign, i would not have minded but there was a junction 200 yrds down the road bloody stupid!and yesterday was the same i have learnt my lesson the hard way i just hope i get chance to work in the industry again lost a lot of confidence and with the job market has it is i am worried
you made mistakes? by god man they are quite massive ones! a bit dumb but never the less, pick yourself up and get on with life. you will find a job one way or another.
yeah you ■■■■■■ up and you know you did. stop feeling sorry for yourself and get out there knocking on doors, they wont knock on yours!
goodluck with the job search
manowar:
I know it’s a “closing the stable door after the horse has bolted” suggestion, but I can’t recommend joining a union strongly enough. Speaking from experience, they can offer excellent advice to help you fight your ground. You’ll probably find that the laws of employment are on your side but if you don’t know the complete ins and outs of the law, then you really have no leg to stand on. I’ve seen companies rely on employees not being unionised or knowing enough about their rights to get rid of them because of personal, sometimes even racist reasons under the guise of “underperformance”.In certain aspects, the workplace is still jurassic in terms of fairness and you can easily be taken for a ride if you don’t have the right support. I’d also recommend the citizens advice bureau for this.
The problem you have there is that if the guy had joined a union, the employer does not have to recognise it unless a certain percentage of the workforce are in too.
I have never been in a union, I have no need to as I know enough about employment to be able to stand my corner competantly, Geesh ive even had an ex employers lawyer doing his homework because I was wiping the floor with him,
Employment law is only as difficult as you want to make it 
@slackeye,don’t be too downhearted. At least you do realise that you have made ‘stupid’ mistakes,and learning from them is a bonus to your future employment…
Whilst it is true that an employer does not have to recognise a union untill there is a cetain percentage of his workers who are members, this is normally only a concern when negotiating wages and terms etc.
Any individual has a right to belong to a union and be represented by them at a tribunal etc.
As far as deducting monies from wages, unless there was an agreement to this then it is illegal.
the only money that can be stopped from your wage without your consent is tax and NI etc, or of course an attachment order.
As for drivers paying for damage to vehicles caused by their negligence, do workers in other industries pay for damage caused by their mistakes?
Accidents are part of the job, EVERYONE makes mistakes sometimes, most get away without any damage.
I would never pay for any damage that I did to a company vehicle (and I have done plenty 
)