Being flexible in your job?

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

Just wondering what some of you thought on this one,

been with the same crowd for a fair while now, all i do is curtainsider work, it suits me, i enjoy it, get to go to a few different places every day, meeting customers, some regular some not regular, i quite like the little bit of physical work in pulling back curtains, opening and closing trailer gates, strapping down the load etc, but not to the point where its too much work, as in i dont mind chilling out a bit as well.

my company does a lot of bulk haulage as well, liquid tankers and powder tankers (all sugar), so far ive resisted learning either as im quite happy in what im doing now, also theres no requirement for pallet work on the weekends, but there is for liquid and powder.
however ive made it clear to them on many occasions, right from the start, that i will NOT ever be working weekends for them, as i find 60+ hours over 5 days to be plenty, and value my private time, thus far they havent pestered me about it much until the last couple weeks, theyve been trying to push me to learn liquid.

as far as i can see, my options are limited, i could refuse point blank, and then get pushed out the door as technically these different aspects of the work would be part of my job.

i could agree to train up on whatever they require me to, and start looking for something else that suits, ie a company that doesnt actually do anything other than curtainsider work, or i could just keep quiet and do as im told.

i know some of you will suggest that its better for me to learn new skills that may come in useful in the future, and i would agree that thats very true and sensible, but in the short term id much rather just be doing a job i quite like.

any ideas?

thanks

2

If your only real issue is the potential for weekend work, just make it crystal clear that you won’t be doing any and go ahead and take the training.

If it’s more about simply not wanting to do the work, then your only real option is to find another job - after all, the possibility of having to do this work was something you must have been aware of when you joined the firm.

I certainly can’t see any reasonable cause for refusing to do it point blank, IMHO.

3

Take the training, use it during the week but refuse the weekend work. If they give you grief go elsewhere with your newly acquired skill. Sorted, next question. :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

4

cheers lucy and coffee, i was thinking the same, i was just wondering if i was being unreasonable with my attitude, next time they put it to me, ill just say yeah ok train me on liquid but dont expect me to work weekends.

i really dont want to do liquid or powder, but im willing to do liquid as long as my main work continues to be pallets and i do relief liquid, but i definitely wont be doing powder, that ■■■■■ far too complicated for my small brain

5

you never know you may like it

6

matt f:
you never know you may like it

hehe thats what the TM said, maybe i will, but the way i see it, most of the guys in the place prefer liquid, and theyre all lazy sods, theyre happy to sit around all day waiting to get loaded, where as i prefer to keep moving.

7

What would you do if the “type of work” balance shifted ? If they were to run down the curtainside fleet/work and concentrate more on the tankers until eventually the were looking at not running curtains ?

Would you want to stay with the “same crowd” - or would you change employer so you could stay on curtains ?

I realise it’s an easy answer to say “But they aren’t”

And I suppose it depends to a degree how you see yourself. Are you a truck driver ? Or do you consider yourself a curtainsider driver ?

The question of weekend working is a different matter.

If you’ve always refused/declined to work weekends, and they’ve always been “happy” for that to be the case and you’re adamant that you won’t worked weekends; and hopefully there’s something in your contract of employment to support you, then you could use that. Or they could if there isn’t !!

I was in a similar position a few years ago when Hanbury lost/gave up the NorfolkLine work. I had previously kicked and screamed that I wouldn’t go on the boxes. But when push came to shove I had to choose between going to another employer, or go on the boxes. I’m still there, and almost settled and happy to be on container work.

I don’t usually do the “law” thing, or the “contract” thing or the “T&C” thing. I tend to prefer to rely on common sense, courtesy, manners and dignity, with a smattering of human nature. I think you’ll find that apart from common sense, most contracts and rules are based in those things.

BUT…

I’m lucky in that we have an arrangement that if I need to be home on Friday, I tell them (ideally) by Tuesday it would be very difficult to cause me problems if I insist to be so. Bot h of these issues are covered in my contract.

I read it the other week, looking for something else, and I noticed that my “regular working week” is Mon to Fri. And my “lob title” is HGV driver on specific client Contract. Overtime is mentioned as being “reasonable” - I would argue that consistently working 65/68, often 70/72 hours per week would constitute “reasonable overtime”

8

as far as contracts go, i dont have much to work from, im a casual driver for personal reasons, mainly the extra 6 bucks an hour swings it for me.

the agreement im signed up on states “a reasonable amount of overtime”, the official working day is 8 hours, most days i do between 10 and 14 (the maximum), thats 5 days a week, so i consider that to be reasonable overtime, so they cant get me there.

plus when i started with the company about 2 years ago they asked me, how are you fixed for weekends? and i said, im not, ever.

and they said right mate thats fine, once we’re clear on that we wont ask you.

hmmm

9

beattun:
plus when i started with the company about 2 years ago they asked me, how are you fixed for weekends? and i said, im not, ever.

and they said right mate thats fine, once we’re clear on that we wont ask you.

hmmm

and how many times have i heard that one lol

as for the tanker thing it all adds to your cv the weekend thing remind him of what you said and stnd your ground i only do monday to friday end of oce they get the idea they will either leave you alone or push you out but there is plenty of jobs out there mate so dnt worry

10

stick to mon -fri and sod the weekends,remind the boss:

WE GO TO WORK TO EARN A LIVING,NOT LIVE TO WORK.

havent done a weekend in a long time.

11

beattun:
…the extra 6 bucks an hour swings it for me.

Is that a lot then? :confused: I get paid in pounds shillings and pence.

12

Learn as many skills as you can. You can never know too much, if you dont wanna work weekends than dont simple :sunglasses:

13

I go along the line of the fact that a working day consists of 8 hours,and anything above that is overtime. (8 x 5 days.)

So if your doing 60 hours per week,that to me is a reasonable amount of overtime,and not working weekends is your choice. (12 x 5 days.)

Ken.

14

laikin’ art:

beattun:
…the extra 6 bucks an hour swings it for me.

Is that a lot then? :confused: I get paid in pounds shillings and pence.

not sure what the exchange rate is these days, but last time i checked it was near enough 50 pence sterling to an australian dollar

put it this way, i make about 150 pounds sterling equivilant a week more than if i wasnt casual.

15

must admit i wasnt in to the w/end work thing ,sun- thurs but i must admit sundays are a doddle , no traffic, most of the normal drops closed , did 6 hrs today, bet mon - thurs wont be 6 hrs.

16

laikin’ art:

beattun:
…the extra 6 bucks an hour swings it for me.

Is that a lot then? :confused: I get paid in pounds shillings and pence.

Below minimum wage if it’s US$…

17

Coffeeholic:
Take the training, use it during the week but refuse the weekend work. If they give you grief go elsewhere with your newly acquired skill. Sorted, next question. :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

Better advice you will not get. Use them like they will use you. Get the tanker experience under your belt then you have more skills than the next bloke.

18

MrFlibble:

laikin’ art:

beattun:
…the extra 6 bucks an hour swings it for me.

Is that a lot then? :confused: I get paid in pounds shillings and pence.

Below minimum wage if it’s US$…

I think there is a clue here as to whether it is US$ or not. :wink: :smiley:

beattun:
… last time i checked it was near enough 50 pence sterling to an australian dollar

19

MrFlibble:

laikin’ art:

beattun:
…the extra 6 bucks an hour swings it for me.

Is that a lot then? :confused: I get paid in pounds shillings and pence.

Below minimum wage if it’s US$…

aussie dollars, and also is aid 6 bucks EXTRA an hour, which brings it to 23 an hour