I have recently passed my class 2 test and I almost immediately got a job. Now I realise its a poor job ( but its my first and I’m using it for experience only ). Its salaried at £25.000 PA. working roughly 3am until 3pm Monday to Friday week one and Monday to Saturday week 2 , so 54 hours week one and 66 week two , all for £380 a week!
Anyway I am reading through the contract and it says their insurance company now refuse to insure people who are at fault in accidents. in 2009 john smith ( I’ve not included his real name, even though the contract clearly states it! ) was the first person to loose his job due to an at fault crash. He was dismissed as the insurance company refused to cover him. This can be avoided by not going through the insurance company ask Luke ( The Transport Manager ) how to do this.
I see it as if you crash and its your fault, they won’t insure you anymore ? and you will be fired, unless you don’t go through the insurance company, eg pay yourself and keep your job ?
or are you made to pay yourself regardless ,as you have had an at fault claim, to which they won’t insure you?
I’m not not 100% sure what that part of the contract implies.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Would you say 25K for 54/66 hours a week are on the low side for the industry? Bearing in mind I’ve only just passed and this is purely a stepping gap.
I’m just slightly concerted about the meaning of the contract
This is stated in the terms of your contract? i.e. In the legal document signed by both you and your employer setting out the terms under which you are employed?
Or is this some other memo/instruction that has been handed down to “guide” employees, but mentioning the word “contract” to give it a bit of gravitas?
Yep it’s in the actual contract. I have signed it but I’ve yet to hand it back in for them to sign, it just seems iffy… I have a couple of agencies lined up but they are temporary ongoing, this is a permanent, guaranteed job
Yeah I’m thinking the same, long hours for not very good money, plus the constant worry of what if. I’ve no idea how much a 32 tonne Daf costs but I imagine it isn’t cheap.
The company takes on new drivers and doesn’t require experience, perhaps it’s why they have this specific clause.
I don’t think you’ve signed to say you will actually pay for damage, its probably written like that (job lost unless you pay for damage yourself) to keep you on your toes, but they can of course sack you in the first 2 years with no comeback and i would be surprised if they have many if any long termers.
66 hours including Saturday for around £500 top line, they really are taking the ■■■■, and they’ll be pushing you to book loads of POA to bring those hours back down sure as eggs are eggs.
If you can’t find anything else and are forced to accept this job get looking for another stable straight away.
Plenty of better paying class 2 work out there as well.
I have been looking on indeed and most are around the £10 an hour mark. I saw a class 2 tramping at £10.50 an hour plus £25 overnight allowance which doesn’t seem too bad. I have no real commitments atm so I could consider tramping. I think I’m going to just try some agencies, that contract has put me off,the hours aren’t great and certainly not worth £375 a week IMO
I was on 25k driving 7.5t for concorde logistics. Did around 50h a week. Was home most days before 3pm mind sometimes even earlier. For class 2 it’s low but I know a few places in Leicester pay poor.
I know you ain’t got much experience but with that many places needing drivers you’ll soon get work and be paid better for it. Don’t let agency fob you off as well with the you’ve only just passed so we’ll pay you this much instead until you’ve got more experience.
The only thing I had a bit like this was a pallet company that I went to an interview with.
The job was 27k a year down here in Sussex.
This was just day driving and a 48 hour week with Saturday mornings as optional overtime. I thought lovely so I asked for a copy of the contracted and read it through. It’s basically stated in black and white that if something happened to the trucks wing mirrors I would be liable to pay for it and this would be taken out my wages automatically. This went on to cover a range things on the truck considered as minor damage.
The fleet of trucks were pretty beaten up old lumps of junk so you’re have a hard time listing the damage during your check sheet they hand to you.
This just didn’t sit right with me as I thought they may not back you up should something happen so I didn’t go ahead with it.