If you are driving down a 7.5t street, then it’s against the law, and therefore within the remit of a unwanted phone call from the boss.
One of the two firms that “let me go” objected to the fact that I refused to answer the phone whilst driving (illegal), and I objected to being called whilst on break about ■■■■■■■■. I was being difficult, because I considered the entire firm to be running bent, and wasn’t about to start breaking the law or upsetting myself in order to “make it work”. I made waves as opposed to just walking away so some other bugger could fall foul of the system.
As to the content of an offending call? How about I’m on the way home on a friday night 10 miles from base, 13 hours into the shift, 86 hour fortnight so far, with a two day break waiting for me when I clock off, having done my last drop already.
The phone rings.
Ok, I’ll pull into a layby and answer it.
Govnor wants me to divert 120 miles and do a pickup in my empty wagon (fair enough) but I’ll be over 15 hours if I do (NOT fair enough!)
I’ve got an ERF (like this one below) not the ■■■■■■ tardis FFS!
If the mobile rings in the cab, nothing good ever comes of it. A refusal often offends, so I’d really rather not answer one ever unless it’s an emergency which might happen a handfull of times a decade if you’re really unlucky.
A phone call objecting to something I’m doing that’s not illegal or even against firm rules - I’ll object. (eg. countermanding previous instructions when it’s too late in the day to do so legally)
A phone call demanding I DO something illegal - I’ll object.
I’m not making trouble - just protecting my license.
I also object when pushed to take out an unroadworthy vehicle, taking the time to do my checks rather than just shove a disc in and fly out the gate, and generally be treated like I’m some kind of lickcock who’ll do anything for a shift. Yes, it tends to be the older tractors still using paper tachos with so-called “in cab” phones which are like two tin cans on a bit of string, and other creature-discomforts like broken seats, windows that don’t close all the way, and some kind of resin on the windscreen that won’t wipe off among other things… And yet this medieaval firm wants to bugger about with the latest in tracking technology? - FFS I’d object if I had to sign a book to take a ■■■■ when I’m already this wound up by a firm’s procedures!
Winseer:
If you are driving down a 7.5t street, then it’s against the law, and therefore within the remit of a unwanted phone call from the boss.
One of the two firms that “let me go” objected to the fact that I refused to answer the phone whilst driving (illegal), and I objected to being called whilst on break about ■■■■■■■■. I was being difficult, because I considered the entire firm to be running bent, and wasn’t about to start breaking the law or upsetting myself in order to “make it work”. I made waves as opposed to just walking away so some other bugger could fall foul of the system.
As to the content of an offending call? How about I’m on the way home on a friday night 10 miles from base, 13 hours into the shift, 86 hour fortnight so far, with a two day break waiting for me when I clock off, having done my last drop already.
The phone rings.
Ok, I’ll pull into a layby and answer it.
Govnor wants me to divert 120 miles and do a pickup in my empty wagon (fair enough) but I’ll be over 15 hours if I do (NOT fair enough!)
I’ve got an ERF (like this one below) not the ■■■■■■ tardis FFS!
0
If the mobile rings in the cab, nothing good ever comes of it. A refusal often offends, so I’d really rather not answer one ever unless it’s an emergency which might happen a handfull of times a decade if you’re really unlucky.
A phone call objecting to something I’m doing that’s not illegal or even against firm rules - I’ll object. (eg. countermanding previous instructions when it’s too late in the day to do so legally)
A phone call demanding I DO something illegal - I’ll object.
I’m not making trouble - just protecting my license.
I also object when pushed to take out an unroadworthy vehicle, taking the time to do my checks rather than just shove a disc in and fly out the gate, and generally be treated like I’m some kind of lickcock who’ll do anything for a shift. Yes, it tends to be the older tractors still using paper tachos with so-called “in cab” phones which are like two tin cans on a bit of string, and other creature-discomforts like broken seats, windows that don’t close all the way, and some kind of resin on the windscreen that won’t wipe off among other things… And yet this medieaval firm wants to bugger about with the latest in tracking technology? - FFS I’d object if I had to sign a book to take a ■■■■ when I’m already this wound up by a firm’s procedures!
aldi and their tracker eh can pay for that pish but cant leave a light on at the shop .priorities yeh obviously not the driver thats for sure
I used to deliver to aldi atherstone and was always reminded to put my tacho on other work as vosa seem to check ther depots regulary, as even the subbie delivery drivers have to tip themselves, like id have a break on a bay anyway
cieranc:
WTF■■? Do you deep meditate or something on your break? Does answering that phone call really disrupt your 45 that much that you need another 30 mins to compensate? What if they don’t know you’re on your break? Do you add another 30 then? I really don’t get this. Why would answering a phone call mean you need an extra 30 mins break?
To my mind that’s just being difficult for the sake of it, and I wouldn’t employ you.
My company has a daily drivers activity sheet and you put your signature on the back and front to confirm that you have done all as recorded, walk round, break times, POA, delays etc. Now there is also a box titled “Notice board” and in there is says you must not do any work while on break IT IS ILLEGAL. So I would suggest that if the break is interrupted by you office controller telephoning you to discuss a work matter then the break is interupted and when the telephone call ends you continue the break with the second part of a split break being a minimum of 30 minutes irrespective of how long the first part of the break was. Just following company procedures as you have agreed to and confirmed by signing the activity sheet. Just to confirm I do NOT work for Aldi.
If you would see obeying the law and the company policy as “being difficult” then I wouldn’t work for you. I hate inconsistent leadership.
cieranc:
WTF■■? Do you deep meditate or something on your break? Does answering that phone call really disrupt your 45 that much that you need another 30 mins to compensate? What if they don’t know you’re on your break? Do you add another 30 then? I really don’t get this. Why would answering a phone call mean you need an extra 30 mins break?
To my mind that’s just being difficult for the sake of it, and I wouldn’t employ you.
My company has a daily drivers activity sheet and you put your signature on the back and front to confirm that you have done all as recorded, walk round, break times, POA, delays etc. Now there is also a box titled “Notice board” and in there is says you must not do any work while on break IT IS ILLEGAL. So I would suggest that if the break is interrupted by you office controller telephoning you to discuss a work matter then the break is interupted and when the telephone call ends you continue the break with the second part of a split break being a minimum of 30 minutes irrespective of how long the first part of the break was. Just following company procedures as you have agreed to and confirmed by signing the activity sheet. Just to confirm I do NOT work for Aldi.
If you would see obeying the law and the company policy as “being difficult” then I wouldn’t work for you. I hate inconsistent leadership.
So if you met up with another driver from your depot at the same delivery point, and were both on a break at the same time, you could in theory not do any other work that day by chatting to the other driver about work ?
Dav1d:
So if you met up with another driver from your depot at the same delivery point, and were both on a break at the same time, you could in theory not do any other work that day by chatting to the other driver about work ?
No that’s right I wouldn’t talk shop while on a break. Having said that there’s only a handful of drivers at my depot that I would choose to spend my break with as we have a shared interest that isn’t work. On the other hand there are even fewer who would choose to spend a break with me as I prefer my own company to do puzzles (crosswords, suduko etc)surf trucknet, speak to my wife/daughter on the phone, snooze, eat my lunch, drink my coffee and the like.
If the office want to call me while I’m on a break fine, I have allocated a separate ringtone to their numbers and caller display, they can leave a message on the voicemail and I’ll call back when my break is over. If they don’t leave a message then it plainly isn’t important.
