mavrick:
The truth is drivers will do exactly as they are told. if you don’t like it hand your keys in and clear the cab out. some may moan but they will come round to the management way of thinking. thats why we unload ourselves at some rdc’s. all talk as usual.
Partly true yes however drivers always walk if they get the urge as we all know its too easy to walk into the next job. My record was sacked at 0700 new job by 1100 and so it has always been. Once i went two weeks looking for a job but only cos i was refusing agency work at the time and taking it easy.
mavrick:
The truth is drivers will do exactly as they are told. if you don’t like it hand your keys in and clear the cab out. some may moan but they will come round to the management way of thinking. thats why we unload ourselves at some rdc’s. all talk as usual.
Many drivers expect to unload themselves at RDC, it is the general way of things at Lidl, Aldi and probably Netto. Most of us who held an HGV rather than a C+E will remember loading sacks off a conveyor belt direct onto the trailer bed.
It isn’t just a UK thing either, many customers in France, give you a loading bay, a pallet truck and point at the load. I loaded toilet rolls out of Barton on Humber and they are so H&S you wouldn’t believe it, but they still expect you to load your own pallets.
Wheel Nut:
Many drivers expect to unload themselves at RDC, it is the general way of things at Lidl, Aldi and probably Netto. Most of us who held an HGV rather than a C+E will remember loading sacks off a conveyor belt direct onto the trailer bed.
Yes and how often do you hear "I told them (at Aldi/Lidl/Netto) “I’m not (insert swear word(s)here) doing that”, followed by a lot of bluster, followed by either “then I tipped it myself” or “then they banned me”.
Holland is the same, mostly “there’s the bay, there’s the (luxury electric) pallet truck and there’s the load”.
In Spain, on the other hand, except at one very small packhouse, I have never been allowed to load or unload a trailer.
Different conventions in different countries, I suppose.
besides its nice to have a change i love being out of the way on the rd cracking on with the day but if one day i was asked to wash the trucks and give the yard a bit of a sweep i dont mind doing it once in a while im still gonna get paid the same a change is as good as a rest
mavrick:
The truth is drivers will do exactly as they are told.
Not all drivers.
mavrick:
if you don’t like it hand your keys in and clear the cab out.
That’s fine, wouldn’t be the first time, there are always other jobs if you feel strongly enough about something.
mavrick:
some may moan but they will come round to the management way of thinking.
Not always and again not everyone, and not just in this industry. I stick to my guns and if it means changing job then so be it.
mavrick:
thats why we unload ourselves at some rdc’s.
Never done that at one of those RDC’s and never will.
Once as an OD delivering a load I had brought in from Germany to one of those places I refused to be their unpaid warehouse staff and after a long drawn out confrontation I ended up taking the load back to the yard where it was delivered by someone who was prepared to do it. No one was paying me to unload it so it didn’t get done, and I still pulled for the firm for several years after that.
I agree there are plenty who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk but that isn’t everyone. I’m a stubborn ■■■■■■■ and once I make my mind up there is very little chance of me changing it, even to the extent of cutting off my nose to spite my face and walking or being pushed from a decent job. I work on the philosophy there is always something else out there and life is too short to be doing stuff I don’t want to do.
I currently have the best and easiest job, which pays very well, I have ever had but if they wanted me to do something I didn’t want to do I would walk tomorrow without a second thought for the consequences. I might even regret it later but I would still be gone.
Wheel Nut:
Many drivers expect to unload themselves at RDC, it is the general way of things at Lidl, Aldi and probably Netto. Most of us who held an HGV rather than a C+E will remember loading sacks off a conveyor belt direct onto the trailer bed.
Yes and how often do you hear "I told them (at Aldi/Lidl/Netto) “I’m not (insert swear word(s)here) doing that”, followed by a lot of bluster, followed by either “then I tipped it myself” or “then they banned me”.
Holland is the same, mostly “there’s the bay, there’s the (luxury electric) pallet truck and there’s the load”.
In Spain, on the other hand, except at one very small packhouse, I have never been allowed to load or unload a trailer.
Different conventions in different countries, I suppose.
Regards,
Nick
In my youth I was very vocal at such places where you were expected to unload yourself. One particular time when driving for Fyffes on an Aldi delivery, the load of bananas which were stacked high on very narrow pallets toppled over and went everywhere. I’d already made a song and dance about having to unload it myself as it wasn’t my job (which I thought was a valid point seeing as there were 7 warehouse operatives stood around doing nothing except picking their arses) so when they laughed at me and made comments along the lines of “have fun clearing that lot up on your own” I lost my remaining cool, grabbed the wagon keys from the desk and drove straight out never to return. Needless to say I wasn’t asked back the next day by Fyffes but it did give me pleasure knowing that the cocky chumps in Aldi would’ve been clearing up the mess.
Nowadays although I don’t drive for a living now, I don’t have any problem loading or unloading myself provided that I’m given the tools to do so. In fact since the above incident I’d always found both Lidl and Aldi to be good tips generally, with space to unload and usually not very long to wait for your notes. That is of course in complete contrast to Netto which are complete ■■■■■■■■■ of the highest order. Not only is it impossible to find a truck with the some life in it, but there’s never anywhere to unload your stuff for 2 hours until some chump clears the space, and then once you’ve done that it’s another 2 hour wait for the checker to appear. But I digress… Generally I’m okay to muck in and help out and no problem driving other vehicles if required too, just so long as they don’t take the ■■■■.
I wont shovel materials off when I can’t tip such as low wires or “don’t hit the trees.” I take it back but I’m quite happy to jump on a 360 or digger loader and do it myself where H&S isn’t strict. (Just because my ticket is out of date doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how to do it)
It’s more of “You can’t do that, you’re a lorry driver…”
Drivers have to pay cash which is usually provided to them by the company prior to the delivery. My first company gave the drivers a $300 float and i had some real arguments with these extortionate ■■■■■■■■ refusing to pay on several occasions.
The main reason these lumper scams are allowed over here is so large companies can avoid paying workers insurance and benefits as all these scammers are self employed ■■■■■■■■
GIVE THEM A PERMINANT JOB FFS and become good employers, it’s as bad as agencies in the Uk ripping drivers off the way they do.
yorkie21:
I would be ok with a van or pickup. it would be a change.
Doing it like me.
Come out from Restaurant Saturday Night on Service Station,on M1.
Lorry was gone.so i phoned the “He” who asked many Question.So after about 3 hour and watching CCTV it was sure the rigid which was parked lonely on the Premises was mine
yorkie21:
I would be ok with a van or pickup. it would be a change.
Doing it like me.
Come out from Restaurant Saturday Night on Service Station,on M1.
Lorry was gone.so i phoned the “He” who asked many Question.So after about 3 hour and watching CCTV it was sure the rigid which was parked lonely on the Premises was mine
mavrick:
The truth is drivers will do exactly as they are told.
Not all drivers.
mavrick:
if you don’t like it hand your keys in and clear the cab out.
That’s fine, wouldn’t be the first time, there are always other jobs if you feel strongly enough about something.
mavrick:
some may moan but they will come round to the management way of thinking.
Not always and again not everyone, and not just in this industry. I stick to my guns and if it means changing job then so be it.
mavrick:
thats why we unload ourselves at some rdc’s.
Never done that at one of those RDC’s and never will.
Once as an OD delivering a load I had brought in from Germany to one of those places I refused to be their unpaid warehouse staff and after a long drawn out confrontation I ended up taking the load back to the yard where it was delivered by someone who was prepared to do it. No one was paying me to unload it so it didn’t get done, and I still pulled for the firm for several years after that.
I agree there are plenty who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk but that isn’t everyone. I’m a stubborn [zb] and once I make my mind up there is very little chance of me changing it, even to the extent of cutting off my nose to spite my face and walking or being pushed from a decent job. I work on the philosophy there is always something else out there and life is too short to be doing stuff I don’t want to do.
I currently have the best and easiest job, which pays very well, I have ever had but if they wanted me to do something I didn’t want to do I would walk tomorrow without a second thought for the consequences. I might even regret it later but I would still be gone.
Wish i was abit like that sometimes. But until i’ve got the amount of experience in this game as you, i have do to as i’m told lol.
aranger:
If somebody tells me to sweep up he can post my p45 out to me as I wont be hanging around.
Bet you don’t do handball either!
Did it a couple of years ago and stretched to put a box where the guy could get to it and was off for two days.
The company docked my wages and took a months attendance bonus off me at £5 a day, it was a five week month.
Lesson learned, some need to understand that you are only a number and in my experience Drivers who stick up for themselves get more respect in the long run, act like a doormat and people will wipe their feet.
What I’m prepared to do all depends on how the question is asked,
If somebody shouted and hollered at me to take a brand new Scania 730 down to Monte Carlo, watch the Grand Prix from a zillion dollar yacht and get a blowie off Angelina Jolie, I’d tell em to poke it up their arse.
If someone asked me nicely to help them unload my trailer, I’d more than likely do it, especially if I’m paid by the hour, at the end of the day, work is work, yes I like driving lorries, that’s why I’m a lorry driver after all, but I don’t get militant about it unless I’m on the receiving end of some attitude, then it’s no more Mr Nice Guy.
I think it was Wheel Nut that said this ‘I’ve never started a bad job, but I’ve finished plenty’ or words to that effect, for me it doesn’t matter how good a job is, if it involves being spoken to like I’m a piece of dog merde, then it’s a bad job and I’m gone
Ive only refused a task twice, once as a driver and once when i worked in the warehouse.
In the warehouse i was as asked to pick up ■■■■ butts at the smoking shelter, literally hundreds of them. I don’t even smoke FFS infact all the 5 guys in the warehouse didnt smoke it was the 2 office bods that had done it. Told them no way!
As a driver i had a banjo with the guy at batleys edinburgh, after the tip he had the cheek to ask me to help split the load. On yer bike mate
I will quite happily split loads do all manner of odd jobs on site doesn’t bother me one iota. During the summer there i was doing the gardening it was a very slow week. Quite enjoyed it actually got a bit of a tan
I’m agency and will drive anything but I do put on a show of moaning if I am paid anything less than class 1 rate (£9.00ph or £8.50 lpus time and a half)
I welcome doing any unloading as i need the exercise.
BUT I am always aware that I might wind up, under oath, being asked,
“were you trained to use that piece of equipment (pump truck)?”,
“Have you been trained to handle these sort of goods?”
“Prove it!”
If you drop a 25kg box onto a warehouseman, will the company’s insurer say that you aren’t covered because the agency sent you to work as a driver.
One agency kept sending me to drive a bus. When i said i had no full PCV licence they said that as i was not collecting fares from the passengers (handicapped people), I did not need one
My Tacho is on Other Work and I’m in the warehouse doing other work which is in my contract and I’m being paid to do.
If I was paid a salary and I had to leave my Tacho on break I would be unhappy. If I was an o/d and essentially I had been paid just to get there, I would be mortified.
Whatever way you want to look at though, it’s got to be better to tip yourself in forty minutes than wait three hours for someone else to do it.
I was very vocal at such places where you were expected to unload yourself. One particular time when driving for Fyffes on an Aldi delivery, the load of bananas which were stacked high on very narrow pallets toppled over and went everywhere. I’d already made a song and dance about having to unload it myself as it wasn’t my job (which I thought was a valid point seeing as there were 7 warehouse operatives stood around doing nothing except picking their arses) so when they laughed at me and made comments along the lines of “have fun clearing that lot up on your own” I lost my remaining cool, grabbed the wagon keys from the desk and drove straight out never to return. Needless to say I wasn’t asked back the next day by Fyffes but it did give me pleasure knowing that the cocky chumps in Aldi would’ve been clearing up the mess.
