Thanks very much for the good wishes - I don’t know why but I am feeling a bit nervous, maybe because it’s my first job indoors? Start at 9.
daidog:
Thanks very much for the good wishes - I don’t know why but I am feeling a bit nervous, maybe because it’s my first job indoors? Start at 9.
Hope your day went well Dai, not sure what you are doing but I would equally be a bit nervous if I were to take a job that entailed a fair amount of communication! at least when I am driving when I speak or curse in French, I understand myself 
[q4x4 Actros: that’s a serious bit of kit Tim, I guess that with the crosslocks in you don’t get stuck very often? Shame about the auto shift box though, a manual would make all the difference, but I guess you’ve learnt to recognise the truck’s limits before it’s too late?uote]craig 4x4 Actros: that’s a serious bit of kit Tim, I guess that with the crosslocks in you don’t get stuck very often? Shame about the auto shift box though, a manual would make all the difference, but I guess you’ve learnt to recognise the truck’s limits before it’s too late?
[/quote]
err NOPE ! I don’t get planted often but when I do … I don’t often have to use the crosslocks, but unfortunately with no foot clutch you just don’t get the feel in time! Auto shift for the grand routier is probably really nice, but not very practical for soft terrain
I never drive in Auto, always in manual, auto just pees me off as it always is in the wrong gear for me, also, I can shave off a good 8 - 10 Lts/100Km off the fuel consumption ! not that my bosses will ever notice, must hit the sack, Curry for breakfast at 9.30 my colleagues think I am wierd
Sounds like a good job to me, regular hours and tasks. It wouldn’t suit a young driver, but even those don’t want to go tramping and want to get home every day. I loved my time in the quarry.
First day at POMONA was a bit boring as I had to visit all the services, I was very impressed by the girls in telesales, they work hard and fast - they were all very pretty!
I had a bit of trouble passing my “Visite Medicale”.
It would appear that there is virtually no pallet control and most things are conducted on a “Honour” basis. Experience tells me that this can’t be working. It seems that I will also be running the driving hours - bit like a fox guarding the chickens.
STEF delivers a few times a day, but as I can spit on STEF’s depot from the window, there is no night out there!
Strange food in the canteen, I ate chicken fillet and cornflakes, mushroom sauce and pasta(yuck). All in all, a very clean operation! I hope I can get some real work done today 
daidog:
It would appear that there is virtually no pallet control and most things are conducted on a “Honour” basis. Experience tells me that this can’t be working. It seems that I will also be running the driving hours - bit like a fox guarding the chickens.
Bring in a Brit (not an Englishman in your, or my, case) to sort out the problems eh? Wonder how the new colleagues will react to that? A year after I started at Agen the directeur offered me the job of moniteur, to help improve the depot’s fuel economy and reduce damages/claims. A few things happened on the domestic front that prevented me from accepting the job, but I was impressed that the French would even consider offering a promotion . . . I’m not sure a ‘foreigner’ would be given the same opportunity back in Blighty.
daidog:
STEF delivers a few times a day, but as I can spit on STEF’s depot from the window, there is no night out there!
Strange food in the canteen, I ate chicken fillet and cornflakes, mushroom sauce and pasta(yuck). All in all, a very clean operation! I hope I can get some real work done today
Just make sure I’m not parked in our depot there before you go spitting out the window at us. I shall be driving past there this evening so will give the place a nod, even though you’ll be ‘chez toi’.
Oh well,
That’s the end of that! First time in my life I have signed a contract after quitting. This morning I arrived for 10 am start and after 20 mins. wait was summoned into an office where I was pestered for a hour and harranged for having a “Negative” attitude, but I understood that they didn’t want anyone serious, only a GOFOR. I quit! They didn’t like the result of my “Visite Medicale” (I can’t do physically demanding work) and the structure is such, in France, that they could easily have problems should I do too much. I would have preffered that they were honest with me!
“Faux piste & faux jetons”, but all good for experience and I shall now return to any one of my former employers who, all, without exception, will be glad to see me.
I will be calling the Docteur this afternoon and give him a piece of my mind! I will also have to do a bit of crawling with Terrena!
Beep your horn loudly, as you pass, tonight!!!
Good on you to tell them to stick it Dai, this is not the first time I have encountered (heard of this, perhaps a better thing to say) They have been plodding on the way they have, when they get someone a bit proactive it scares them, they really just have no idea. Bonne chance mon petit
yippee! I have been on a road today where I could drive at 80Km/h 
short lived though! ha ha
After speaking to a very good solicitor (My son is a “jurist” specialising in employment laws) it would appear that there are very serious problems.
I was co-erced into resigning before signing the contract
I do not have a copy of the signed contract (I sent back the mail as unread)
The object of the contract does not correspond to the job
I was co-erced into resigning without the presence of a representative
I was co-erced into resigning immediately after the doctor made his report (The doctor is prepared to testify), by the way the doctor phoned the company and they gave him the total job description, which for him might as well be “Elephant handler” (sic) for all resemblence to the actual job!
I gave up a good job to give this lot a try, so I am entitled to compensation
My solicitor says that it is worth a minimum of 15,000 euros and as she knows the company she thinks that the people responsible will be held to account by their own hierarchy.
I am disgusted by the way that these people treat the disabled, I did not see anyone physically handicapped in the company. When you think that on my farm I spend a lot of time, and money, to enable wheelchairs to pass, it makes one think. . .
Once started - I won’t stop!!!
Shame; I really wanted to give this job a go!!!
Don’t go over 80!! 1 point for 6 months (but 45 (90) euros, which normally your boss should pay) 
. Make sure your ABS is working, if not you are restricted to 60 except on a peage (80) and are limited to 40 tonnes! I have been done for both!
Sorry to hear that it didn’t work out for you at Pomona Dai, they sound like a charming bunch of individuals 
~ Craig
Here you go this is the job I applied for and was given.
It’s a little bit more involved than appears, but I am really going to the wire on this one - Medical discrimination, racial discrimination, sequestration, faux and utilisation de faux. . . the list is looong! I have a brilliant solicitor!
Agent de quai - Responsable de parc CDI H/F
Siren: XXXXXXXXX Type de contrat: CDI Secteur d’activité: Commerce/Distribution Fonction: Logistique/Achat Niveau d’études: Employé/Ouvrier spécialisé/Bac Travail à : Temps plein
XXXXXXXXXXXt (130 millions d’euros de CA, 300 personnes) est le réseau de distribution régional pour les 10 départements du grand Ouest des produits frais et surgelés du Groupe XXXXXXX (3 milliards d’euros de CA, 8900 personnes) qui a fêté ses 100 ans en 2012.
Solide, passionné, engagé dans sa région, proche de ses clients, réactif, XXXXXXXXXX recherche des hommes et des femmes qui partagent ces valeurs intemporelles qui garantissent sécurité, efficacité, et performance au service des grands professionnels de la restauration de la région.
Sous la responsabilité du Responsable Transport, vous aurez pour principales missions de :
- Planifier et contrôler l’entretien des véhicules avec notre prestataire.
- Réceptionner les véhicules relais et supplémentaires.
- Consigner sur le cahier de notre prestataire toutes anomalies constatées sur les véhicules ( pneus, constats , rayures, problème de groupe frigorifique etc… ).
- Contrôler les pleins camions.
- Contrôler les documents obligatoires des véhicules ainsi que le gilet et le triangle.
- Etre en contact direct avec le responsable d’atelier de notre prestataire.
- Contrôler les retours des marchandises des tournées de distribution, contrôler son état, trier et dispatcher la marchandise.
- Comptabiliser les emballages.
- Contrôler l’état de propreté des camions.
- Remonter toutes anomalies au bureau transport.
- Tri des déchets.
- Gérer le planning des chauffeurs navettes.
Vous êtes titulaire des Permis C et EC, idéalement avec la FIMO et la FCOS.
Vous avez une expérience du métier de Chauffeur.
Vous êtes rigoureux, autonome et faites preuve d’un excellent relationnel.
Pour postuler, merci d’envoyer CV et lettre de motivation à : xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx
Ne pas faire “répondre” car vous ne pouvez pas ajouter de pièce jointe, merci.
To co-erce me into signing a contract for “Chauffeur Livreur” is amazing. With all my experience I nearly fell for it, what chance would someone young and in-experienced stand?
Thanks for your words of encouragement.
Dave
What a day/week, first early after the long break, earlies are tiring, but I got there, then this evening hit with a bombshell.
Got a text this evening from a colleague to say that one of the outside contractors we had worked with was killed today in ‘un accident pro’ ( not at our place) he was working with us a for couple of years, mostly on the same shift as me and at the end of the late used to spend a bit of time for an apero in the local bar, he came to my daughters wedding, whilst outside of work we didn’t really socialise (exception hannahs wedding(my daughter) or a few local events)
I am so numb! no other way to describe it. He is/was probably what I consider to be my second best mate in France, probably nicer than my best mate. First time I have ever thought I need to go and see someone in rest
my mate Pascal is dead that is it I suppose, my sadness is for his wife and young children, Sorry guys thanks for listening/reading
RIP mon copin
Very sorry to hear that Tim. Not a great return to work for you. At our firm we lost two colleagues from Brittany this week in separate road accidents, one just a few hours ago. We can never take tomorrow for granted.
Bon courage
It’s always sad when we lose someone and when it’s someone we know and like, it is doubly so. It is always good to remember the happy times spent with the person, but not always easy to do so. Over the years, I have had to say goodbye to many, it is never easy. One good technique is to attend the wake and get drunk with all the friends, then you can move on.
My sympathy to you,
Dave
Sorry to hear about ton copain. Mes condoléances to his family and to yourself.
Héraultais:
Sorry to hear about ton copain. Mes condoléances to his family and to yourself.
Good to see you on this thread Mark. Still working for K+N at Lezignan?
Craig 111:
Good to see you on this thread Mark. Still working for K+N at Lezignan?
I was with them right up until the first week in July. I stopped then to work exclusively as a pompier for the forest fire season. That officially finished yesterday so got back in touch with them friday. Just awaiting the first call, but not in any hurry.
I doubt if you’ll be waiting long as, if other parts of France are anything to go by, there’s a growing shortage of drivers here as in the UK.
Enjoy the break while it lasts 
Well, it didn’t last long. TM rang me this afternoon to help recover a semi after the tractor broke down. Looks like I’m there tomorrow as well, so so far no loss of interest in me after my two and a bit months break.