Company have started giving out brown envelopes containing warnings to lots of drivers for not achieving a target percentage of over 95%, good idea for those who take 15 hours instead of 8 hours but not for the others, mine was given to me as asda decided to take 2 1/2 hours to tip me.To my knowledge a good 40% of drivers have been given one, the warning says disciplinary route will be taken if you fall below 95% again.Maybe I’m wrong but this seems to be the start of a clear out of drivers
95% for what?
■■■■ em
95% of achieving the arrival and departure times for each drop as written on our run sheet generated by computer software
warning you about what, are they takeing action against you?
Ask them for it in writing that you must,regardless of the safety of other road users & pedestrians arrive at you destinations on time…
Then quit & use it to sue them for constructive dismissal.
Mac12,the warning is a written one to say targets aren’t met and improvement required,my point being that times can only be a guide and not a given,and putting pressure to get somewhere in a loaded artic is not a good idea,we are not office bods and anything can cause delays on the roaf
Minger:
Mac12,the warning is a written one to say targets aren’t met and improvement required,my point being that times can only be a guide and not a given,and putting pressure to get somewhere in a loaded artic is not a good idea,we are not office bods and anything can cause delays on the roaf
So when your time is up according to the computer ring the office and ask them if you should pull out with load still on. When they say to stay and unload put it on your paperwork, turn it all round onto the office staff get the other drivers to do the same and you will get no more letters
That’s the issue mac12, if the time on the sheet is different to actual time then its become our fault regardless of what office say
If the office won’t listen next thing is if you are given 1 hour to tip then 1 hour it is even if part load still on, follow there instructions. When they get you in the office what can they say as you are only doing as told.
Sounds like an idiotic hair brained scheme thought up by some bellend in management while trying to spread the cheeks of their superior…
As long as you are doing your job in a safe and timely manner, what have you got to worry about?
My first question at the disciplinary would be what evidence do you actually have that i wasn’t doing my job in a timely manner?
If the disciplinary then continued, I’d be surprised…
Start driving off at time it tells you regardless if all of load is tipped or not. Then when questioned say thats what their telling you to do, they cant have it both ways. You either there when time and delays allow or some of the load stays on the wagon.
Sod them.Call in to say you are bringing the whole load back.
Office bods have no clue about transport and got a degree in hedgerow management.
What does the letter actually say - Does it simply state that failure to achieve the 95% will result in a disciplinary, or does it say that the reasons for such failure will be investigated and may give rise to disciplinary proceedings? If the latter then I think it’s just da management being scrupulously even-handed rather than attempting to point fingers at individuals without firm evidence.
Whatever the reasons, I think a formal request for whoever set the timings to go out with the drivers and show them how to achieve the planned results would be in order.
Never offer to take out the person who makes the times because the day they come you will do a 12 hour run in 6 and they will expect it everyday.
Another policy created by somebody who has never done the job, the computer puts out the journey times and the tip times and Mr shirt sleeve takes it as gospel.
The problem is some drivers may be pressured into hitting targets and everyone works and drives at a different pace with the usual assortment of pi$$ takers, see how it pans out.
I’m glad for the union where I work sounds like harassment to me, if you’re not in a union I suggest you join one and seek advice.
The point about a union here is a very good one. If a disciplinary did transpire for the reasons mentioned any competent union man would pull the firm to pieces.
In this situation I would be ringing the office each and every time something didn’t go to plan and asking them exactly what I should do. They would soon get ■■■■■■ off with you belling them up eight or nine times a shift. As someone else has said, play them at their own game. They can’t have it both ways.
Not a big fan of unions, but this shows why we need them.
Delete your name and address, add the Company’s O licence number (on the disc in the windscreen) and post the letter to DVSA enforcement or the Traffic Commissioner for your area.
Minger, if you haven’t already done so get yourself a notepad or book and write everything down. Traffic/weather conditions, road/motorway closures (I work nights when a lot of closures and diversions are in place), how long it takes to be loaded/unloaded etc. etc…you get the picture.
Your management are putting stipulations on you that are sometimes beyond your control and therefore unreasonable. As long as you could account for your whereabouts and actions at the time in question, as mike68 and olag have said, any decent union rep (like myself 
) would pull the management to bits in any disciplinary procedure. It may seem like a bit of a faff but believe me it helps and I know we shouldn’t really have to do it but it seems like the trust has gone out of our industry now.
I was sent to Bromborough (on the Wirral) last week only to get there and find out I should have been in York but our traffic office would never admit that they gave me the wrong info so I record all the phone calls now as well to cover myself. Not sure how ethical that is but if it saves me my job then so be it.