Ok. I’ve already accepted, because I’ve been looking for so long that it’s getting silly.
It’s Multidrop Pallets and the pay is £410 per week salaried, for 60 hours.
I’ve got a little bit of a problem, in that I’m not relishing working 60 hours a week, even if the pay is commensurate. I’d be happy to earn less and work less and it’s frustrating that there doesn’t appear to be a happy medium for me.
I’ve always had jobs before that were a basic 42.5 hours a week for a salary that was obviously smaller but more than enough for me. I’m not even sure I’m cut out to work longer than that.
I’m not really sure what kinda questions I’m asking by posting this, but I would appreciate any input, of any kind, that any members have. I’m finding it difficult to weigh it all up at the moment.
shaun:
andy 60 hours how does that work under the WTD■■?
I did ask this question.
He said that as nobody seems to be able to tell them exactly what they are supposed to be doing, this firm will just be operating within the tacograph limits until it’s clear to them.
I must say I haven’t really read up on the WTD myself, as like I said above, I thought it would be a cold day in hell before I worked more than 48 hours a week.
I’m now going to sell the devil a nice warm army surplus parka this evening.
In a very very basic way i thought the working time directive meant, that you would only be able to work 48 per week. Averaged out over 17 weeks. So isn’t 60 hours defitinately illegal.
I don’t think they are trying to bend the law or that they are ignorant of it, they just don’t seem clear on it and aren’t implementing any new practices at this stage.
I’ve had quite a few interviews lately and all that employers seem to have to say on the subject is “this might change, but we aren’t sure”.
I must say going by what I looked at this morning, from the DTI website and the helpful threads on here I’m none the wiser.
How can you say you can work 60 hours a week as long as you only work 48 hours a week on average over a rolling 4 month period? Having a rolling period for the average is complicating matters too far, who measures it, from what point and when?. Besides that there is the non-driving time factor that allows extra hours.
I thought the working time directive was going to come into force on the 23rd March this year? Time is running out. As to when the 17 week period begins, didnt i read something in the Health and Safety forum on this site about this. It being an agreement between employer and employee. I may be wrong though.
Well I reckon it’s all a huge ■■■■■■■ mess and I’m beginning to think I’ve got myself working a job that’s chasing my own backside literally all day. Although to be fair he was pretty upfront that it’s hectic.
Should I have told him I don’t go over 40?
Starts Monday going out with another of their drivers til I reckon myself that I’m up to speed and I can go out in anger. Unless their gaffer reads this site, then I might not get the start in the end.
If you aren’t sure about the WTD, have another read of the thread on it then ask some questions.
But to cut it down a bit.
Working time, as far as wages are concerned, does not mean working time as far as the WTD is concerned.
You can do 60 hours work (wages) and still only have an average of 48 hours work (WTD).
Wages wise, working time starts when you get to work and finishes when you knock off, it may or may not include your breaks.
WTD wise, working time is :- when you are driving and when you are engaged in other work, ie actualy loading or unloading a vehicle, dealing with paperwork, opening or closing curtains (not the swish curtains ) etc.
When you are on a break is not part of your WTD working time, waiting to get tipped/loaded, when you know how long (roughly) the wait will be, also isn’t part of your WTD working time.
So, to do a 60 hour week, with 48hrs, as per the WTD, simply be parked up for 12 hours of that 60, including your breaks.
Simon:
If you aren’t sure about the WTD, have another read of the thread on it then ask some questions…etc…etc…
That’s very helpful thanks.
I think this is what the firm are getting at, that with all the mucking around aside from the actual business of driving and loading you need to do, the job can still be done within the rules.
What you said does beg the question as to whether my 60 hour week will include tacho breaks. If they don’t, I’m beginning to think I might as well go find some work with nights out, save the bother of going home.
My day would look very depressing if I’m not having breaks included in my paid hours. I’d guess an extreme day might be something like:
5.20 - Leave Home
6.00 - Start Work
6.30 - Leave the Yard
11.00 - Tacho Break
11.45 - Resume Work
16.30 - Tacho Break
17.15 - Resume Work
20.15 - Finish Work
21.00 - Get Back Home
If I did that I might get 7 hours sleep if I allow an hour or so to have a bath and eat dinner between getting home and going to bed.
I must admit all my experience so far on agency has been straight forward kinda 4.5 hours work then break then work til finished, never had to take a second break. So my example there might be unrealistic.
I just don’t know what to expect. I’m pretty frightened I’m gonna show myself up as being ■■■■■■■ useless at it from the word go. I’ve had such a time finding any job at all though, that I felt I had to take this.
Please don’t get me wrong about not being up for a bit of hard work or anything, give me a realistic multidrop run and a normal 9 hour working day including my break and I’m as keen and hard working as the next man. But I don’t want to shatter myself and make myself ill (physically or mentally) over a job.
I had it explained to me by a very highly placed transport official a couple of weeks ago and it will make no difference You can still be at work for 60 hours providing that you are informed that you will spend time at each drop waiting etc, the company can then take this in to account and add it to the set hours as extra. If you arrive at a drop and there is a delay that you were not informed of then that would be included in the set hours All you have to say tocarry on working 60 hours a week is say you were informed of every delay.
I must admit all my experience so far on agency has been straight forward kinda 4.5 hours work then break then work til finished, never had to take a second break. So my example there might be unrealistic.
I just don’t know what to expect. I’m pretty frightened I’m gonna show myself up as being [zb] useless at it from the word go. I’ve had such a time finding any job at all though, that I felt I had to take this.
Please don’t get me wrong about not being up for a bit of hard work or anything, give me a realistic multidrop run and a normal 9 hour working day including my break and I’m as keen and hard working as the next man. But I don’t want to shatter myself and make myself ill (physically or mentally) over a job.
I’m afraid to say if this is multi drop in an artic then you will be lucky to get away with a mere 60 hours Andy, and a 9 hour day is unheard of…
In my limited experience working direct for a haulage firm is very different from agency, they often expect you to work the full legal hours and more. They see 70 hours as a short week mate and I don’t see the WTD changing anything much
steve_24v:
I’m afraid to say if this is multi drop in an artic then you will be lucky to get away with a mere 60 hours Andy, and a 9 hour day is unheard of…
In my limited experience working direct for a haulage firm is very different from agency, they often expect you to work the full legal hours and more. They see 70 hours as a short week mate and I don’t see the WTD changing anything much
It’s Class 2, but I reckon you’re gonna be right there.
steve_24v:
I’m afraid to say if this is multi drop in an artic then you will be lucky to get away with a mere 60 hours Andy, and a 9 hour day is unheard of…
In my limited experience working direct for a haulage firm is very different from agency, they often expect you to work the full legal hours and more. They see 70 hours as a short week mate and I don’t see the WTD changing anything much
Andyroo:
It’s Class 2, but I reckon you’re gonna be right there.
Then I hope it’s not a sleeper cab…
Andyroo:
Maybe I’m in the wrong game, I dunno?
I was thinking this last night after finishing my 80 hours this week. Note last night was friday so it’s not all bad…
One of the jobs I like most was class 2 multi drop pallets/curtains, 6am start to finish, could be 8 hours or 15 but no hassle EVER. Lovely runs around the West Country or Wales, interesting drops and nice people… Might just give the agency a bell
Andyroo:
He said that as nobody seems to be able to tell them exactly what they are supposed to be doing, this firm will just be operating within the tacograph limits until it’s clear to them.
With all the publicity this has had the only way he cant know what it entails is to stick his fingers in his ears and say
“la la la I cant hear you la la la I cant hear you la la la…”
And as for having to work 60 hrs I dont want to sound sarcastic but welcome to the real world
north surrey haulage:
And as for having to work 60 hrs I dont want to sound sarcastic but welcome to the real world
Fair enough, I know a lot of people have to work long hours to earn enough to support themselves and/or their families, but I don’t need to work all them hours, I just can’t find anything else more suitable for me.
Could anybody honestly say that if they were in my position (live at home, only got to pay for my car and my keep), that they would work more than they needed to just because they can. What am I supposed to do with the money, frame it? I certainly won’t have time to spend it.
I know I’m whinging a bit here (sorry) and that you don’t mean to be patronising or anything, but the more I think of it the more silly it seems to me.
I was hoping it would be, so I’ve got a bit of room, I don’t like day cabs much.
steve_24v:
One of the jobs I like most was class 2 multi drop pallets/curtains, 6am start to finish, could be 8 hours or 15 but no hassle EVER. Lovely runs around the West Country or Wales, interesting drops and nice people… Might just give the agency a bell
If my job were to turn out like this, I’ll be pretty happy. Norfolk and Suffolk are pretty nice places too.
I reckon I will like the work in general, I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve done it before.
north surrey haulage:
And as for having to work 60 hrs I dont want to sound sarcastic but welcome to the real world
Fair enough, I know a lot of people have to work long hours to earn enough to support themselves and/or their families, but I don’t need to work all them hours, I just can’t find anything else more suitable for me.
Could anybody honestly say that if they were in my position (live at home, only got to pay for my car and my keep), that they would work more than they needed to just because they can. What am I supposed to do with the money, frame it? I certainly won’t have time to spend it.
I know I’m whinging a bit here (sorry) and that you don’t mean to be patronising or anything, but the more I think of it the more silly it seems to me.
I.m with Andy on this one, I live on my own, life is bad enough as it is without having to work as well. I work when I have to,but spend as much time as possible doing the things that please me most. Ok, I run an old banger and I dont have holidays away, but I dont worry about needing to earn for a family or mortgage( council tenant).Or worry about how to survive if I didn’t have a job. Each to their own I suppose.
By the way,good luck in your new job,Andyroo, onwards and upwards
Sadly, 60-plus hours a week is simply a fact if life in this industry…it is the expected norm, hence the relief on the part of the FTA/RHA over the whole POA thing…
Single or not, need the hours or not, I’m afraid you’re just going to have to bite the bullet and get used to it. There are jobs which demand less out there, but not many.
) etc.
You can still be at work for 60 hours providing that you are informed that you will spend time at each drop waiting etc, the company can then take this in to account and add it to the set hours as extra. If you arrive at a drop and there is a delay that you were not informed of then that would be included in the set hours 