For those of you who read my rant a while ago, about silly hours etc. A lot of peeps said, best to go and find something else, which I did. Not trying to name or shame anything or anyone here, so will try and be vague.
I applied for a job doing “general haulage” for a local firm, they have about 10 trucks. About half of which are artic, the other half drawbar outfits. After going out with one of their drivers for a day for an assesment, they offered me the job. Having been there 3 weeks now, it turns out I will be on a permanent contract collecting/delivering empty pallets, around the South.
The contract they have handed me, says my working week will be from Monday morning to Friday end of. Based on a job and finish policy. i.e. they hand you a schedule in the morning, and you work until all the jobs are done. Get paid a fixed amount each week (£375 after probationary period). They offer 2 bonuses to increase this basic amount;
- £25 to wash the truck once a week (of which so far, I havent had more than one chance to do, due to generally very late finishes. So have written this bonus off.
- £25 for leaving the yard before 0630. This was going fine, until my bike played up one morning, and made me late. Thus lost the bonus for the entire week.
Without these, that is £200 down each month. To me both of these seem unfair, I would rather they just added that amount to your basic. I always wash my own trucks generally, if I have time and it isnt dark 
Also, if its job and finish why do they want you started by a certain time. About half the drivers give the early starts an ignoring, so seems to be an easy way to pay a large bit of the workforce less.
Most of the time, I leave my house at around 0545, rarely am I back home again before 2000, often its as late as 2100. Its a 15 min commute to work. If you do the maths, you will see this makes the hourly rate a bit of a joke (was earning more per hour doing 7.5t work). The management tell me, the days will get shorter, but I can’t see this, as I have had no difficulty finding places or getting lost, this is just how long the schedules take.
They wont hassle the pallet people to make the schedules shorter, because at the end of the day that is their customer, and they have to keep them happy in order to keep hold of the work.
I asked them about staying under the 48hr average, and they basically said with POA you should be able to make it. But im not one of those who will use POA or break when I am loading or doing other work etc as I am basically covering for the employer that way and putting myself at risk. A lot of the other drivers seem to leave the tacho in the break position all day.
A lot of you will no doubt say, “if you want 9-5 go find an office” and thats fair enough, but I work for money and I feel I am getting the michael extracted at this new place. I have no interest in tramping quite yet, I wouldnt be paying an obscene mortgage if I wanted to spend only 2 days a week in my own bed. As a day job I would expect a bit more time at home.
So I have three things I would like to know.
What are your own work patterns, particularly those of you who do straight days or nights. How long is your working day? How do you find it?
How do you get paid? Hourly? Salary? etc What are these magic figures.
Should I move on from this place, and look for something else, or is this carry on quite normal?
Thanks in advance, am getting very frustrated, as the weekend has disappeared and I have another week looming, itchy feet developing.
but oh well.
, mostly r.d.c, i moan a bit as most do, but to be honest its a doddle.