Just a bit of a heads up for any agency drivers around the North-east, and because I know this cannot but help stimulate discussion:
On South Tyneside (South Shields, Jarrow, Hebburn etc) the bin men are having a serious of strikes, apparently because of “bullying and mismanagement” (bin wagon crews I’ve worked alongside in the past were made of sterner stuff, but I guess that’s the modern world ). And, they have picket lines/
Apparently agency drivers are getting grief from some in the industry, who expect the agency drivers to go without work in order to support a strike by people who are in a union the agency drivers are not in.
So anyone signed up to a local agency, be aware of what kind of situation you might be getting put into, and ask where this big wagon job is located, I’m pretty darned certain the agency aren’t going to be up front about this.
same thing happend with p&o down here. The staff went on strike (what was left of them) and they bussed in a load of agency workers. Although it back fired on them because many refused to get off the bus and those that did went and joined the picket line
I could have done very nicely thank you over the last few years driving vintage buses in service during the many London Underground strikes; as a driver there is nothing quite like being able to show that 70+ year old vehicle can do the job as well as one fresh from the factory. I have always turned down the offer of strike breaking.
Years back my mate was offered agency work for roymail. He got there there. Was a picket line outside he did a days work and refused to work anymore as the amount of abuse he got for working via agency. and stuff thrown at his truck as he left the site. He said never again would he do it