Redundancy - any good advice

[constantine]

Own Account Driver:
My advice would be get on the blower quick as possible and get something lined up, easier said than done maybe but, don’t use it as an opportunity to take a mini break or splurge with any unexpected moolah that comes your way.

You should get all wages owed anything outstanding the government, after what the recievers pay, should cough, as far as I was aware.

Cheers Owner Driver,

Head wasnt in it last 2 days so no use to anyone. Migraine and nausea etc

Like I said above, yesterday 5 companies phoned me to say they were looking or could offer me an opening nearly straight away. Drove round 10 local companies and put in CV’s and photo portfolio of plant I’ve moved.

So I took one of them up on the offer. Hopefully start 7th.

All DIY gear already bought and saved for and needed time to do so no extra money spent.

Due nothing in terms of redundancy legally as not been there 2 years!

To clarify i was owed 2.5 weeks wages I will be lucky to get it all at moment me and receivers worked out currently I’ll be out of pocket by £725 odd pounds as some of it I have to be a general creditor and compete against everyone else!

Not sure if an agency will just take me on for 4 days next week.

C

[mikey_d]

Hi dan , good on yer for helping the old boy out in his time of need wide ones are the best loads to be getting lost with
Sounds like your fixed up with a new job already , hope it works out for you and you can put the word out if needed for some of your old workmates .
Not sure where they are based but I think I’d like to work for "tomato plant " just because of the company name makes me smile every time I see one of there trucks
Cheers Mike

[constantine]

Cheers

Topmixer11 - PM’d you but its gone already.

Thanks Spooky70,

5 contacts come to me out of the blue with contacts to say they know of people looking and their details or offering me a job themselves.
Got a start for the 7th with a local plant hire company holiday cover low loader and then back onto their rigid permanently.

CM postcode so even more central

Thanks Juddian,

True about experience counts, everyone skeptical of letting anyone doing plant with no experience madness they class me as a new boy at 35 as they reckon average age in plant is 45!

How do they expect new blood to get in if they won’t train them!!!

Thanks Cosmic,

Not played on tankers but I’ll give them a call if they want temp cover for next week.

C

[constantine]

Thanks Mikey D,

Wouldnt have got it, if it weren’t for them calling, as it weren’t advertised.

Help anyone if I can, you know what we carried and thing like our 21m/25t long reach with 5m overhang used to go down single tracks with unsuitable for HGVs. So if you missed they entrance or they got you lost because client wasn’t clear what a palava that became.

Gonna miss all that fun and games.

Got another driver from our place coming over with me too hopefully as soon as possible.

Tomato Plant, some of the best spec’d motors in our industry. Based in Middlesex I think, do lots of contract work for Charles Wilson out of Hayes. Another old company i drove for in plant CW…
I still smile at their name and always get a wave back from them wherever we are in the country.

C

[constantine]

On a separate note to bear in mind about redundancy latest laws.

Government will not cover all your wages upon someone going bankrupt if you’ve been there under 2 years as even statutory redundancy don’t cover everything but you get a lot more protection than me.

For me being there for under two years they will only cover up to £475 per week gross and that is taxed!!
The rest, if you’re owed more than that, requires you too have to go against all other creditors including HMRC and VAT Man.

You will still be quite high up list against other creditor,s but not as high as the government bodies in regards to them two!

But at moment I’ve got £725 gross wages, expenses and holiday pay at risk that I may not get back anything at all!!! Or it could be as good as getting only 10p for every pound owed depending on how many creditors are involved in this debacle.

Zb’d, but glad i protected myself early on with savings meant i couldn’t have flash holidays or flash cars or expensive hobbies, boring i know.

C

[juddian]

[quote=“Constantine”

True about experience counts, everyone skeptical of letting anyone doing plant with no experience madness they class me as a new boy at 35 as they reckon average age in plant is 45!

How do they expect new blood to get in if they won’t train them!!!

C[/quote]
I have my suspicions its a bit of a generational thing which is how it is right or wrong.
don’t shoot me i’m only speaking of what i’ve seen and this doesn’t apply to everyone cos we’ve got older wimps who faint at a trip and young proper blokes who shrug the knocks off, just like every other firm has.

Most of the older drivers of many years at the helm come from previous work ethics, ie they turn up and do their job whether its 6" of snow or they just fell off the bloody lorry or they’re hacking themselves raw with flu, they pick themselves up dust themselves down call themselves a pillock for being a softy and carry on…thats the sort of attitude you need in plant and other work that has to be done.
Many of the people new to the industry (age irrespective as i believe it makes no difference to this, and i’ve seen all of this follwowing with older blokes) have come from shall we say softer backgrounds often bugger all to do with transport, they fall off a step its a bleedin disaster, sprained a finger pulled an shoulder i can’t possibly drive my automatic lorry back so send out someone to fetch me in…then its several days or weeks if they are on salary off work, swiftly followed by a claim.
This type of employee is multiplying in number, and no disrespect pointed to you cos i have no doubt you don’t fit that mould at all, but a prospective boss probably won’t know you from a bar of soap and you can see why on the sort of job you are after that someone who can prove say 20- years plus in the game and a solid checkable work history is going to find the good jobs easier to get.

Best of luck with the new job anyway, glad you found summat so quickly.

I think you’ll get your back pay, when i left one agency they ponced me about over my back holiday pay and before they paid it to me they went bust, ■■■■■■■■ thought i’d lost that, anyway i found out who the receiver was and gave him a call, very approachable chap, told him my tale and he said i was a priority creditor for owed pay, got the lot back a few months later…so talk to the receiver.

Wish i was bloody 35 again…

Edit…this isn’t a rant at younger drivers in general, cos there’s good and bad in every generation, it was really a comment on the perception an employer in a tougher industry might have, whether justified or not, which ironically makes it easier for old bleeders like me to get jobs.

[alder]

Genuinely gutted for you Constantine, I remember you getting the job and how excited you were. We did a lot of PMs at the time with ideas of doing moffett etc. Right you need to dust yourself off, put this behind you and crack on. The good news is that you have good experience now and a good reference from this employer. It is also the start of the xmas crazy season so drivers are going to be in demand up until xmas. I have found a full time job and got off agency because I did not want to be out of work following xmas so that might be a tactic you want to employ, get in now and get somewhere stable where you have a good chance of being kept on after the xmas rush but as you know there are no guarantees. Anyway your problem is not now as agencies et al will be only glad to give you work but as I say the problem is after xmas. So gutted for you mate as I know you liked that job

[constantine]

Juddian,

I think I confused you bud, I wasn’t complaining I couldn’t get in with anyone because of experience issues, they’ve either came to me because of my experience so far or tipped me off people are looking and they’ve recommended me for my pursuits to date.

Which is what I found weird never had that before in any job, not even as a chartered engineering surveyor in all honesty.

Juddian:
This type of employee is multiplying in number, and no disrespect pointed to you cos i have no doubt you don’t fit that mould at all, but a prospective boss probably won’t know you from a bar of soap and you can see why on the sort of job you are after that someone who can prove say 20- years plus in the game and a solid checkable work history is going to find the good jobs easier to get.

I no way know it all, so not going to brag to you I don’t think I even know 1% of plant haulage in my valuation of my own experience, but then others have said I am very privileged and have a vast array of experience in plant and in my CV photo portfolio of stuff I’ve moved successfully in such a short period of time 2 years.

But every time you speak to someone in plant they don’t like agency staff doing it and are sceptical of letting the youngsters doing it.

They call me a young boy because of my age, but alas I’m not…try to be in my head but it ain’t happening in the body anymore

Luckily everywhere I’ve been gave me a chance and I proved myself. And built upon it everyday and shall do so until I or they decide I have to hang up my keys

Just find it weird they complain in our sector no new blood but won’t let anyone in. I’ve been very lucky and come in new and just built on it with the contacts I made.

However on a closing note I know what you say a local low loader company said they took on new blood a 22 year old and trained him on it for 6 months and then on month 7 let him go it alone as he looked good, 2nd week in said nah its too hard and walked out the gate.

If you’d seen some of the scrapes I’ve been involved in there’s been numerous times I could have walked out of this for good but got back on the horse next day and carried on to this day.

Just madness I got a chance and now have noticeable experience, yet others no one will give them a chance and then say they can’t get anyone.

Lots of people in this area and in my old company was the same…if I went on holiday the lorry was stood up for the same amount of time as they didn’t want the younger driver or agency drivers going anyone near it…like it was stupidly dangerous work or something I learnt so I’m bloody sure others could too, I ain’t special…well not in that way

Thanks for your help and sorry I confused you and sounded like I was having a tantrum about experience issues, my fault entirely as my grammar can be zb sometimes.

C

[constantine]

Cheers Alder,

That was my 3rd job in plant so far and this one was the best job ever, so when that went bang, I was feeling sorry for myself as the job was awesome for me personally.

It’s ok bud the new company got me contact details from one of my old employers and contacted me on second day out of work and said to me come down and chat and offered me position straight away to start on 7th.

The industry is very closed, so we all know our competitors and work with competitors to help them or us a lot. Hence I’m building up my contact book.

I’ve got low loader for cover 5 weeks as driver on holiday, then onto rigid permanently or if other driver changes his mind, as this is his first time on low loaders then it’ll be swapped round again.

Couldn’t care what I drive though, it’s another area of new experience for me as I’ve never moved big pieces of this type of plant only the smaller version of this stuff (but as everyone says and I agree the bigger stuff is easier to load and deliver, it’s the smaller stuff that always tries to kill you).

It pays ok and I get that new experience for my CV so I cannot complain, I’m really lucky and appreciate that. And get to learn how to handle a 6 wheeler again…baptism of fire as I say rigids are harder to drive than artics in some circumstances…plant in particular.

The other lads are still struggling and that still makes me very sad tonight.

Only decision still not made as I’m unsure what to do with my carcass, is to continue to have this week off there’s a room to finish and another to complete on DIY front (wife wants me to do that and have a rest from the euphoria of being made redundant).

But no money coming in for me personally (got back up savings though) and wife works. Or it’s go on agency for a few days before my start date to get some pennies.

Really glad you got a full time job bud as them agencies were destroying you and that was not nice for you or anyone in the same position!

The only thing playing on my mind at moment is that plant is starting to suffer…maybe because of China’s latest stumble and if construction suffers we all suffer. Some of the big players this month have cancelled massive orders on new replacement plant purchases and I know some dealers already asking for voluntary redundancies…not a good sign I’m seeing in my sector.

Just hope its a short faze and not a knee jerk reaction.

C

[juddian]

Constantine:
Juddian,

I think I confused you bud, I wasn’t complaining I couldn’t get in with anyone because of experience issues, they’ve either came to me because of my experience so far or tipped me off people are looking and they’ve recommended me for my pursuits to date.

Which is what I found weird never had that before in any job, not even as a chartered engineering surveyor in all honesty.

Juddian:
This type of employee is multiplying in number, and no disrespect pointed to you cos i have no doubt you don’t fit that mould at all, but a prospective boss probably won’t know you from a bar of soap and you can see why on the sort of job you are after that someone who can prove say 20- years plus in the game and a solid checkable work history is going to find the good jobs easier to get.

C

Hey no probs mate, i phrased it wrongly us usual, i know you’re doing ok and going to do ok in the future cos you get on and do the job as best you can, not just clock in ■■■■ ball about doing the bare minimum and bugger off home again expecting loads o wonga for no effort.

I was generally commenting (waffling as usual ) about some of the reasons i believe that so many new (not necessarily youngster) drivers appear discriminated against, especially where a combination of skill care and durability are called for until they’ve proved themselves for umpteen years.

The car transporters was similar work in many ways, filthy hard work and not a job for the dainty.
Employers, despite a serious shortage of drivers in the sector, are and have to be very choosy when it comes to who they take on, especially if they’re going to invest the serious amount of money required in training from scratch, even when they choose carefully the drop out rate is still high.

I don’t know what the answer is for specialized transport companies and this skills shortage (specialized cannot be robotised), its a potent future gold mine for competent younger/newer drivers prepared to do a days hard work cos they will always stand out and be snapped up by any employer with his/her wits about them, so good luck to those, like yourself, who want to do well in these sectors.

[dowahdiddyman]

Dont want to br the bearer of even more bad news but dont be surprised if you don`t get paid for the last week you worked. Happened to me twice now ffs.If the recievers are in as of that time and date there is officially no money in the kity. Things will have to be sold and then and only then did we find out how to claim our last weeks money. Luckily the last time it happened the company that took over the contract kept the drivers on and even paid us the last weeks wage for the bust company and also paid me for my weeks holiday I had booked off which just happened to be the week after the plug was pulled.

[constantine]

Hey Juddian,

Sorry my grammer and English is poor…Thank zb I’m good at maths!

Yeah I know the ones you mean, but they’ll get nowhere in the jobs that require you to load yourself and step out of the cab in all weathers for decent money…as they’ll class it as too difficult a job or unfair!!! Or some other ■■■■■■■■ we’ve all watched them come through so many gates over time and walk out again in a short frame of time.

You know what you hit the nail on the head these specialised transport jobs. These are what attracted me to learning plant and keeps me more interested than chasing general money in haulage! And yeah if I or youngsters can hold our steel and prove our abilities I hope to continue to be rewarded very well, like in the past. I know its becoming a closed shop and even what companies will survive in the future doing plant too is becoming interesting.
If they do and you stick with them you’ll be a very lucky person and do really well for yourself.

Also appreciate the fact of drop out rates which I thought was a phallacy. As I thought if you came into these sectors you knew you definitely wanted to do it and why you did too
Until that competitor who done the repo said they’d trained a 22 year old lad for 6 months and he jacked on month 7 after being out on his own…surely you’d know before then if you seriously wanted to do it!!!

Cheers for the input though bud, at least it helps me clarify I’m doing the right thing still. As I’ve been doubting myself last couple of days and it has not been doing my confidence any good.

C

[constantine]

Hey Dowahdiddyman,

That’s cool we never got paid for the previous week before redundancy got called out, why ain’t I suprised I ain’t expecting jot. Gonna claim anything along the statutory redundancy route and work through it and see what happens.

They made us redundant on payday. I hadn’t been paid by midday that day never normally check but the yard had gone weird that week, phoned one of the guys who watches every penny say wait until 3pm then we’ll know.

Low and behold, rock up to the yard around that time to unload a long reach on the back of me and in my bay was x4 8t long reaches parked up not in their normal place.

And one of our local general haulage kinda type low loader competitors had 3 low loaders outside on forecourt, ramps down and loading with big bald headed blokes in clean hi-viz storm coats.

I knew then we was gone and wouldn’t get paid and knew we was being repossessed! Took another hour to get official confirmation.

We go into the National Insurance fund pot, where only up to £475 per week gross pay, can be claimed for your wages, then there’s outstanding holiday pay you can claim and insufficient notice for redundancy, all which you can claim back from government. Still got that £725 at risk as a general creditor for wages owed that the government wont pay out on.

Knowing my luck he won’t have paid the national insurance or income tax!!! So we won’t be able to claim or something equally funny!

C

[dozy]

We recently went through redundancy and I found it very confusing to be honest
Put under threat of redundancy - 121 - volunteer for redundancy - told redundancy not a option as enough jobs throughout group- asked again if i could volunteer - told no they had vacancies as far away as Southampton I could fill( I live in grantham ) - left under threat of redundancy even though it apparently wasn’t a option - took offredundancy threat ( they said it was great news ) - I was devastated

[constantine]

Dear Dozy,

Sorry to hear that bud that’s awful. Truly awful and callous of that company

We just got told it was an insurance valuation…yeah right doing detailed measure ups of everything over 2.5 days!
First knew its official when the phone call came in.

I agree the whole process is a minefield and people in the administration company need to be treated warily. As they advise you stuff that may not be technically true as they don’t want you to panic in essence!

I’ve just done the redundancy government beta online application. We’re the guinea pigs to try it this week if you was made redundant last week as a company…crock of ■■■■ it is!

Had to sign on the dole, just to be in for a chance of getting my statutory payment lieu of notice pay! This is a week’s pay, so quite a bit of money to any of us!

Again, another crock of ■■■■ to do with the whole process. Because the new company couldn’t give me a contract or letter of intent there and then, as the interview was late Friday afternoon so noone to draw up documents for me as bank holiday weekend. Not their fault at all as they were very helpful and said verbally it was mine to begin with.

However according to the government I’m unemployed…not between jobs.

I have to be a benefit claimant to be entitled to money that was already mine?! As the contract of employment had been broken unlawfully by the company going insolvent and giving no notice to any of us as required by employment contractural law!

Again more cack as you read through small print and fact sheets. You may not get the money you’re entitled too at anytime due to government limits and also the company sale might not cover all the debts owed.

I know we’re high on the creditor list as employees but there’s a number of us and HMRC get first dibs before us on unsecured debts like our wages above the protected limits.

Now it looks like working my ■■■ off to get stuff back to yard on time as instructed by boss…But all along it was really for the liquidators unwittingly and not being told a thing about it might have cost me dear personally!

Think this is a sign for my sector, the wheel’s might be coming off our part of the economy!
As other companies in different areas of the plant hire sector are already asking for voluntary redundancies locally and we’re talking 3 figure numbers for the necessary voluntary redundancies these companies want!

Not looking good.

C

[captain_caveman_76]

Constantine:
Hey all,

Rolled back into the yard yesterday afternoon and watched one of our local competitors loading up our gear and starting to take it away to a safe house.

Then 30 minutes past I missed a call (phone in cab as I was unloading) and starting seeing everyone on phone either really sad sitting on ground in daze or shouting down phone etc.

Lady left answerphone to call her back and did so in cab to be told its all over as of 1608.

Wondered if any on here been through it and had decent advice as some of my friends are struggling with the enormity of what’s happened.

I’ve kinda got my zb together at moment so Ive got some decisions and choices to make.
But some others I was with truly look or sound screwed…just like to try and help them as they were good lads and have asked me to help where I can.

Trouble is never been in this position, so don’t know what to advise. Little shell shocked but doing DIY in bedroom so still flavour of the day at home…for the minute

Thanks in advance.

C

Sorry I can’t offer any advice. All I can do is wish you good luck for the future and keep my fingers crossed for you.
Cavey.

[constantine]

Thanks Cavey,

No bother bud, just hope some of above help others, where others have given advice on here!

Its a mad feeling when it happens to you. I just know we won’t be the last in haulage that’s for sure!

Hope everyone just keeps on trucking on here for the future!

C

[montytom]

Sorry to hear about this Constantine, Ive never been in your situation I just hope all works out for you in the end

[constantine]

No worries Montytom,

It’ll come out in the wash I am sure, hope you are never in that position!

C

[constantine]

Bit disheartened on the potential state of my sector

Totally depressing do the walkarounds yesterday to yards. Went upto one, which said he had no work as filled his last position a week ago which, was a shame. Got in yard at 1pm and all his units and trailers were stood up doing nothing…that really hit home the state of plant haulage out here at the moment.

Beautiful lady in the office though cheered me up who took the CV and photo portfolio of my experience to date.

Went to next one, nothing doing either, lorry standing up since driver left no work.

Final one was terrible, can I hand in a CV direct to your TM. Unfortunately he’s off sick today. Ok can I leave a CV and portfolio for him then, to the lady behind desk. Yeah sure. I’ll put it in an envelope I said. Then I said, please can you make sure he sees it at least, as I was made redundant last week and still hunting!

Ooops wrong thing to say!!! The lady’s bottom lip started to quiver and a tear came from her eye and I thought ■■■■ what have I said. She then says I’ve been made redundant today…as the group is struggling.

Felt like the biggest ■■■■ ever walking out of there and her drying her eyes from the crying!

SO I quit, while I was ahead and went home and said ■■■■ this for today!

Bent 8wheels ears instead most of the night afterwards.

However, the first company I visited, the owner called and said liked the photo portfolio and CV. He said shame you didn’t come to us last fortnight, explained I was made redundant and he went oh…makes sense. He said shame, really liked what I had done and could see a use for me in the company driving on their fleet. I know they mess with some real big stuff that I don’t feel confident yet to handle (suppose I would and have to be if thrown in the deep end) as never driven crawler cranes or piling rigs…yet.

Only thing he could offer me, was a relief driver position and work around the yard. But he knows in his heart, I’d get bored waiting and he’d lose me. I said I’d rather keep working on the lows until then building my experience up and if a position becomes available I’ll have more to bring back to the table.

But as ever, I would be prepared to work on the semi-low’ for a long while, before I went on to the swannecks they have and make sure I was competent for the next upgrade. As that sort of plant is back into the STGO CAT 2 market again for me and would be my 2nd time in that category again

But had a 10 minute chat on the phone and he’s insisted I call back every couple of months to show my interest and he will do vice versa until either another lorry joins the fleet or if someone retires.

Also he’ll keep a look out for me in the sector as a whole to help out if he can. So that’s the 5th local owner who’s volunteered to help me.

3 out of the 5 already have, with rumours of job opportunities or genuine opportunities in plant locally. I’m grateful for the help as this is what I want to do and other work on different sectors they might have links with.

So I finished the night more positive…was going out today for another door banging exercise but was ill.

So tomorrow it begins again!

C