Hi I’m new to working for agencies and wanted peoples advice on opinions on this.
The agency had arranged a shift for me 4 days earlier, 30 minutes prior to the job starting I get a call from the agency telling me the jobs been cancelled. I’m then told by the agency that’s just the way it is as an agency driver and I would have to accept it.
Obviously I told them I expected to be paid regardless, I was then told there was no guarantee this would be the case, it was up to the clients to decide whether I would be reimbursed and not the agency.
Is this really the industry norm as an agency driver if your jobs cancelled?
I wouldn’t say it’s standard practice and if it happens too often I’d start to wonder if the agency had the job in the first place, some agencies will book people for jobs they hope to get then claim the jobs been cancelled when the job doesn’t materialise
Having said that this sort of thing can happen, how you deal with it should depend on how often it happens, I can’t remember ever having a job cancelled with 30 minutes notice but jobs do get cancelled from time to time.
tachograph:
I wouldn’t say it’s standard practice and if it happens too often I’d start to wonder if the agency had the job in the first place, some agencies will book people for jobs they hope to get then claim the jobs been cancelled when the job doesn’t materialise
Having said that this sort of thing can happen, how you deal with it should depend on how often it happens, I can’t remember ever having a job cancelled with 30 minutes notice but jobs do get cancelled from time to time.
Goes with the territory I’m afraid
I don’t think its acceptable, like I said I’m new to working on the agency but if this is par for the course, I can’t see me putting up with it.
SpaceCowboy:
I don’t think its acceptable, like I said I’m new to working on the agency but if this is par for the course, I can’t see me putting up with it.
I don’t think it’s acceptable either and frankly if I was younger I’d be looking for alternative employment.
I’m told there are reputable agencies, but I’m yet to come across one
SpaceCowboy:
I don’t think its acceptable, like I said I’m new to working on the agency but if this is par for the course, I can’t see me putting up with it.
I don’t think it’s acceptable either and frankly if I was younger I’d be looking for alternative employment.
I’m told there are reputable agencies, but I’m yet to come across one
I’m frankly disgusted with the whole Agency thing, fortunately I have previously been employed full-time as a HGV driver for 13 years so have experienced being treated reasonably well by former employers. I’m afraid I cant accept this abysmal treatment.
Your better off finding full time post with your attitude m8…
Nothing bad with your attitude but agencies won’t care if you think their practices are abysmal, all they want is driver’s to shut up and put up as the saying goes…
After a while you can find benefits of agency work
Whirlwind:
Your better off finding full time post with your attitude m8…
Nothing bad with your attitude but agencies won’t care if you think their practices are abysmal, all they want is driver’s to shut up and put up as the saying goes…
After a while you can find benefits of agency work
I think your right back to a full time post.
I’d rather “be on benefits” than having to wait for the privilege to be offered the benefits of Agency work. I’m just not that desperate lets hope other drivers feel the same, then things might change for the better for drivers.
HGV driving is classified as a skilled trade remember. No one should have to be exposed to this sort of treatment.
SpaceCowboy:
HGV driving is classified as a skilled trade remember
Who by ?
I think you’ll find there are varying degrees of agreement with that on this board and probably on most other boards of a similar nature.
I agree with what you say about agencies though, the problem is that as far as I’m aware they’re basically self regulated, which given their current position in the employment market is just wrong in my opinion.
SpaceCowboy:
HGV driving is classified as a skilled trade remember
Who by ?
I think you’ll find there are varying degrees of agreement with that on this board and probably on most other boards of a similar nature.
I agree with what you say about agencies though, the problem is that as far as I’m aware they’re basically self regulated, which given their current position in the employment market is just wrong in my opinion.
Wasn’t HGV driving re-catorgorized up to to a skilled trade a couple of years ago by the Governments Department of Employment? I might be wrong on that maybe it was proposed and not actioned.
I’m not defending the agency that cancelled the job Spacecowboy but, jobs do get cancelled all the time, I bet there are a few drivers here in full time employment who have driven across the country to find it out.
I don’t think there are any agencies that will pay you for a job that was cancelled before you actually left home or incurred any costs at all.
Until you’ve been with them a while (with respect I suspect you haven’t or have little or no driving experience) the actual offer of work can be varied or unreliable.
What you have to remember is all agencies work to this basic principle…supply on demand and if the company cancels the demand…well there’s no need for the agency to supply.
Daddy P:
I’m not defending the agency that cancelled the job Spacecowboy but, jobs do get cancelled all the time, I bet there are a few drivers here in full time employment who have driven across the country to find it out.
Crikey if this is normal industry practice and the drivers picking up the tab your running effectively running a charity not a business, you’ve got more patience than me Daddy P sorry its unacceptable in my opinion
I don’t think there are any agencies that will pay you for a job that was cancelled before you actually left home or incurred any costs at all.
Again I guess it comes down to finding a decent Agency who treat there drivers properly, what concerns me is peoples apathy, like its acceptable to mess people around an indication of the industry at large and how people allow themselves to be exploited
Until you’ve been with them a while (with respect I suspect you haven’t or have little or no driving experience) the actual offer of work can be varied or unreliable.
As previously posted on this topic I have previously been employed full-time as a HGV driver for 13 years so have experienced being treated reasonably well by former employers. Did the whole agency driving thing for 2 years to get experience back in 1999 and believe me I never experienced being treated so badly by any of the 5 agencies I worked for then a reflection of how the industry and peoples attitudes have changed
What you have to remember is all agencies work to this basic principle…supply on demand and if the company cancels the demand…well there’s no need for the agency to supply.
I fully understand the economics of the situation supply and demand etc however, as previously mentioned by another poster the Agency industry needs regulating. The fact that all of this is accepted by most people shows what a sad state of affairs the whole thing is and how badly drivers are treated. I won’t be relying on driving as a reliable source of income fortunately, crikey I’d be broke and mentally deranged by it in no time.
Sorry to say but yes this does happen with agencies unfortunately maybe the company thought they had the work but turned out it could go on 1 of there own so no need for you if that is the case then they may not have know until then
Said agency may have know earlier but had either forgot to call you yes this happens as the phone rings again & they then have something else to deal with etc ( now say you have never forgotten a thing in your life as you are not the only 1 on there books & not a priority ) or they were poss trying to find you something else or hoping something else might come in
This is why so many agency have a bad name alway have alway will & so many more firm relying on them they can call the shots as with all the agency chasing the same job so they win some they lose so have drivers ready in case
Next time - don’t answer your phone and even switch it off in the couple of hours before the job starts. That way, you will arrive and they will then have to pay you as you actually turned up to do the job.
animal:
Sorry to say but yes this does happen with agencies unfortunately maybe the company thought they had the work but turned out it could go on 1 of there own so no need for you if that is the case then they may not have know until then
With the greatest respect. If I Welch on a deal, as a matter of common courtesy I would offer compensation to the affected person, that’s just common decency. By simply accepting this as ok, I’m actually encouraging the Agency’s to continue this behavior with me and other drivers (I become an accessory to the crime and not a victim, so to speak)
Said agency may have know earlier but had either forgot to call you yes this happens as the phone rings again & they then have something else to deal with etc
With the greatest respect. Your saying I should suffer financially as a consequence of there negligence in being unable to do there job efficiently.
( now say you have never forgotten a thing in your life as you are not the only 1 on there books & not a priority )
I never said I had never forgotten anything. where did you read me saying that? The fact of it is people are human and they forget things and make mistakes, however you should make right whatever you’ve made wrong if your responsible that’s how I was taught.
or they were poss trying to find you something else or hoping something else might come in
Cant contest this bit
This is why so many agency have a bad name alway have alway will & so many more firm relying on them they can call the shots as with all the agency chasing the same job so they win some they lose so have drivers ready in case
With the greatest respect. Now I’m confused you seem to be neglecting what you’ve previously written and are now saying that agencies are there own Masters and they have ultimate power which they exploit at will, on there unsuspecting workforce regardless of morals or decency. Well I agree with you on that!
SpaceCowboy: that’s just the way it is as an agency driver and I would have to accept it.
This.
Welcome to the happy land (please insert extreme note of sarcasm here) of agency driving… where things such as “rights” and “employee respect” are to be expected as much as… unicorns and flying carpets.
SpaceCowboy:
Obviously I told them I expected to be paid regardless
ahahahahaaaaa provided me with a much needed laugh there mate, thanks…
But part of this is supply /demand there are far too few jobs & too many drivers experienced & new so they have the picking & know they have you over a barrel
