Gents I have been asked to ask the question about Tesco’s by someone who works for Tesco’s in the right department
Basically What and how do the transport agency’s treat you. What is the reaction at Rdc’s and and the stores themselves, Are the trucks and trailers looked after properly, do you get a full week of shifts, is the pay “reasonable”. The passport system they operate is it any good?,
Be Honest guys tell me if its a pile of crap, tell me if it’s ok or good, horror story’s the lot this is not a tell tale question but it is a genuine 1 the people at Tesco’s would like to know.
The next year is going to be tough and Tesco want to know whats wrong in driving for them. While I am not affiliated with Tesco a family member is
IMO for a trolly driving job it rates average, the same as any other retailer. The only differences will be the various sites within the company. The biggest gripe among agency drivers, and probably why most steer clear of Tesco trolly driving, is the 6hr (not 8hrs) garanteed pay issue. Which doesnt make it viable for agency drivers to take the jobs offered when they may only make £30-£50 profit from the job by the time theyve paid for fuel etc to travel there/back
I dunno if it’s still like it but at Livingston agency bods were treated like 2nd class citizens always getting short runs. Even when you had a long run in your hand such as a Huntly a perm driver would stroll up to the desk and the planner would take it off you give it to the perm guy and hand you a Coatbridge.
peirre:
IMO for a trolly driving job it rates average, the same as any other retailer. The only differences will be the various sites within the company. The biggest gripe among agency drivers, and probably why most steer clear of Tesco trolly driving, is the 6hr (not 8hrs) garanteed pay issue. Which doesnt make it viable for agency drivers to take the jobs offered when they may only make £30-£50 profit from the job by the time theyve paid for fuel etc to travel there/back
Why do agency drivers put up with 6 hours,they tried it at sainsburys lasted about 2 months no driver would do it.
I’m not on the agency but know a few people who are and have one pal who is on the agency pretty much full time for a Tesco depot. There’s not a lot you could do to make the job more attractive to agency drivers (apart from obviously improving the hourly rate) as I find you either like doing that sort of store delivery work or you don’t. You could maybe offer a choice of store delivery or trunk work but this would probably upset the full time guys and wouldn’t be practical.
If I was an egency driver I wouldn’t work for Tesco if I could help it or any other company that didn’t guarantee 8 hours pay. I felt at the time this decision was made at the height of the recession that it was like Tesco kicking drivers while they were down.
I know Tesco is a business and it’s primary concern is making more profit which i’m fine with but this sort of oportunist thing really lowers my opinion of a company, they’re not alone, as has been said Sainsbury’s tried/are doing it as well. In practice, it might not effect the wage that much but it’s the principal. Drivers have long memories.
I don’t know what the cancelation notice period is for agency drivers at Tesco but one thing I know would upset me is being booked for work and being canceled at the last minute and not getting paid. There should be a minimum notice period of 12 hours or something or you get paid for the day.
I used to work out of livingston on agency (not naming). anyway when everything was at its prime it was good, wages were good and we had the 8 hour minimum. could easily rack up 10/12 hour shifts if you started at the right time of night
the gear was as expected, never experienced anything that was utter garbage (apart from one of the shunters which was {zb} loud)
the planners were pretty good in their but the agencies screwed it up om theirtrying to undercut each other and it just went downhill from their to the point i was refusing to go in because of a pay cut and the 6hr rule. I dont do this job for fun, i do it to fund my drifting habit
I think as well, the perception used to be that driving for Tesco was the cream of the crop but what with all the rate cutting & the obsession with saving money over the past 5 years or so, it’s just a run of the mill job now much like any other and there are many, many better jobs out there.
The 6 hour scam was stopped a couple of months ago, as they were suffering with supply, so, you are now on 8 hours as a minimum, for how much longer who knows, some clever clown will want to bring it back no doubt.
The rate is`nt up to much IMO, its alright quoting business needs and profitability, but, without drivers the trailers are going nowhere
If you want decent drivers, who take a pride in the job, you have to pay more…simples
There is money available, because “Tosco” don`t half pay well when they have a supply problem, one of my mates has been in DIRFT all week @ £150 PER shift premimum, and, putting the hours in on top
And, if “Tosco” wants to improve their margin, have a look at the employed drivers, they are taking the mickey something chronic IMHO, have a look at the store turn around times, compared to a “working” driver
And, make it illegal, to blank agency drivers whilst on site, but, flash and wave whilst on the road FFS
gogzy:
My store turn around times were great when I was at tesco quickest was 8 mins for a full trailer
I think me and you were at tesco about the same time gogzy. It all went downhill when the new place opened, thats when i left, to much bench time.
last time i was in there was 2009, it was good while it lasted in their even when we got more than drivers from the other agency in their lol. used to ■■■■ them off something rotten. last shifts in their was nightshift shunting…best job in their if you could get it. no tachos no messing about and plenty of time sitting about and an easy 700+ a week. Did 72 hours of it up till xmas mainly used to shunt around goods in or ambient though some days id be punted up to fresh which meant sitting by the washer for about 5 hours a night lol.
Even most of the folk in the transport office were decent enough though there was one old guy in their who was a bit useless…forgetting my name 2 seconds after ive just told him and its on a run sheet, The best one though was he asked me if i could drive a class 2 motor and go to the store ive just been to…in an artic lol. Dont think my record of 6 store deliveries with 5 different trailers is gonna be beat anytime soon lol, 2 in glasgow (one trailer), 2 in edinburgh (2 trailers) one in dunfermline and one in perth…15 hours on a sunday yes please
Please keep the comments comming this is exactly what they want, tell me through the forum how they can improve things, i like the contrast between the “employed” and agency. The people that sit in the offices in london haven’t a clue because so much does not get back to them and by reading this which they will they might realise where they are going wrong.
Anyone who has a problem with Tesco or Stobby’s or anything to do with Tesco’s generally please post.
Silver_Surfer:
Lol, 6 store deliveries with 5 different trailers, go on your bad self!
well considering their own guys would mayby do one or 2 deliveries a day and i was only agency i think its pretty good, plus it was more money for me, £14 an hour for the first 8 then time and a half for the next 7.
In my experience the agency was 1st class (Backline) it was the fat ■■■■ in the transport office who messed the job up (Avonmouth RDC) He ruined, for me, what was a great job, with his attitude towards all drivers.
Flap to the clap:
In my experience the agency was 1st class (Backline) it was the fat [zb] in the transport office who messed the job up (Avonmouth RDC) He ruined, for me, what was a great job, with his attitude towards all drivers.
There are a few clowns behind the desk @ Lichfield, theres nothing worse than being grilled about a delay, by someone who hasnt a clue what you are saying, then, has the cheek to question your explanation
Especially when there are at least a dozen employed drivers within a few feet, who are doing their collective best to empty the coffee machine, who, when they can be arsed to actually do the job, stretch it out something chronic IMO
I agree with the guy regarding money, £14PH, THEN overtime after 8 hours would be a good start, its something the number crunchers seem to miss, a well paid/motivated driving team, will work their collective nutts off, if its crap money, you will struggle to attract drivers, and, those you do attract, will arse about
i work at livingston depot still get 6hr shifts not enough money compared to tesco drivers miles away in fact always short runs and all the backhauls not worth it at all
Bottom line is, you get what you pay for, supply & demand, if they’re struggling for drivers, they need to ensure the agency is paying the driver more than their other clients & you will get the best drivers with a bit about them, simples.
Whatever about the work, trucks and the odd stroppy/arsey staff member you have to deal with, money talks and BS walks as they say. Even if you’re only ensuring you are paying say a £1 per hour more to the driver than the agency’s other clients (check thay are passing it on to the driver & not trousering it themselves!). £10 extra cost to Tesco for say 2 artic loads of stock delivered on a drivers shift is a drop in the ocean.
I think the days of competition money on the agency and time and a half after 9 hours are long gone. At least until all the old 'uns retire and the young 'uns can’t be arsed to do the job.
gogzy:
I used to work out of livingston on agency (not naming). anyway when everything was at its prime it was good, wages were good and we had the 8 hour minimum. could easily rack up 10/12 hour shifts if you started at the right time of night
the gear was as expected, never experienced anything that was utter garbage (apart from one of the shunters which was {zb} loud)
the planners were pretty good in their but the agencies screwed it up om theirtrying to undercut each other and it just went downhill from their to the point i was refusing to go in because of a pay cut and the 6hr rule. I dont do this job for fun, i do it to fund my drifting habit
having worked with Gogzy on several occasions for the same agency, i can confirm what he said. especially as more and more drivers refused to go in so they then put drivers on unpaid standby in case tesco phoned up looking for a last minute cover.
i always got on well with the transport staff but our main issues were with the main appointed agency who fished for drivers on behalf of tesco. tesco need to look at that agencies management procedures and give them a kick up the arse. especially with the new regs that have recently come in. lower pay than the competition will lose drivers. unpaid standby will lose drivers. poor treatment will lose drivers. if the main agency has access to 1000 drivers through their own and other agencies but 950 refuse to work at tesco, its tesco that suffer when they need more than 50 drivers. common sense and human nature suggests that a driver is not going to sit by the phone waiting for a call which could make them £80 instead of accepting a job from a competitor which could make them double that
