Finish shift 6 am, go home, go to sleep. 10am call from agency ‘You available today?’ (I work nights) -yeah, I am - Ok, can you do 12 o’clock? - Tonight? - Today, yes. - Yeah I can. - Ok cheers.
Get text 12:00 start today, somehow in my sleep manage to find the letters O and K, hit ‘send’, turn off all phone sounds, back to sleep.
Wake up 4 hours later to 3 missed calls from the agency and a text, I call them immediately ‘Hey mate, you didn’t show up today■■?’
Head = explod
I agree…
Head explodes.
It’s a fine balance between being available and trying to sleep in the day. You want to show willing but also need a decent kip to be alert on your next shift. A responsible agency should realise this and leave you alone during your time off but, if you’re working day by day then it’s hard not to respond to work offers.
For my own part, I always turned my phone off when I went to bed for the day (I have another line for family). I did lose work because of it but, balanced that out with a good day’s rest and eventually finding a better agency that respected my time off.
Ideally, your present lot should organise your next shift and let you know the details at a reasonable time.
It was no coincidence that when I was woken up it was always ‘Gary’ or ‘Chardonnay’ looking for their ‘star driver’ on the end of the phone. After two weeks at the agency they left to go and start up on their own.
I wonder how many limpers REALLY believe that they are the STAR driver? They are asking for you by name is another one used frequently.
alamcculloch:
I wonder how many limpers REALLY believe that they are the STAR driver? They are asking for you by name is another one used frequently.
I’ve been with the same agency/client for the last 5 months, they book me week for week usually however because of covid work has been scarce with 1-3 shifts per week so I keep my phone on for any extra runs they might have. Yes it ■■■■■ when they call me and interrupt my sleep but it’s either that or lose out on money. It’s barely been worth all the hassle lately as I could just claim Universal Credit instead and collect almost the same monthly amount as I get working here (over the last 2-3 months). To top it off this comes a day after I applied for a perm with the client. Coincidence
Forgive me if I’ve read this wrong I’m not trying to pick you up in anyway, but the shift that finished at six was for the same agency, it’s not good practice to be calling you at 10, and also , they were expecting a midday start or midnight, as it sounds like midday, given you had spent most of your night working driving they have a lax view of regs.
richie22:
Forgive me if I’ve read this wrong I’m not trying to pick you up in anyway, but the shift that finished at six was for the same agency, it’s not good practice to be calling you at 10, and also , they were expecting a midday start or midnight, as it sounds like midday, given you had spent most of your night working driving they have a lax view of regs.
And a lax view of respect for their driver !!
His OP stated that “he does nights”
Finish shift 6 am, go home, go to sleep. 10am call from agency ‘You available today?’ (I work nights)
richie22:
Forgive me if I’ve read this wrong I’m not trying to pick you up in anyway, but the shift that finished at six was for the same agency, it’s not good practice to be calling you at 10, and also , they were expecting a midday start or midnight, as it sounds like midday, given you had spent most of your night working driving they have a lax view of regs.
Yeah well they’ve done it a few times but I haven’t objected because like I said it’s either sleep well or get paid these days so yeah, I’ve basically (indirectly) encouraged them in the past to contact me if any shifts come up - obviously with a dozen other drivers waiting in line if I don’t answer my phone the next guy will get it. Because most of the shifts are short anyway I have time to make up for any lost sleep in the afternoon so that’s not the main issue here. It’s just the way the client books shifts, they’ll book the 100% certain ones (which still can be cancelled btw) and then do last-minute (literally) on the rest. I’ve witnessed this myself on 2 occasions as the shift manager was calling the agency at 2am once and 10pm. another time saying ‘‘I need 1 (or 2) drivers ASAP’’ so as an agency driver unless you make it explicitly clear that you don’t want to be disturbed during your daily rest you’re fair game as far as they’re concerned
You’d think that when texting - agencies would stick to the 24 hour clock…
It would seem that these days “Agencies” are doing more harm to mental health and well-being than the lockdown, or risk of catching anything at all whilst going about your daily business… 
Winseer:
You’d think that when texting - agencies would stick to the 24 hour clock…It would seem that these days “Agencies” are doing more harm to mental health and well-being than the lockdown, or risk of catching anything at all whilst going about your daily business…
Only " these Days " Winseer
Most have always only ever thought about their bank accounts and tuff-■■■■■■■ to their workers.
I say workers as its not just driving agencies is it ?
ETS:
richie22:
Forgive me if I’ve read this wrong I’m not trying to pick you up in anyway, but the shift that finished at six was for the same agency, it’s not good practice to be calling you at 10, and also , they were expecting a midday start or midnight, as it sounds like midday, given you had spent most of your night working driving they have a lax view of regs.Yeah well they’ve done it a few times but I haven’t objected because like I said it’s either sleep well or get paid these days so yeah, I’ve basically (indirectly) encouraged them in the past to contact me if any shifts come up - obviously with a dozen other drivers waiting in line if I don’t answer my phone the next guy will get it. Because most of the shifts are short anyway I have time to make up for any lost sleep in the afternoon so that’s not the main issue here. It’s just the way the client books shifts, they’ll book the 100% certain ones (which still can be cancelled btw) and then do last-minute (literally) on the rest. I’ve witnessed this myself on 2 occasions as the shift manager was calling the agency at 2am once and 10pm. another time saying ‘‘I need 1 (or 2) drivers ASAP’’ so as an agency driver unless you make it explicitly clear that you don’t want to be disturbed during your daily rest you’re fair game as far as they’re concerned
I’m not sure I’m reading your post correctly .
You are actually stating that you have no concern for your own well being to go to work.
You do all sorts of weird and wonderful shifts because if you don’t someone else will get it !
You will get out of your pit and go to work, " to drive ", regardless if you’ve had enough sleep !
Beggars belief !!! 
pierrot 14:
Winseer:
You’d think that when texting - agencies would stick to the 24 hour clock…It would seem that these days “Agencies” are doing more harm to mental health and well-being than the lockdown, or risk of catching anything at all whilst going about your daily business…
Only " these Days " Winseer
Most have always only ever thought about their bank accounts and tuff-■■■■■■■ to their workers.
I say workers as its not just driving agencies is it ?
…I hear that there is no shortage of work for those agencies who specialize in “Sheds with Beds” workers, let’s say…
“Minimum wages with deductions” perhaps leading to a net hourly rate of let’s say £3.50ph for example?
“BooHoo” has a double-meaning here - doesn’t it? 
pierrot 14:
I’m not sure I’m reading your post correctly .You are actually stating that you have no concern for your own well being to go to work.
You do all sorts of weird and wonderful shifts because if you don’t someone else will get it !
You will get out of your pit and go to work, " to drive ", regardless if you’ve had enough sleep !Beggars belief !!!
The way I put it I get what you’re getting 
however them calling me during the day for shifts has ‘only’ happened maybe 6-7 times over the last 3 months, often on days when I haven’t worked the night before but not always. I don’t do weird shifts, i.e. if they had made it clear last time that they expect me to start at 12 noon after my previous night I’d have told them NO. I’ve had them call me 5-6 p.m. after a night off asking can you go in asap, so yeah I’ve done those even if I ‘only’ slept the night before - without my afternoon nap Mind you I probably would’ve refused the noon shifts even if I had had a rest day immediately prior as I don’t want to switch schedules mid-week (another night shift tonight). Don’t worry, I’m a safe driver (still)
Its even better when they ask you to do a 00.00 shift so you sleep most of the day and wake up at 22.00 to read a text saying " shift cancelled !! "
well ain’t this going to be a long night 
Tooz:
Its even better when they ask you to do a 00.00 shift so you sleep most of the day and wake up at 22.00 to read a text saying " shift cancelled !! "well ain’t this going to be a long night
It has happened on a couple of occasions, part of the agency lifestyle.
If a shift has an awkward start time one has to “rotate sleep pattern” to get ready for, then Yes. That last-minute cancellation, seems to be just a regular spite thing the client firm does, rather than the agency, only there as “blame-taking buffer” for said client firm, don’t forget.
Client firms only pay agencies a premium to supply “fire and forget” staff because they can treat them in such a manner, of course.
BUT when agency get paid the same or lower than the full timers? - THAT is when one should really question “What am I bothering with this agency lark for?”
“Risk Premium” is one thing.
“Risk Discount”? WTF?
This breaking scandal of BooHoo at Leicester…
I was thinking that if you lived in a household where no one had a job at present, and someone offered you a £3.50ph job that you could then top up to a maximum extent with “in-work benefits” - then there’s a possible motive there for at least “one person per otherwise unemployed household” taking on such a job, and of course keeping stumn about it, as they know as well as would-be sweat shop owner that such a practice is both illegal, and encourages people to fiddle their benefits…
Perhaps the answer for say, the DWP to close such a loophole - is to remove means testing from in-work benefits, and instead move towards something along the lines of “Universal Income” where the taper-off point for in-work benefits ends up being “Minimum wage x 40 hours” rather than the £256-£512 “working allowance” that, let’s face it - WHAT job earns THIS little in a whole month? Step forward Boohoo…
This would mean that with the NMW @ £8.72ph, your four-weekly allowance of earnings before in-work benefits got tapered off @ 63p in the pound - would be nearly £1400 per month, rather than the current range so low that anyone working more than part time or more than minimum wage - is going to question the viability of increasing their hours, or going for any kind of advancement at work… By the time your wages got to £2500 per month, you’d STILL by that point be tapered off the entire benefit money, as you would do already. The taper just isn’t quite so sharp as before, that’s all. It would encourage at least one person in every household to get a job, rather than encourage this current common practice of workerless households to “get someone living there registered as disabled, including having your own kids declared as head cases” - NOT good for any long-term prosperity of ANY household - is it?
“Low Allowances” encourage MORE benefit dependency rather than less I would suggest.
ETS:
Finish shift 6 am, go home, go to sleep. 10am call from agency ‘You available today?’ (I work nights) -yeah, I am - Ok, can you do 12 o’clock? - Tonight? - Today, yes. - Yeah I can. - Ok cheers.Get text 12:00 start today, somehow in my sleep manage to find the letters O and K, hit ‘send’, turn off all phone sounds, back to sleep.
Wake up 4 hours later to 3 missed calls from the agency and a text, I call them immediately ‘Hey mate, you didn’t show up today■■?’
Head = explod
Your focusing on 1 thing , a negative of certain agency work
, try & focus on the positive aspect of you can have hols as and when you like , unlike employed drivers who can only have hols when the company allows it , are only allowed a set amount of hols , I do a month of work then 2 weeks off , repeat , never happened or was allowed when I was employed
ETS:
Finish shift 6 am, go home, go to sleep. 10am call from agency ‘You available today?’ (I work nights) -yeah, I am - Ok, can you do 12 o’clock? - Tonight? - Today, yes. - Yeah I can. - Ok cheers.Get text 12:00 start today, somehow in my sleep manage to find the letters O and K, hit ‘send’, turn off all phone sounds, back to sleep.
Wake up 4 hours later to 3 missed calls from the agency and a text, I call them immediately ‘Hey mate, you didn’t show up today■■?’
Head = explod
Your focusing on 1 thing , a negative of certain agency work
, try & focus on the positive aspect of you can have hols as and when you like , unlike employed drivers who can only have hols when the company allows it , are only allowed a set amount of hols , I do a month of work then 2 weeks off , repeat , never happened or was allowed when I was employed
dozy:
ETS:
Finish shift 6 am, go home, go to sleep. 10am call from agency ‘You available today?’ (I work nights) -yeah, I am - Ok, can you do 12 o’clock? - Tonight? - Today, yes. - Yeah I can. - Ok cheers.Get text 12:00 start today, somehow in my sleep manage to find the letters O and K, hit ‘send’, turn off all phone sounds, back to sleep.
Wake up 4 hours later to 3 missed calls from the agency and a text, I call them immediately ‘Hey mate, you didn’t show up today■■?’
Head = explod
Your focusing on 1 thing , a negative of certain agency work
, try & focus on the positive aspect of you can have hols as and when you like , unlike employed drivers who can only have hols when the company allows it , are only allowed a set amount of hols , I do a month of work then 2 weeks off , repeat , never happened or was allowed when I was employed
Not entirely true there, if you turn down shifts in quick succession - the phone stops ringing…
If you turn down a full week’s set of work because you’re busy, say friday night - then you won’t get any of it, and the block of five shifts will be given to someone else, whilst you get yours replaced with last-minute day-to-day shifts @ supermarkets and sick cover…
This december should prove interesting…
I’m expecting the “busy period” to start even later in november than it has done previous years, maybe in the first week of december.
Meanwhile, I reckon the “January drop dead” will be on the 2nd like it was back in 2011, rather than march like it was the last couple of years…
ETS:
Tooz:
Its even better when they ask you to do a 00.00 shift so you sleep most of the day and wake up at 22.00 to read a text saying " shift cancelled !! "well ain’t this going to be a long night
It has happened on a couple of occasions, part of the agency lifestyle.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
living the agency lifestyle
join the conor and dozy club where you work as and when you want for those companies that ask for you by name.
accept or refuse shifts willy nilly to suit you.
holidays as and when it suits you.
mega wages compared to drivers with proper jobs.
holidays in thailand for the first few months of the year when your not living that millionaire lifestyle somewhere around hull.
all part and parcel of that glorious agency lifestyle…
if only it were true.
dieseldog999:
ETS:
Tooz:
Its even better when they ask you to do a 00.00 shift so you sleep most of the day and wake up at 22.00 to read a text saying " shift cancelled !! "well ain’t this going to be a long night
It has happened on a couple of occasions, part of the agency lifestyle.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
living the agency lifestylejoin the conor and dozy club where you work as and when you want for those companies that ask for you by name.
accept or refuse shifts willy nilly to suit you.
holidays as and when it suits you.
mega wages compared to drivers with proper jobs.
holidays in thailand for the first few months of the year when your not living that millionaire lifestyle somewhere around hull.all part and parcel of that glorious agency lifestyle…
if only it were true.
Refuse a shift, and the phone stops ringing…
Holidays all rolled up and paid after a paperwork delay of however long suits the admin (Use It - Tell the DWP)
Mega wages compared to those in Eastern Europe perhaps, and the only thing you’ll be getting from Thailand - is TingTong.
