Glen A9:
If you’re doing casual work you can decide to not work, and hence not get paid, on any day you like, but you aren’t going to get an increased rate on any random day you want that isn’t a weekend or recognised holiday.
You might as well ask to be paid double on Wednesday the 17th of August, as you would rather be on the beach.
Nobody is on about ‘a random day’ though mate are we.
We are on about Christmas Eve. I wonder if agencies share your view when negotiating rates with customers for Christmas Eve.
If I was on agency I would be concerned about getting back in time for the 25th Dec, as for the 18th August I couldn’t give a ■■■■, that is one of the differences.
It all boils down to the same old chestnut, if drivers stuck together and just said ‘‘no’’
Those of us in full time, whether we’re on a standard 5 day/night week, or a 4 on 4 off pattern, or a shift rota, if our shifts fall on Christmas Eve, or between the bank hols or even on the bank hols, so long as its in the agreement and overall we’re being paid right when we are at work, we don’t really have much of a choice but to work.
I’ve had a right result for the last 3 years as my rotas have fallen just right for Christmas, haven’t checked next years planner yet but if the rota has come round and i have to work the next two Boxing Days for example i’ll do so without complaint.
I don’t complain about the amount i trouser for doing near enough bugger all on relatively short days for the rest of the year, so when its my turn to pick the crappy end of the stick up i’ll do it.
When you take a job on you take the whole job on, good bits but warts and all too, you can’t just take the good days rest of year and then tell 'em to stick it when its your turn to pay back, it don’t work out like that, and part of the reason some people can’t hold down the better jobs.
boxing day for me milk tankers only been there 4 months and got xmas eve and day and new year off, apparently can take 7 years for this to happen on shift patterns
That is right Juddian, full time work = normal day Christmas Eve, but E8b is on agency, that is where my comments were aimed.
I have always arranged (in good time) the week before Christmas off, since my kids were little, to avoid me getting stuck in some ■■■■ ferry port over Christmas (as some of my mates did in the past)
I have just carried it on, even though the kids are grown up and I am now only on UK, and just because I’ve got used to the long break with the Mrs.
Has as been proven in E8b’s case, he said "no’’ if the next guy, and the next and so on said no, those arse hole agencies (who by nature ■■■■ drivers about and exploit them habitually) would HAVE to cough up.
I mean…who tf would feel sorry for them.
Yes, i too think Evil’s right to say no for standard pay for another agency ringing round for a cheap bum for a lorry seat, the only proviso to that being if it was a regular supplier of otherwise lucrative work, in which case you could almost be in the full time scenario of having to do a bit of paying back some dues.
Not as that applies to most of the agency vultures, who use and abuse and bully poor sods often stuck with them and having little choice when the bills are piling up.
I tend not to book Christmas or peak school holidays off cos to me they should be the first choice of drivers with young families…not as the same courtesy was extended to me when i had little uns at home.
I see it as a don’t ask, don’t get scenario!
Yes it’s a normal working day to full timers, but as I’m agency, It’s my choice if I work it or not…
I’m basically playing the odds that a few firms are going to have drivers that mysteriously/surprisingly go sick today, as I’d say the odds of it happening today, and not August the 17th, are quite a lot higher!!!
Let’s also get straight that my regular gig wound up it’s work yesterday, and didn’t need me anyway. So I’m not messing around or playing games with my regular income (or regular agency). I’m just looking to the best I can for ME, as lets be honest, the agency in question isn’t going to be is it? They just want an arse on the seat to keep a customer happy, and the pennies rolling in…
For all I know, they may be charging the customer a premium rate and not passing it on!
So as I’m happy to have the day off, I’ve no issue with holding the agency to ransom if I can. It’s not like they wouldn’t do it if the shoe was on the other foot.
P.S. I had a nice lay in the morning! And this is probably because the agency in question knew that I was the last resort driver. Whereas if I hadn’t told them I wouldn’t work for standard money, I may have been rudely awoken only for me to decline the work!
Yea. Im booked in for 26th,27th,and 30th 31th,1th,2nd,and 3th but DVLA put me on Christmas Holiday.Not sure how long.
Expect positive News shortly as Letter from Doctor was sent off last Week
for a lorry seat, the only proviso to that being if it was a regular supplier of otherwise lucrative work, in which case you could almost be in the full time scenario of having to do a bit of paying back some dues.
And this is probably because the agency in question knew that I was the last resort driver. Whereas if I hadn’t told them I wouldn’t work for standard money, I may have been rudely awoken only for me to decline the work! 
but DVLA put me on Christmas Holiday.Not sure how long.