A (good) firm I once worked for paid me guaranteed 5 nights out, whether I did them or not.
I managed to gain 1 night’s subsistence most weeks, and in that case I suppose I did consider it in my mind as my wage.
When I was on a particular job there for about 4 months, running import trailers from Immingham or Teesport up Scotch, tip/reload and back to docks, if I timed it right I could get home at least 3 or 4 nights a week, but still get paid for the 5.
I would imagine that system is illegal now.?
lolipop:
When these guys go on two weeks annual leave,do they expect to get their subsistence money included in their average pay holiday money. :
We do! I do however work at a place that shock horror is heavily unionised and the union argued successfully that our subsistence constituted our normal take home pay and as such our holiday pay should reflect that. Win, win.
lolipop:
When these guys go on two weeks annual leave,do they expect to get their subsistence money included in their average pay holiday money. :
We do! I do however work at a place that shock horror is heavily unionised and the union argued successfully that our subsistence constituted our normal take home pay and as such our holiday pay should reflect that. Win, win.
Did half the drivers complain about this extra money saying “it’s not really part of our wage?” Somehow I doubt it. Most of the threads on here consist of drivers complaining that the jobs ■■■■■■ and they’re being shafted. Yet here we have several members sticking up for the employer as he’s shafting his drivers. You couldn’t make this up!
newmercman:
Go to a shop and buy something for 20quid, it doesn’t matter where that 20quid came from, hourly wages, night out money, a lottery win or a lucky find down the back of the sofa, you’ll still get 20quid’s worth of stuff.
It may be termed as subsistence, but that’s only to give It tax free status, you get paid it for doing your job, which means it’s wages.
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I see your point NM, money is money.
However you get paid or a wage, for driving, tipping and loading, you get ‘‘Re.imbursed’’ for ‘‘Expenses’’, (both terms used loosely btw)
In many cases these ‘expenses’ are used by some employers to make a crap wage look good, and evidently many are taken in by this.
Now if you are on a good wage before expenses, that is entirely different.
I think I’ve explained that right anyway.
I think the problem is that we (the drivers) do not negotiate our pay and conditions We apply for a job, and are told what the wages are. And let’s face it, 99% of people loo at what they get in the bank at the end of the week. And don’t really care about how that amount is achieved. If any of us would start demanding more wages, AND night out money, bosses would tell you to do one.
You’re right on both counts, I just get sick of some trampers telling me they are on ‘‘Good money’’ because they count the nights out, but then either ignore or kid themselves about the crap rate of pay they are on in reality.
Btw… For the record ND mate, I’m intrigued by what the personal attack was and why you think I instigated or deserved one for what I said.
Don’t believe NMM, he’s only trying to protect your fragile ego.
(I added a little note to tell our favourite agency driver that his input in this discussion was superfluous to requirements. Or words to that effect… )
Why anyone would want to sleep inside a recycled washing machine for peanuts is beyond me.
And if that’s not bad enough, they crap in a bag because there is no toilet and do a ’ full body wash ’ with a pack of Aldi baby wipes. Not to mention working as an unpaid security guard all night for their bosses!
the nodding donkey:
You’re right, of course, in principal, and in an ideal world a tramper would be paid £30.000+ AND night out money.
But tramping (true tramping, 4 or 5 nights every week because of the kind of work/operation the company undertakes) is more than just sleeping in the truck. It is an inherent part of the job, it is required from the driver week in week out, and as such the driver lives around those conditions. Including considering that £100 a week as part of your take home money.
You are right,but I’ll.start considering my n/out money as pay and take home money when I’m on 50quid for a night out instead of the paltry 22.50 I’m on now.
I like to eat properly while away and maybe have a beer, or even when I provide a lot of my own food to take with me, in both scenarios I have not got a lot left out of my ‘expenses’ to look upon them as extra pay.
Well, definitely not as much as MP’s expenses, and the way those lot look upon them anyway.
I agree with the broad theme of your response Rob, But it is true that you get used to that regular payment as a Tramper, but it is also true that the cost of your food and drink on the days either side of a night away, as this is what night subsistence is supposed to compensate you for, is not the only cost incurred as a Tramper, or a driver doing regular odd nights away or nights away on an adhoc basis, as in all cases you have to have with you all the necessary equipment to night out, bedding wash gear etc. Then the night out money at what ever rate you are currently on £26.20 for me, starts to become a necessary part of your income stream, though to be honest, its a bad situation if you cant drop a few nights here and there, provided you are within sensible commuting distance of home.
I took a swerve back into general haulage a couple of months ago, primarily because I’d just got sick of the 2 hr each way weekly commute, so I’m now based 15 minutes from home, and though I’m employed to tramp, I have been able to have a couple of nights at home in that time, and both times at my instigation and for more than 11hrs, deep joy, 26.20, pah night at home. Over Christmas week I was asked to be available for the week you know last in, but I stipulated day work for those 3 days, and though I was happy with that for 3 days, I wouldn’t want it all the while though.
eagerbeaver:
Why anyone would want to sleep inside a recycled washing machine for peanuts is beyond me.
And if that’s not bad enough, they crap in a bag because there is no toilet and do a ’ full body wash ’ with a pack of Aldi baby wipes. Not to mention working as an unpaid security guard all night for their bosses!
At the end of the day, its only a loss for 2 weeks…maybe the contract is restructuring…or whatever, and their customers are having a sort out…so fear not brethren…very soon you`ll be back up the road, sleeping in the tin box, and earning the same money, that you have done for the past two weeks…the only difference is you will get £22.50 per night for the privelage…which goes to show, that drivers do class their nights out as part of their wages…i wonder how they manage when theyre on holiday…on basic wages with no nights out ■■
truckyboy:
At the end of the day, its only a loss for 2 weeks…maybe the contract is restructuring…or whatever, and their customers are having a sort out…so fear not brethren…very soon you`ll be back up the road, sleeping in the tin box, and earning the same money, that you have done for the past two weeks…the only difference is you will get £22.50 per night for the privelage…which goes to show, that drivers do class their nights out as part of their wages…i wonder how they manage when theyre on holiday…on basic wages with no nights out ■■
You have to be paid your average wage including regular overtime and bonuses whilst your on holiday, which means that if night was taxed, then you’d have to be paid it whilst on holiday, as it would a regular part of your taxable pay
commonrail:
I don’t go on holiday.
I’ve traded them in…for bling
All joking aside though, if companies realistically could let you trade your holidays for Kelsa bars and side pipes, there would be a lot of this going on. I’m cab happy as can be but I wouldn’t pay money for light bars and what not. If its inside the cab its mine, if its on the outside its the companies, thats how i look at the whole thing
commonrail:
I don’t go on holiday.
I’ve traded them in…for bling
All joking aside though, if companies realistically could let you trade your holidays for Kelsa bars and side pipes, there would be a lot of this going on.
eagerbeaver:
I only normally have two weeks holiday anyway, so I let the company keep the rest of them.
Rather be at work than sat at home.
Im in a similar position. Had a problem when my truck was due for test though. They wanted me to take a weeks holiday for it. I negotiated to get a decent hire truck (brand new Scannie) in for that week so I could still get out on the road. Only cost me a fortnights wages for the rental so I reckon it was a bargain.
eagerbeaver:
I only normally have two weeks holiday anyway, so I let the company keep the rest of them.
Rather be at work than sat at home.
Don’t you have six weeks holiday in the summer?
Used to mate but I traded them for a microwave and a 1500W inverter.
Microwave, inverter?
What a bloody waste of holidays ffs.
Did you not even think about Kelsa light bars, spots and cab lightboards with ‘Scania’ on lit up in green
What’s up with you man? …no bloody class some ‘‘drivers’’
Are frilly curtains worth a days holiday i ask…and what is a microwave worth in holidays…i would guess 3…would be interesting to see what blings are worth…ideas please…as i would like to put it to the boss as i am looking at a fridge freezer, and possibly a washing machine for the top bunk.
It all needs to be changed the rates that is, a tramper should be on a shift allowance plus a better basic than day drivers and also still getting his subsistence allowance, pay tax on everything except subsistence and shift allowance, a premium wage for 24 hours and your working 24 hours, no matter how you work it out or how many pints or good meals you get.
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