Whats the least amount your willing to work for an hour ? first thing that came out there lips from a number of agency’s when I aplyed for work. Is this fairly common pratice from agency’s ?
Yes. Its normally a question on the forms.
I’ve never heard that. I’ve been asked what I expect but not what the least I’d do it for. Since coming back to driving last August all I hear now is “we’ll pay you enhanced rates if you can help us out”. Got one of those texts today.
I suppose I saw it last a few years ago signing on to an agency doing other jobs - Warehouse etc so I just put minimum wage. When I was with the last agency driving they would tell me the hourly rate and i would choose to do the job or not.
I’d be tempted to respond with “double what you get, desk jockey.” Crass, disrespectful questions like that really make my hackles rise, and I’d have no problem doing a swift u-turn and exit from their premises. Not quite so bad if on a form, but i’d still bang a couple of quid an hour more down.
Time for me meds again…
That question would see me leaving without saying cheerio.
Juddian:
That question would see me leaving without saying cheerio.
Why though? You say e.g £10 and then they don’t bother ringing unless its atleast £10?
Surely i saves conversations like 7.5T for minimum wage? No.
I recently had a conversation with a bunch in Doncaster who asked me what the minimum I’d work for (£12.75/hr), the same question was also on their paperwork. The woman who I spoke with was keen to get me onto a site I wasn’t keen on (as I’d been their before). But when she saw my min £’s she tried to haggle me down to £11 stating theirs no way the customer would pay that, but she slowly relented but would only vaguely offer £12.00 depending IF she could get an early start to warrant a higher rate. I’m still waiting for her to call me back. Another agy phoned me up asking me to go back onto a job for a couple of days, but due to recent circumstances I was reluctant to consider doing it via Ltd Co at £11/hr, so when I mentioned that if they want me to do it I would only do it via PAYE at £10/hr. They immediately said ok no problem, sign here … And could I work elsewhere Saturday morning (today)
Quite simple really, you decide the amount that would help you get out of bed. It’s up to them what vehicle they put you in.
When I did agency work (still wearing my hi-vis in full time work) I told them my rate but drove anything they gave me. I don’t become a different person with different bills to pay depending on the type of vehicle I drive.
■■■■■■■:
I’d be tempted to respond with “double what you get, desk jockey.” Crass, disrespectful questions like that really make my hackles rise, and I’d have no problem doing a swift u-turn and exit from their premises. Not quite so bad if on a form, but i’d still bang a couple of quid an hour more down.Time for me meds again…
“If you don’t ask - you don’t get” though. I said £10ph when I originally signed up with agencies, and immediately got shut out being put into Polypipe, Nicolls, Nobbies, and a few other “Lower payers” on the agency’s books. I thought “Since I’m only doing one job for one yard in any particular hour, I’d rather have 30 hours for £10ph at one yard than 48 hours @ £8.25 at the other…”
I’m addicted to decent value pay packets - rather than ‘living at work’. I think you can best achieve the “value hourage” by working less hours for a higher hourly rate. The lower taxes paid will enchance this approach even more of course. 
30 hours for a takehome of £280 seems better value than 48 hours for a takehome of £330… Only £50 extra takehome for over half as many again hours, working out at less than £3 per hour for each of those “extra hours” to boot. Go figure! 
peirre:
I recently had a conversation with a bunch in Doncaster who asked me what the minimum I’d work for (£12.75/hr), the same question was also on their paperwork. The woman who I spoke with was keen to get me onto a site I wasn’t keen on (as I’d been their before). But when she saw my min £’s she tried to haggle me down to £11 stating theirs no way the customer would pay that, but she slowly relented but would only vaguely offer £12.00 depending IF she could get an early start to warrant a higher rate. I’m still waiting for her to call me back. Another agy phoned me up asking me to go back onto a job for a couple of days, but due to recent circumstances I was reluctant to consider doing it via Ltd Co at £11/hr, so when I mentioned that if they want me to do it I would only do it via PAYE at £10/hr. They immediately said ok no problem, sign here … And could I work elsewhere Saturday morning (today)
imho - this is the most powerful card you can play to get your rate “upped”. 
Juddian:
That question would see me leaving without saying cheerio.
It’s not as unreasonable as it appears. In theory, if the candidate says £8 per hour (as an example) then it saves the guy who does the bookings ringing him if the job only pays £7.50; it also weeds out those who have unrealistic personal opinions of the value of their work, and trust me there are more of those than you might think.
In practice of course it all goes out of the window when you’re struggling to fill a booking and you end up ringing anyone who might be available.