So…get a phone call from the agency last week, “can you do Monday to Thursday at …company, start at 20:00” . No problem i say, got the right address and the low down on the job and turn up Monday night
do the job and go home…no issues.
Gets a text Tuesday at 16:30 “They’ve just cancelled for tonight, but they still want you Wed and Thur”
I feel i should turn up on Wednesday and take the truck round the corner, park up for an hour and then take it back and tell them I cancelled them!
That’s agency life…
The agency block booked you they pay that’s what I use to say. Are you self employed, paid by the hour. If by the hour hang it out for that extra hour and a bit every night
nick2008:
The agency block booked you they pay that’s what I use to say. Are you self employed, paid by the hour. If by the hour hang it out for that extra hour and a bit every night
Ltd Company…think I need a new agency, this is the 2nd time this has happened
I’d refer them to my T&Cs…
‘All and any cancellations by agency or client will be invoiced at the agreed rate’…yadder yadder yadder…
The block booking is such a common trick used by agencies, your’e booked all week then dropped on certain days. It gives them complete flexibility to put you in where ever they want because you’ve promised you’ll work for them all week. They have no block bookings they’re lying to you to ensure no other agency can use you.
Only take block bookings when you you’ve worked for the client before and are confident (by actually talking to planning on the Friday) that there is work all week.
Always have a plan B especially if the agency drops you at a point during the week, then promises that your back in tomorrow. So as soon as they’ve phoned you informing you that you’ve been dropped get on the phone to the other agencies and inform them your available. This might mean ringing the night man who’s on call at whichever agency, but be prepared to jump out of bed at the drop of a hat to fulfill a last minute job. unless your well in with them there’s no loyalty on either party.
Agencies exist mainly for a reason, and that reason is to supply extra workers as required to a company for however long they require them.
Agencies lie as they need people on the books to be able to supply staff at short notice.
If you want to work on an agency then you have to be prepared for the inevitable short notice phone calls for work, have to expect to have shifts cancelled and accept not having work at times, unless you are prepared to work at a different company nearly ever day.
Terms and expectations should be clearly laid out at the start between someone and an agency but that rarely happens. If you have been given fair warning by the agency that you are not required for a shift then why should they pay for a shift you have not worked, the end customer will not pay them as they are the ones that have most likely cancelled you with the agency. If a shift has been cancelled too late or when you arrive then yes the agency should pay you something, again this depends on if there are guaranteed hours a night etc, usually 8 hours is good, but any reasonable payment offered would be deemed acceptable if it covers any expenses you have incurred and some of your time.
Eventually agencies will become a thing of the past IMHO as costs are getting higher and higher, generally speaking agency drivers give even less of a toss about vehicle checks, do more damage and ■■■■ the job up more than even the full timers do, why because they don’t give a toss because they are not employed by the company they are supplied too. Call it stereotypical but I have seen it at our place, not too mention dragging the hours out on jobs complaining the money isn’t enough, even though they are usually paid better and have some sort of tax avoidance scheme, which is fine until HMRC crack down on something they change their mind about, and the do have the power to apply it retrospectively, so thinking well if they change the rules I will just change the way I work wont help.
Agencies have generally been a bad thing and don’t get any better, getting yourself into a decent job and employed with proper benefits etc has to be a more worthwhile option, I have been on agencies don’t get me wrong but only generally when needed and have soon found full time work usually at the company I was working for through the agency.
I remember when I was on agency with Driver Hire Lincoln, I was told if the job was cancelled less than 1 hour before start time I would still get 8 hours pay. Had it in writing too. Too be fair, the lasses at Lincoln were pretty good, me being 23 at the time and green as grass they struggled to find me work but something always came up.
simcor:
Agencies exist mainly for a reason, and that reason is to supply extra workers as required to a company for however long they require them.Agencies lie as they need people on the books to be able to supply staff at short notice.
If you want to work on an agency then you have to be prepared for the inevitable short notice phone calls for work, have to expect to have shifts cancelled and accept not having work at times, unless you are prepared to work at a different company nearly ever day.
Terms and expectations should be clearly laid out at the start between someone and an agency but that rarely happens. If you have been given fair warning by the agency that you are not required for a shift then why should they pay for a shift you have not worked, the end customer will not pay them as they are the ones that have most likely cancelled you with the agency. If a shift has been cancelled too late or when you arrive then yes the agency should pay you something, again this depends on if there are guaranteed hours a night etc, usually 8 hours is good, but any reasonable payment offered would be deemed acceptable if it covers any expenses you have incurred and some of your time.
Eventually agencies will become a thing of the past IMHO as costs are getting higher and higher, generally speaking agency drivers give even less of a toss about vehicle checks, do more damage and ■■■■ the job up more than even the full timers do, why because they don’t give a toss because they are not employed by the company they are supplied too. Call it stereotypical but I have seen it at our place, not too mention dragging the hours out on jobs complaining the money isn’t enough, even though they are usually paid better and have some sort of tax avoidance scheme, which is fine until HMRC crack down on something they change their mind about, and the do have the power to apply it retrospectively, so thinking well if they change the rules I will just change the way I work wont help.
Agencies have generally been a bad thing and don’t get any better, getting yourself into a decent job and employed with proper benefits etc has to be a more worthwhile option, I have been on agencies don’t get me wrong but only generally when needed and have soon found full time work usually at the company I was working for through the agency.
Pretty much spot on. Agencies are parasites on the industry (and no doubt many other industries too), but we’ve needed them for last 25 years and will need them for the next 25 too, unfortunately!
I have been on the Driver Hire books at three places Ipswich, York and Inverness and never had any problems with them whatsoever …
trooper2290:
Ltd Company…think I need a new agency, this is the 2nd time this has happened
What do you have in your terms and conditions you got them to sign as a minimum charge for cancellation?
I’d spend the free time signing up with other agencies to see if I can find one that’s somewhat trustworthy! 
I think it comes down to how the branch manager runs that branch rather than trying to say one firm or another is good or bad.
Driver Direct in Eastleigh are a right bunch of [zb]'s, and I hope that little ■■■■■ Emily bursts into flames. 
I’d then go and ■■■■ on my tyres! 
Evil8Beezle:
I’d spend the free time signing up with other agencies to see if I can find one that’s somewhat trustworthy!
I think it comes down to how the branch manager runs that branch rather than trying to say one firm or another is good or bad.
Driver Direct in Eastleigh are a right bunch of [zb]'s, and I hope that little ■■■■■ Emily bursts into flames.
I’d then go and ■■■■ on my tyres!
Was looking at them for the RM Xmas stuff last year, but didn’t pursue it then. Thinking about it this year, not worthwhile in your opinion?
Vid:
Evil8Beezle:
I’d spend the free time signing up with other agencies to see if I can find one that’s somewhat trustworthy!
I think it comes down to how the branch manager runs that branch rather than trying to say one firm or another is good or bad.
Driver Direct in Eastleigh are a right bunch of [zb]'s, and I hope that little ■■■■■ Emily bursts into flames.
I’d then go and ■■■■ on my tyres!Was looking at them for the RM Xmas stuff last year, but didn’t pursue it then. Thinking about it this year, not worthwhile in your opinion?
Sorry, I missed out calling her a lying ■■■■■…
I wouldn’t trust them an inch after my experience with them.
As for RM work, I think you will find that Manpower are the title agency for that contract.
Matt at Rapier in Shirley is an honest bloke, not the busiest in regard to HGV work and if he hasn’t got much on he’ll tell you straight!
You don’t need another agency, you need a permanent job. For the life of me I can’t understand drivers who need a full weeks money and choose the limpers life. Agencies should only be used by drivers between jobs and people who only want odd days. If you need a full weeks money, get a proper job. The only time I get told I’m not needed tomorrow is a Friday. And seeing as I only do about 3 Saturdays a year, I don’t hear that very often.
Evil8Beezle:
Vid:
Evil8Beezle:
I’d spend the free time signing up with other agencies to see if I can find one that’s somewhat trustworthy!
I think it comes down to how the branch manager runs that branch rather than trying to say one firm or another is good or bad.
Driver Direct in Eastleigh are a right bunch of [zb]'s, and I hope that little ■■■■■ Emily bursts into flames.
I’d then go and ■■■■ on my tyres!Was looking at them for the RM Xmas stuff last year, but didn’t pursue it then. Thinking about it this year, not worthwhile in your opinion?
Sorry, I missed out calling her a lying ■■■■■…
I wouldn’t trust them an inch after my experience with them.As for RM work, I think you will find that Manpower are the title agency for that contract.
Matt at Rapier in Shirley is an honest bloke, not the busiest in regard to HGV work and if he hasn’t got much on he’ll tell you straight!
Yeah, remembered half an hour after posting that it’s Manpower that do RM, any experience with them?
I’m on my second stint with GK, good points, bad points, but they’ve found me a good fit for the majority of my availability.
Conor:
trooper2290:
Ltd Company…think I need a new agency, this is the 2nd time this has happenedWhat do you have in your terms and conditions you got them to sign as a minimum charge for cancellation?
Sadly nothing…but that is about to change - i am in the process of re writing my T&C’s
Agency work was alright in the 80s. Maybe it’s okay now if you live somewhere with lots of firms, like the midlands but my experience is similar to the OP.
just tell them you turned down offers of work for wednesday, so you want paying at least 8 hours.