I’ve been offered a salary job and while I’m satisfied with the package I do have concerns regarding possible hours…
The salary is based on 5 shifts, which they claim will average 48 hours. Now I’ve no reason to disbelieve this, particularly as it’s not general haulage and they seem keen to work within the wtd (which is a first for me), but we know what can happen.
For this reason I’ve always gone for hourly paid, but I’d really like to cut the hours so how can I make sure they only work me the hours agreed ?
I know I can say stuff it, but if the job is as they say it would suite me so I’m looking for a more diplomatic approach… Though if they do try it on they can stuff it
btw, it’s tramping and we all know what that means…
I had the best of both worlds at Toray, my last job in England. We were salaried for 37 hours but anything before 8am or after 5pm, or 2pm on Friday was overtime
I earned roughly the same for 60 hours as I had previously for 40 odd as TM, but I was happy, more enjoyable and no loss of earnings - except at holiday time of course
Spardo:
I had the best of both worlds at Toray, my last job in England. We were salaried for 37 hours but anything before 8am or after 5pm, or 2pm on Friday was overtime
Salut, David.
That would be ideal…
From what I’ve been told there shouldn’t be early starts, monday to midday friday with any additional shifts paid for.
dennisw1:
As a newbie, what exactly ‘is’ tramping? My guess would be a cross between multidrop and long distance?
Tramping is being away all week sleeping out in the motor. You spend more nights sleeping in the motor than at home.
It’s a thing you either like or loathe.
And as it suggests, you can be sent anywhere to anywhere, you have no set routes, on general haulage you can be loading anything and everything. It either suits you or you’ll loath it, as long as i’m home Friday night they can do want they want with me the rest of the week. Spending more quality time with the family, only doing 4 nights out a week instead of 5
My last job was salaried, I was paid for 48 hours over 4 days/nights.
My chore time was midnight to midday, anything over 48 hours was overtime.
I could make the job as long or as short as I wanted (if I needed overtime ), sometimes I would be back at 10 in the morning (in bed by 1100 ), the latest I would get back would be 1500 (very occassionaly).
After 2 years I was made redundant, though I was asked back after 2 weeks (‘due to reorganisation’ ), but I’d already moved on by this time.
My advice to anyone not already on a salary is to check out what’s expected of you ie. ‘are you finished work if you’re back early?’ are you paid by a calander year or a lunar year (every 4 weeks)?
Can work out well if there’s insufficient work as you still get paid, you will also be paid for day’s off sick.
Swings and roundabout’s - though I thought most of us were salaried anyway.
I get the same every week as pay. I don’t get overtime, minimum shifts are 6 hours, so even if I only have a short 2 hour day (which does happen ) then I’ll get “paid” for the 6.
I’m part time, 36 hours a week. Which works out as one day on the weekend and 3 in the week (Tues, Wed, Thur). Longest week I think I’ve done was a 72 actually 6 days in that week, and shortest I’ve done was 6 hours
It evens itself out over the weeks/months.
Very happy with these hours and pay as I can “bank” on getting X a week whatever I work…
Dogmanbodie:
I worked on the steel and did well over 48 hours albeit this was pre wtd days.
I would be careful - and start as you mean to go on. Remember, if you do it once, they expect it every time.
“start as you mean to go on” is what I’m getting at, and something I struggle with…
I tend to give my best shot in a job, not necessary to impress, for me I think it’s a pride thing, as in a challenge. This can get misinterpreted as someone who’s prepared to run ragged, which if honest I am on hourly rates, but only so much. The boat then gets pushed out even further, and it becomes crunch time, more often than not results in me parting to pastures new…
I need to get out of this cycle as it’s cost me jobs I enjoyed. I’ve tried explaining where I’m coming from and what I’m prepared to do but this gets overlooked. I know if I get passed the first few months I will eventually get through to the tm, but the chances of that is next to zero, and on a salary even less likely.
This latest job may well suite me if it works out as expected, but how do you go about keeping ‘em to an agreement without being seen as “uncooperative” ?
The way I keep em to an agreement is to just work to it, dont renegotiate it, it was agreed and dont need further discussion, full stop. I mean, if they say it’s 400 quid a week, thats it, it dont get talked about all the time, so if a firm tells me oh it’s 48 hours, thats what they get.
for instance, if they gave me something I knew would be tight on, or impossible, i’d say I’ll have a go, then come time up, just stop, park up and say I got to here and I’ll be off again after x amount of hours.
You got to be a bit hard faced or they will take the ■■■■ till the cows come home. But saying I’ll have a go is a good method, and when it comes to it, is the truth because anything can happen, and blowing up and saying it’s impossible just stirs things up. allways pretend youre up for it, then do whats nessesary, easy aint it!
The problem with swings and roundabouts is who owns the playground?
Ahh but who is the park keeper
I would take it nice and steady to get the feel of the job. Speak to the other drivers and ask them what is deemed as ‘done enough’.
I’m salaried at the moment and after I’ve done my share I simply say I don’t get paid enough to do any more.
I’m reasonable with it though and if i’m stuck in traffic for whatever reason I’ll do a little extra as I see that as no-ones fault and unforseen. However if any delay is a result of bad planning or a customer delays me (like Tesco) then it’s tough ■■■■■ and I’ll stop when I’m ready.
However, I like to be home Friday and I will do a little extra to get home - whether it be extra in the week or on Friday I don’t care. As long as someone scratches my back I’ll have a scratch of theirs
My wages work out at between £7.50 & £8.30 per hour on average per month so it’s not that bad. That’s duty time not poa , nights out extra.
into my scond month of salried pay now and its going good. not over worked.tommorow ive got crewe,hollywell,abergale and queensferry. if t night out its do what you can the first day then the next day finish off or just run back in for midday.
if you do a saturday (xmas rush) its a ton in your pocket xtra.
Steve24v, it rings alarm bells in my head. Steel work (chase, chase, chase) and tramping (open to hours “abuse” as you don’t need to be home) and they reckon only 48hrs per week?
DREAM ON.
Yes it will be 48hrs per week, but you’ll also have 20hrs of “POA” too…
If you want to be at home, work in a factory, or go on the dole 
), sometimes I would be back at 10 in the morning (in bed by 1100 
), the latest I would get back would be 1500 (very occassionaly).
), but I’d already moved on by this time.
