SYE-1:
The whole agency thing is cut throte , unlike Brian Adams " every thing the do they do it for " them selfs , unless you get in with the agency staff .
The holiday pay is calculated on how many hours you have worked, I accrued 30 days this year and have been lucky enough to get regular work.
Starting all over again is what agency work is about …don’t spred your self thinly .
Thanks SYE, seems like the agencies are only out to look after number 1…themselves. I was sent recently on an interview for ongoing full time work (5 day week), a good three hours drive away (one way), & on my arrival the manager of the company was astounded to find that I had traveled all that way for. …One day ad hoc !!! !!!, neither of us was impressed, they took all my details & were very impressed by my enthusiasm & would consider me if a full time placement became available, they said they were fed up of agencies doing these kinds of stunts, as I was on the way out, I could see them heading for the phone! !!
I don’t know how I’d manage a’number’ of agencies on the phone sending stress levels higher, knowing my luck they’d all phone the same day! I do get what you mean though&it is a good suggestion , , thanks.
bonnie lass:
What the heck do you say to the agencies that phone you up with work when you’re already out driving for another agency? It’s bound to happen! Some won’t send any work your way if you are unavailable, or unwilling to break your neck just to get there at the drop of a hat, like a puppet on a string.
You say, “sorry, I’m already working tomorrow, you should have called earlier”.
If they don’t give you any more work, drop them. Sign on with yet another agency and make sure they all know you have several agency irons in your fire. You won’t be sitting waiting with bated breath for their phone call. You’ll be working for someone else.
You can also play them against one another.
Agency A are the preferred agency for Company X, probably because they are the cheapest and therefore pay the least.
Agency B also supplies drivers to Company X and pay better but don’t get as much work from that company.
Sign on with both.
Company Z probably has similar arrangements with Agency A and B but the opposite way round.
Keep your eyes and ears open. When X is going to need lots of drivers, go with Agency B. When it’s Z that’s going to be busy, go with agency A.
Agencies look out for their number 1, themselves.
You look out for your number 1, you and yours.
Their role used to be as a stepping stone to allow employers to assess the workers and whether they were good enough to take on permanently.
Now the agencies just want to keep you on their books so they continue to get their commission.
If you only ever want to be a temporary worker, then this will work well.
If you are hoping to go permanent, you will probably need to take another route.
Thanks dar,one thing about agency work I’d get a wide variety of different types of work, ,which is great for gaining experience. However on the other side it seems to be a bit of a nightmare keeping one step ahead of them.
I wouldn’t mind a permanent full time job, either way I must have a job, got to pay the rent,bills etc, thanks for your input.
Thanks simon, I can see better how to work the agency system now, I am registered with three at the moment, & used to cringe at the thought of them all phoning at the same time!
Now I have a better insight as to the mechanics of how the system works, hopefully I’ll be able to receive better rewards.
As long as I can keep getting work, that’s one of the most important things as most everything revolves around having the ‘income’. Thanks for your input.
in answer to your question - i’ve been with the agencies for about 20years and once you get used to how things work it’s good fun. i rarely work in the same place for more than 2 weeks so i don’t get bored - i always get new challenges and i find places that i really like and those i keep get sent back to and it means that i get to have a laugh with the management and the staff. i got a reputation for being a “super sub” basically when the £$%^ hits the fan they ring me
i have registered with 5 or 6 and therefore have their numbers in my fone but i only use 2 of those normally (both numbers belong to firms that don’t deal with transport firms as their first line they do building and construction and cos a few of us drive trucks they try and mix our contracts up a bit - make it interesting) and if one can’t put me on a job come monday then the other one can. i’m also lucky in that i drive telehandler (building sites) so i often swap between trucks and forks - it keeps things interesting and i get roughly the same wagees from both sets of work plus the lads on the sites are a right laugh also they’ve got to build more houses and those sites need deliveries — i delivered bricks to a site that i drove forks on 2 weeks before – for me it’s just a very nice game cos there’s only me and my dog so i got no responsibilities outside of this.
like dar said firms use it like a shop window except in my case cos the firms that wanted to take me on couldn’t get anywhere near the wages that the agency were paying — it’s a trade off between knowing where you’re going on monday morning and better wages at the end of the week — i’ve always chosen the wages but that’s just me.
a lot of the building sites draft me in when things are running behind cos they know that i want to get on with it - the guys on the sites want to get on with it and so we all make lots of money for 2 weeks and then cos the jobs back to where it should be i get to leave knowing that i did a good job — being “super sub” is not for everyone you gotta go wherever whenever and be prepared to take some managerial £$%^ at the same time.
the rules are a lot different whether i’m in truck or in forks — i gotta take breaks in my truck, i rarely take breaks on site — i’m there to pull them out of the $%^& if i do my job to the best of my ability even if it means putting others to shame then that’s how it is. at the end of the day when my fone goes then in my mind am already there. i normally ring thursday and if they say we might have this it’s in this place are you interested and if i say yes then that’s it the job’s mine and i ring on friday for the full nine yards.
you gotta chase them - drop in and see them put face about a bit and be forward about it cos there’s a lot of competition for work and if they see you being proactive then they’re more likely to use your services.
the chances of getting a permanent job are very slim - you’re a sub so you still need to apply for everything that you see from that point either that or accept that you’re going to be a super sub for the rest of your days one other point i know this might seem a bit strange but if you can get on a course for say a hiab or brick crane or even banksman or summat else then it’ll make you more employable over a wider range of jobs cos at the end of the day it’s those wit hlots of different skills that are going to get the best jobs.
Hi foxy stars, it certainly seems you’ve found what works best for you, which is great, & you seem very busy too , which is what brings the wages in
A variety of work in effect will bring & widen the experience also, and that’s important because it will surely give you a wider range of opportunities for working in all ‘fields’. Similar to yourself, i have no ‘responsibilities’ holding me back from working whatever shift I can get, & even relocation would be worth it to have a job I wouldn’t mind doing a hiab course or brick crane like you suggested, I can quite see how that would be useful
Thanks for the insight, youv’e given me ideas now!!
It sounds like your having fun out there! keep those wheels rolling - Happy Trucking
my wheels aint stopped rolling for 20years — only had 3 years off the road cos i got banned in 2001 but it didn’t affect my forks license so happy days — i prefer my forks (prolly cos i own them) to my rig but if i can get a TM later this year to stand on my o lic if i don’t pass the exam then i’m gunna get a rig and paint it to match my all singing, all dancing, fully loaded (it has more extras than a scania catalogue) JCB 535/95 telehandler (sorry but i love it possibly too much)
actually i had to adapt to the situation - i didn’t mean for things to be like they are - i wanted a permanent job but the agencies were paying more and that meant a lot to me. also a lot of the firms that i get sent to have outdated kit that’s got more rust than a rust bucket and the interiors are in a $%^& state and then they ask if i want to go perm - would you ■■?
the goverment do schemes for gaining extra tickets if you’re unemployed for a while - there’s also government grants for obtaining extra accreditation too
the most useful ones that i’ve got and i paid for mine myself - CPCS telehandler(A17) CPCS slinger / banksman, other than this get yourself a CSCS card cos then if get to delivere to building sites you’re already covered and know the health and safety code - you thinkn transport is ott wait until you see the CSCS course…
good luck with your work - hope that you make it stick and that summat comes up and you ■■■■■■ at it cos what i do and the way i do it will leave you with no life at all
Hey foxy stars, sounds like your having to much fun out there with the forks & everything else you’ve got going for you, good for you, it’s nice to be busy & enjoying you work.
I shall just keep trying and get whatever work i can find, whether it is agency or permanent. All the driver training C, C+E I have had I paid for myself & ADR & got me dcpc. I had to work a lot of hours to raise the finance for these courses with No government grants either. I will find work, , I have the determination & motivation to get work somewhere, somehow. I’m not bothered about a social life, I’m only bothered about work.
The hiab i think I will go & seek further information about, & the cscs ,thanks for all the pointerts & information it is very much appreciated.
if i can help someone who wants to be another super sub out then i will
just don’t get too downhearted about not having the kinda protections that you thought you had - just treat it as a learning curve - i’ve been there and made the same mistakes albeit a long time ago if any point you want to pick my brains then feel free to do so - i sent you e-mail with my e-addy in it.
one other point i know this might seem a bit strange but if you can get on a course for say a hiab or brick crane or even banksman or summat else then it’ll make you more employable over a wider range of jobs cos at the end of the day it’s those wit hlots of different skills that are going to get the best jobs.
