Olog Hai:
If I was in your position and had been thoroughly [zb] on by them, then the bit above would definitely be getting brought to DVSA’s attention.
Absolutely! I do my utmost to avoid “grassing” but by the same token I do not shaft people, and in return I do not expect to be shafted. If my employer wanted to start down that slippery slope then I am more than capable of giving as good as I get.
It’s a difficult one to call. My temper would tell me to tell the gaffer to shove the job, in a heartbeat. However, my brain would say ‘hang out of it for a fortnight, go as slow as possible and play them at their own game’. My brain would also tell me to say as other posters have suggested that my car is not available unfortunately so I was unable to travel the distance to the other yard and could my employer please offer an alternative plan for the remainder of my employment?
However, sounds like the situation moved on quickly…as it usually does!
Hopefully you will receive any monies due in a reasonable timeframe. Good luck with the class 1. Get the licence, use the agencies to gain experience as your plan then snag a full time position…possibly/probably with one of the agencies’ customers…then that is your reference into the new firm! No need to trouble the last gaffer to write one after all.
One thing to remember nowadays is that writing an unfair reference is not a clever thing for any gaffer to do as it can be used against said gaffer/company fairly easily in court where needed. Most references now simply ask for the dates you worked to and from for that firm, nothing more. However, naturally that does not rule out the additional ‘helpful’ verbal reference on the 'phone where anything can be said and you don’t get to challenge it as there is no record.