Bit of a rant, but could do with some advice on how to get a better working environment.
The company I work for seems to be bending rules to suit their business needs (as do all) and it is causing low morale and stress amongst the drivers. We work 5 days on and 3 off and are yearly salaried. We are paid for 10 and 3 quarter hours as is stipulated in our contract as is the term “you may be required to work the occasional extra hours as to company needs”, but every day we are working 12+ hours. They say the routes are not planned for 12 hours, but some of the arrival times between stores requires you to be either a time traveler or a pilot with the Red Arrows to ensure the times on the sheets don’t total a 12 hour + day. I have worked 57 hours this week plus last Sunday which would be classed as last week in the tacho world after the deduction of breaks. Because of the 5 on 3 off system, our average weekly working is about 44 hours (according to our digi cards) but this is over a seven week period when in reality if we was to work Monday to Friday, we would be working close to 60 hours.
With the silly season about to start, the vehicles will be bulked out and hours will get longer. We can not cope as it is after taking on a larger geographical area. The union is only interested in negotiating pay rises and disciplinary procedures and not interested in working conditions (this is confirmed by the rep). I am the person that everyone comes to as they seem to think I can pull rabbits out of hats. Three people had break downs last year that I know of and I fear more this year.
Besides the obvious answer of “Get another job”, what can be done to improve our working environment?
Work within the standards. Over time as acceptable 1 hr a day should do. Do 11 hrs and park up. Don’t book any plans and only have the 45 min break. Watch your WTD hours grow.
Your only other option is as you said…
HGVHound:
Bit of a rant, but could do with some advice on how to get a better working environment.
The company I work for seems to be bending rules to suit their business needs (as do all) and it is causing low morale and stress amongst the drivers. We work 5 days on and 3 off and are yearly salaried. We are paid for 10 and 3 quarter hours as is stipulated in our contract as is the term “you may be required to work the occasional extra hours as to company needs”, but every day we are working 12+ hours. They say the routes are not planned for 12 hours, but some of the arrival times between stores requires you to be either a time traveler or a pilot with the Red Arrows to ensure the times on the sheets don’t total a 12 hour + day. I have worked 57 hours this week plus last Sunday which would be classed as last week in the tacho world after the deduction of breaks. Because of the 5 on 3 off system, our average weekly working is about 44 hours (according to our digi cards) but this is over a seven week period when in reality if we was to work Monday to Friday, we would be working close to 60 hours.
With the silly season about to start, the vehicles will be bulked out and hours will get longer. We can not cope as it is after taking on a larger geographical area. The union is only interested in negotiating pay rises and disciplinary procedures and not interested in working conditions (this is confirmed by the rep). I am the person that everyone comes to as they seem to think I can pull rabbits out of hats. Three people had break downs last year that I know of and I fear more this year.
Besides the obvious answer of “Get another job”, what can be done to improve our working environment?
oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh diddums,stick your dummy back in and take a reality pill…be thankfull you’ve got a job. if you cant stand the heat,away and work for Tesco,and you can swap comics with the fanny that got stuck on the tail lift with flat batteries in the other post.
HGVHound:
Bit of a rant, but could do with some advice on how to get a better working environment.
The company I work for seems to be bending rules to suit their business needs (as do all) and it is causing low morale and stress amongst the drivers. We work 5 days on and 3 off and are yearly salaried. We are paid for 10 and 3 quarter hours as is stipulated in our contract as is the term “you may be required to work the occasional extra hours as to company needs”, but every day we are working 12+ hours. They say the routes are not planned for 12 hours, but some of the arrival times between stores requires you to be either a time traveler or a pilot with the Red Arrows to ensure the times on the sheets don’t total a 12 hour + day. I have worked 57 hours this week plus last Sunday which would be classed as last week in the tacho world after the deduction of breaks. Because of the 5 on 3 off system, our average weekly working is about 44 hours (according to our digi cards) but this is over a seven week period when in reality if we was to work Monday to Friday, we would be working close to 60 hours.
According to my calculations, working 10.75 hours per day on a shift pattern of 5 on 3 off, calculated over a 7 week period would result in an average working week of 47.61 hours per week, so I don’t understand why you’re complaining about averaging about 44 hours
You say you would be averaging close to 60 hours a week if you worked Monday to Friday, but then you would be working five days a week, on your current contract you’re averaging less than 4½ days per calendar week over a 7 week period.
HGVHound:
With the silly season about to start, the vehicles will be bulked out and hours will get longer. We can not cope as it is after taking on a larger geographical area. The union is only interested in negotiating pay rises and disciplinary procedures and not interested in working conditions (this is confirmed by the rep). I am the person that everyone comes to as they seem to think I can pull rabbits out of hats. Three people had break downs last year that I know of and I fear more this year.
Besides the obvious answer of “Get another job”, what can be done to improve our working environment?
I’m sorry but as far as I can see your figures don’t add up, you cannot be regularly working 12+ hour shifts if you’re driver cards show you averaging about 44 hours a week, it simply doesn’t work out.
Honestly, based on the information you’ve given, if the money is any good I imagine people would be queuing up for a job like yours.
