I am now pleased to say that Tesco has responded to my letters.
I am in the process of setting up a meeting with Mr Alex Laffey (Director for Transport Tesco)
All your comments and remarks from the postings in “Waiting at Tesco” and my forum will be printed of with no names present and taken with me to the meeting.
If you wish to add anything
Speak Up Now
As soon as the date is confirmed I will let you know.
With the "joint "pressure on Tesco from our forums has possibly assisted me in getting this meeting, so well done Rikki
Stickied temporarily. L.
well done that man…at least someone is making a stand…the next step is our own union…for drivers…run by drivers…and to represent the general haulage industry…which no one has done in over 40 years…to my knowledge…except to rub shoulders with the bosses…and of course not forgetting the supermarket big knobs…who represent themselves…to which most legislation is forthcomming…and yet…doesnt affect their drivers who work an average 9 hour day…roll on the truckers revolution…
Good luck in there Baz maybe you could mention us all shopping at Asda if things dont improve 
:).
I havent delivered to Tesco for a long time but i know what its like and i would imagine it hasnt changed and no doubt it never will but good on ya for having a go.
I think all the points have been covered by other drivers barry. well done for getting a meeting and good luck with getting them to listen. you might want to remind tesco`s its 2005 not 1805… they have a duty of care to us as visiting drivers… i dont think making us sit on hard benches for hours is satisfactory. Ask mr tesco to try it…
Good on yer “Rob k” just seen your photos in “waiting at Tesco” and is just the sort of evidence I need when I have the meeting.
Any drivers with a phone can get a photo, no need to post if you do not want to just e/mail it to me.although it is nice for everyone to see.
It is going to take me a week to print all the photo’s and comments off… 
I am only having the meeting on your behalf and will be using “Your” comments, as the basis of the meeting so keep it coming in. Well done all.
truckyboy:
the next step is our own union…for drivers…run by drivers…and to represent the general haulage industry
Couldn’t agree with you more on that one.
BAZ what about this as a suggestion on improveing the H&S and also thereby enchanceing themselves with the people they rely on to deliver they goods on time
WHAT right do they have to impose this mental and pysical stress on a person who has to maybe drive their vehicle on the roads where they may or may not be fit tocary out the duties asigned them, after being so badly treated
Why do they not use a system where when put into operation the driver may repose in the cabin of the vehicle if they so wish,
1, USE automatic wheelchocks which lock the axles of the trailer and canonly be freed by the workers from the delivery point,
2, PLACE a sign in front of the vehicle which shows to the driver that
he is still refused perrmission to move his vehicle,
3.REMOVE both the air-lines from the trailer and fit a device which will
prevent the airlines being refitted with out permission .
by doing these actions no one then is required to surrender the keys of the vehicle,
NOW when this actions are carried out and allowed then it will make it easyier for those persons in charge of the RDC,s as regards the H&S
aspect,IF one the other hand this is not what happens then the places where a DRIVER has to wait for release of the vehicle must be made
more plesant and of a higher standard with those facilities present that
a person requres when haveing to endure this action,
I HAD PUT THIS ELSE WHERE BUT MAYBE YOU CAN USE IT IN PRESENTING OUR SIDE OF THE ““debate””
brit pete:
places where a DRIVER has to wait for release of the vehicle must be made
more plesant and of a higher standard with those facilities present that
a person requres when haveing to endure this action,
The problem is that YES they could put leather sofas and t.v.'s with Sky on every channel, internet access for ALL waiting drivers, Coffee on demand , give you vouchers to give your wife for her next shop at Tesco#, provide meals at a discounted price.
That would be great and probaly not happen but if they did the biggest problem would be the rshole drivers themselves who would rip things , destroy things, steal things and spoil it for anyone else who wanted to use them.
I have been in Tesco D.C,s where toilets are specifically for drivers and noone else and panels have been ripped off walls, toilet seats have been ripped off the pans, toilet paper has been flused down the loo,s. coffee machines have been wrecked, WHY■■? i dont know i guess its just a mentality thing of some who think the world owes them something?.
I,m all for better provisions for drivers but i don’t think it will happen good luck to ya Baz but i can’t see anything coming out of it, not that you are wasting your time just that some sphincter will spoil it for everyone else when they do provide better facilities.
I have now been presented some dates by Mr Laffey and am hopeful the meeting will be Friday 30th September (to be confirmed)
I cannot answer all the post on the subject, but I do read them all and am building up a strategy for the meeting working on the points you are putting over.
Never mind “Well done Barrie” I am only the go between.
Well done the 240 post on T/N and T/W about Tesco, which in turn has helped to bring about a meeting. Rest assured not just drivers read these forums, just ask “Rikki” how many hits he gets compared to posting and it will show just how many “people” are reading these postings.
In principle I will be looking for a policy at “all” Tesco RDCs who ever operates them, so that drivers will know the procedure is the same where ever he is.
The accident that has caused this H&S issue, has happened on other occasions and one thing seems to be the problem. “The unloading Bay Lights”
I must be able to put over to Tesco a Safe procedure while allowing drivers access to their “Homes” and other “better” facilities if required.
Reading all the comments and constructive idea’s on here will build up a big picture of what you the drivers that deliver to RDCs see as the safest method that will benefit Tesco and visiting drivers.
Keep the post coming in, I will read them all and keep you informed which way I will be approaching the meeting and further meetings if neccessary.
jammymutt:
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I,m all for better provisions for drivers but i don’t think it will happen good luck to ya Baz but i can’t see anything coming out of it, not that you are wasting your time just that some sphincter will spoil it for everyone else when they do provide better facilities.
I agree with everything you say Jammy, but they don’t need to supply any facilities except a toilet if only they would allow drivers to spend their rest time in their own rest area where they have all the other facilities they need.
As has been said there are many ways they can prevent vehicles being driven off before time without imposing cab and key bans.
To my mind Baz, that is the most important aspect.
Salut, David.
Well i allways give credit where its due, well done Bazman, i dont agree with all of your campain issues , but on this one you got progress and that must be noted, good luck looking forward to hearing the resume of your meeting 
Of course, the one issue no one seems to have mentioned is this … If Tesco’s employees (some of whom I would not let operate a lift let alone an electric pumper) stopped sodding about and got their fingers out, there would be no need for drivers to need facilities!!! Why is it that one day, you can go in and be tipped in 20 minutes and the next it takes 5 hours?? Why is it you can go into Snodland and the +10 or frozen sections and be in and out in 30 minutes yet +3 is a disgrace■■? I have not forgiven them for last year… the night England played Portugal in Euro 2004! I got there at 6pm. I took the last available bay. Now it was only 6pm YET NOT ONE MOTOR WAS TIPPED AND OUT OF THERE BEFORE THE END OF THE GAME!!! Bearing in mind, it went to extra time AND penalties!!! How often do you arrive at a RDC and they say, you have to wait for the next shift, WHICH DOESN’T START FOR ANOTHER 45 MINUTES?
If Tesco employed some people who were concerned about doing their own job instead of worrying about whether the driver has a high vis on or not, we wouldn’t need facilities.
Barry, I admire your tenacity in trying to solve this problem but please remind Mr. Laffey… TO CURE A PROBLEM, YOU NEED TO FIND THE CAUSE!!.
The cause is not idle Goods In staff or H&S fanatics at the gate! It is the bone idleness of the people that actually do the tipping!! I have had lads that have taken an hour to take 26 pallets off … is this good enough?? Of course it isn’t and Mr Tesco should realise that. Nursling tried to implement a “turn round of maximum one hour”…now if the tippers are having a bad day and can’t be bothered to work hard then that implementation goes out the window!
Good Luck, Barry and keep up the good fight
i think that dave young hits the nail on the head in his commentary in this months truck and driver magazine.
how often have you waited for a loading bay while all around is time wasting confusion and incompetence? not so much a shortage of staff as those present not having a clue what to do.
come on lads let’s see if we can get this trailer tipped quicker than that shower on the other shift, then we’ll go for a smoke etc.
there is a distinct lack of correct leadership brought about by putting in charge people with qualifications but no actual hands on experience.
this isn’t just a transport/warehouse issue, it seems to be in every walk of life, you go into a shop and the assistants are talking away to each other whilst you stand there waiting for them to serve you.
you call into a kfc or mcdonalds and they get the order wrong despite clearly being told what you want and them actually putting it into the till order correctly, do they care that it’s wrong? no they don’t give a monkeys.
even at the fuel station you often find them chatting to a guy who comes in regularly or the fuel delivery bloke who isn’t actually buying anything but is trying to cadge a freebie.
i notice with my own kids, i give them a task and they only manage half or they do such a bad job that i have to go round afterwards and do the entire job myself.
When I was at Reed Boardall, they could have a trailer emptied and reloaded in under 1/4hr. 10 minute tips were the norm. They said that the average team could do about 6 trailers an hour. Thats 6 trailers tipped and the stuff checked and put away.
Strange though how at Middleton Tesco RDC, it takes an hour to tip except on bank holidays where it suddenly mysteriously takes 10 minutes because they’re on job and finish. I’ve gone into Middleton RDC on a Bank Holiday and not even got to the parking and they’re there at the door waving you on. By the time I’ve taken my paperwork to Goods In, its been tipped.
johnny:
i think that dave young hits the nail on the head in his commentary in this months truck and driver magazine.
how often have you waited for a loading bay while all around is time wasting confusion and incompetence? not so much a shortage of staff as those present not having a clue what to do.
come on lads let’s see if we can get this trailer tipped quicker than that shower on the other shift, then we’ll go for a smoke etc.
there is a distinct lack of correct leadership brought about by putting in charge people with qualifications but no actual hands on experience.
this isn’t just a transport/warehouse issue, it seems to be in every walk of life, you go into a shop and the assistants are talking away to each other whilst you stand there waiting for them to serve you.
you call into a kfc or mcdonalds and they get the order wrong despite clearly being told what you want and them actually putting it into the till order correctly, do they care that it’s wrong? no they don’t give a monkeys.
even at the fuel station you often find them chatting to a guy who comes in regularly or the fuel delivery bloke who isn’t actually buying anything but is trying to cadge a freebie.
i notice with my own kids, i give them a task and they only manage half or they do such a bad job that i have to go round afterwards and do the entire job myself.
Totally agree with you Johnny but theres just one thing that should be a neccessity and thats the ability to speak English i find that helps…
Jammy, why does anyone need to speak English to pull 26 pallets off a trailer? You hardly need any instruction 
It’s fairly self explanotory even in caveman language, a few grunts and a pointed finger should do!
I dont do much work into Tesco, but then again I dont do much work into Carrefour either. But when I do I notice the difference, the goods inward staff are polite, they normally point you towards the coffee machine and showers and dont expect you to wear safety boots to reverse onto a bay.
Tescos on the other hand have a ridiculous policy of giving the gate man absolute power and he will not even lift the barrier until you have hi viz, boots, 17 digit reference number and are within 15 seconds of a booking time, even though I have driven 1500km which involves a daily rest period, a ferry crossing and an accident that was shown on national TV.
Should the staff be given a common sense exam before setting them on?
jammymutt:
johnny:
i think that dave young hits the nail on the head in his commentary in this months truck and driver magazine.
how often have you waited for a loading bay while all around is time wasting confusion and incompetence? not so much a shortage of staff as those present not having a clue what to do.
come on lads let’s see if we can get this trailer tipped quicker than that shower on the other shift, then we’ll go for a smoke etc.
there is a distinct lack of correct leadership brought about by putting in charge people with qualifications but no actual hands on experience.
this isn’t just a transport/warehouse issue, it seems to be in every walk of life, you go into a shop and the assistants are talking away to each other whilst you stand there waiting for them to serve you.
you call into a kfc or mcdonalds and they get the order wrong despite clearly being told what you want and them actually putting it into the till order correctly, do they care that it’s wrong? no they don’t give a monkeys.
even at the fuel station you often find them chatting to a guy who comes in regularly or the fuel delivery bloke who isn’t actually buying anything but is trying to cadge a freebie.
i notice with my own kids, i give them a task and they only manage half or they do such a bad job that i have to go round afterwards and do the entire job myself.
Totally agree with you Johnny but theres just one thing that should be a neccessity and thats the ability to speak English i find that helps…
i agree with malc on this one, as most of my deliveries are throughout germany and i have less of a problem there than over here i would agree that perhaps language or the ability to speak english is not the problem, perhaps employing more foreign staff could be part of the answer, it would perhaps stop everyone heading for break at the same time, you could split the shifts into countries, so at the first break all the poles go, second break is the asians and the next is the english etc.
this way you won’t get the english lads trying to sneak off with their mate the pole because he would have nothing to say to each other.
perhaps the biggest problem is the way that companies have embraced so many health and safety regulations, working practices and european policies, the whole of the country has now become a place where more money is spent on safe working practices and efficiency studies than on manual labour wages.
