If you like doing home deliveries and don’t mind a bit of handball I suppose there are worse jobs out there but if you live nearby and don’t mind travelling 20-30 miles to work there’s a lot better within that distance of Howden if you head west and south.
Thanks for all the replies guys, I’m coming in as a new driver, passed class 2 recently after 15 years on coaches so looking for somebody who will take on ‘new drivers’ and they are just round the corner from me so thought it might be a good starting point. Who else would you recommend if I travelled a bit further Conor? Thanks again
I used to work for wren kitchens on wagon n drag. I was on £9.50 per hour then time and a half after 10 hours work. they say your on a 50 hours a week contract but your not, (or wasn’t when I was there but read on as ill get to it.) that’s for the 1st 13weeks then you will get £9,70 per hour then time n a half after 10 hours. £23,50 a night out. last year I made £36k I was pushing myself as I was volunteering to do more hours. things was great until march this year… then they pulled the plug and stripped everyone down. we used to work Monday to Friday with the planners asking you if you wanted to work Saturday Sunday or bank holidays. they just needed a few drivers them days to ‘‘run out’’ or doing the truck wash. as I was class 1 I would go up to Scotland and do a box swap in wag n drag.
I had a porter who could lift most of the units himself so that was good… yes all the units are fully assembeled and some can weigh a fair bit. and you had the work tops. we had to put these into peoples houses/flats, some out in the sticks others in citys. I didn’t mind doing the lifting n carrying as I felt the pay was good…
since march management then scrapped our contracts n said we HAD to do this new shift pattern, working Saturdays at no extra pay and you would work 4 days some weeks and never really know your shift pattern. I voiced my opinion along with all the other drivers as this was unfair, I set up a personal chat group and added all the drivers at wren to see what action we could do… it also ment we had to share trucks. management found out we had a facebook chat and sacked me and another lad over tacho infringments but we all knew it was to shock the other drivers into giving in… since then I would say 70% of the drivers have left. they cut our hours and now have to work Saturdays and run out sundays, also you cant do the next days work early… ie say I had Southampton I would drive down there n get all the days kitchens off plus the next days if I still had the hours left, then the next day I would get home in my own house not on pay… now you have to park up behind a wren store and wait until 6am to start the next days work… sometimes you could be finished at 4pm n then have to wait all that time along with your porter, all without pay…
this is why there begging for drivers, the planners have left and they have had TM’s from next come and go… wren are ruthless with there staff and get rid of you without a care, drivers was ok until march, you get the usual customers moaning and to be fair I would agree with them, but I was just a driver.
Thanks very much for taking the time to write that Yorkielee! Doesnt sound quite as rosey as they made out at the recruitment evening I went along to a while back, so really good to hear it from a drivers side. Much appreciated
the nodding donkey:
And WTF is that NFT fridge thinking of?
Looks like the NFT driver has seen what’s happening and used lane 3 rules to give the other two stubborn drivers somewhere to go when things go wrong.
I agree with that, I reckon that NFT lad was the better driver than the other 2 clowns…Mr Nomirrorman and Mr Ivegotrightofway man, even if he was in the wrong lane for his type of vehicle.
robbo99.:
Howdens, the Company, and Wren both supply Kitchens. Both linked by the same financial backers at some point,both a stones throw apart, most of the older Drivers at Wren got redundancy from what is now Howdens and went to work for Wren. In that community everyone knows everyone, I mean I know Conor, but he doesn’t know me, and knowing Conor I know he will be able to enlighten us all on Wren Kitchens.
You know Conor, oh please do tell us more
I reckon if he said he knew me but I didn’t know him I’d be a bit scared.
RICHIECOL:
Thanks very much for taking the time to write that Yorkielee! Doesnt sound quite as rosey as they made out at the recruitment evening I went along to a while back, so really good to hear it from a drivers side. Much appreciated
It was the best job I’ve ever had. They gave me a 63 plate Renault premier with 4K on the clock. It had been sat for nearly 2 years as when (Malcolm Healy) buys something he got lots. You only got a job there if you knew someone who worked there. But now there wanting anyone. Personally I wouldn’t go there as a class two driver as you can’t get the hours in. You would have run outs leaving at 12/2pm then getting somewhere parking up then delivered kitchens the next day. As class 1 you had to start at 4.30am / 5ish to drive somewhere then have two days to deliver. The worst week I had I was with a shirt n tie fresh out of college lad who couldn’t lift a thing. Even with me helping. So really you need a good porter with you.
I still talk with the lads n they say it’s gone to pot. Nobody cares and even the new tm have left. Doug went on sick for a few weeks n terry went to drive for green group. Pete Collins is a good lad. Been driving for years but he is keen on health n safety. Saying that he needs to keep himself in a job. In the stores around the country management are always struggling to keep there jobs. Always trying to hit targets or they get the chop. So as a driver you could end up trying to put a 4 meter worktop in a house that’s only 2 meters long. It’s your fault lol. Some houses are quick and easy as there in a garage but others can take hours. I would always take my time as not to damage anything. Remember there spending thousands on this kitchen n the last thing a customer wants to see is damage.
I always got my 50 hours a week in but sometimes you would have a day off or work in the factory. I lasted 4 hours n couldn’t take no more. It’s worse than prison. You get 25 days holiday plus bank holiday but this xmas you had to use 13 days. As a driver you got one back doing cpc but still they made you use them. I was lucky as I ended up working by driving a van for there new showrooms but the rest of drivers n porters was off work 3 weeks. No customer wants a delivery over xmas
the nodding donkey:
And WTF is that NFT fridge thinking of?
Looks like the NFT driver has seen what’s happening and used lane 3 rules to give the other two stubborn drivers somewhere to go when things go wrong.
I agree with that, I reckon that NFT lad was the better driver than the other 2 clowns…Mr Nomirrorman and Mr Ivegotrightofway man, even if he was in the wrong lane for his type of vehicle.
Totally agree shown a bit of common sense and kept out of the way,good call considering night time rules didn’t apply
Double Manned wagon and drag, WAS £8 per hour (not sure now) drive till you drop, carry kitchens worktops etc into house, flats etc and check everything is there, lovely if they are 4 floors up no lift, they do have some artics but dead mans shoes plus you have to lick gaffers bum.
the nodding donkey:
And WTF is that NFT fridge thinking of?
Looks like the NFT driver has seen what’s happening and used lane 3 rules to give the other two stubborn drivers somewhere to go when things go wrong.
I agree with that, I reckon that NFT lad was the better driver than the other 2 clowns…Mr Nomirrorman and Mr Ivegotrightofway man, even if he was in the wrong lane for his type of vehicle.
Totally agree shown a bit of common sense and kept out of the way,good call considering night time rules didn’t apply
Must admit it was my first thought, very good hazard perception, let the two other herberts duke it out, whilst keeping well out the way.
