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Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:37 pm
by ilovesettsonmondays
when i worked for the men in the green vans in central london , if you failed the alcohol test they gave you a score to go the pub 
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:43 pm
by henpecked
Tommy wrote:We had a bloke covering from an agency, always turned up smart and prompt, but stinking of whisky. Then one day about 3 weeks later I was called into the office and told to take him home immediately.... Only filled an old coke bottle up with half coke and half whisky.
Needless to say, we've not seen anything since.
I'd say thats a good thing, years ago you'd expect nothing less from and agency. Nowadays they seem to try to employ really qualified blokes on a casual basis. Business will never really fully recover till the correct wages are paid for 'good blokes'. We had many a guy come thought the agency,. but you soon realised it was a case of lack of work and these guys were just hanging on because a, there wasn't enough work b, agency's kept them on a string.
We as employers should bite the bullet and take a good bloke on ,through rough and smooth.
Sorry rant over now, I effing hate agencies :laugh: :laugh:
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:52 pm
by London Stone Paving
henpecked wrote:We as employers should bite the bullet and take a good bloke on ,through rough and smooth.
In an ideal world yes, but easier said than done. Not a big fan of agencies either. We have to use them for drivers now and again. A good driver from an agency is as rare as rocking horse. 95% of them are incompetent drivers who are looking to do as little as possible
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:56 pm
by ilovesettsonmondays
worst thing about agencies is charging up to 20 pounds for a payroll company to work out your deductions etc
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:59 pm
by ilovesettsonmondays
mind you had a nice touch off one i must have worked for in the winter . you always get a text saying you have had blah blah paid into your account on friday . got a text the other week . 155 pound has been paid into your account . havent worked for one since january
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:29 am
by henpecked
Good points. I remember (blinkin years ago now) when 'casual' meant pretty useless and paid more than the going rate as they were short term. This model keeps business in mind of utilising good workers when they get them. Nowadays its an entry system to work, you work for peanuts then if you keep going longer and harder than full time guys you might get a shout. Its a false economy, really, I cant wait for 2020 when most of this is sorted out and the building trade doesn't have the p*** taken out of it ,[/rant off]
sorry for hijacking thread but its a bit of a bone of contention for me.
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:04 am
by lutonlagerlout
1 good bloke is worth 2 crap ones so if he works for £120 a day and they work for £80 a day then it makes good sense to keep him on. we have blokes working for us who earn more short term than us,but you have to look at the bigger picture
cheers LLL 
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 6:11 pm
by ilovesettsonmondays
the bigger picture is there are too many agencies taking 4 pound an hour plus out of the working mans hand.fair enough if you get someone no good agency can get rid of him say day , but so can the employer if you employ him c.i.s