Driver Academy - Pay Cut For Drivers?!!

[Akaman29]

So...

I passed my Class 1 through Driver Academy about a year ago, and I know all the blurb about having to apply for vacant duties inside an hour of home address etc. But here's the thing, I'm already a 7.5t driver on permanent nights, so my guaranteed minimum wage with my shift allowance is around £35k, that's before any SAs that are attached to my job and before any overtime. Now I have Driver Academy screaming at me that I have to apply for a job listed at £34k a year (more often than not it's over an hour from my home address anyway, might be under an hour now - on a Sunday evening...). For the privilege of this £1000 a year pay cut to drive Class 1 vehicles, I'd have to travel an extra eighty miles a day, and spend around an extra eight hours a week out the house to do this travelling

The T&Cs mention about maybe having to do other shifts, they mention nothing about the possibility of having to apply for jobs with a lesser financial package, this is before taking into account the thousands that commuting would cost me. Surely this kind of strong-arming, even if contractually correct (which I doubt), is morally bankrupt. Can't see how they could possibly force or expect anyone to apply for a role that's going to leave them potentially thousands of pounds a year worse off

Wondering if anyone else is having or has had similar issues?

Cheers

[iHateD2Ds]

Why not tell them you do not wish to apply for the class 1 duty because of the PayCut?
Did you sign and agree a contractual obligation of taking a duty of driving class 1 vehicle( even with lesser pay)?

[jamesmorris13]

You are comparing your 600 duty, including allowances, with the basic pay of a class 1. I drive class 1 on a 4 week rotation, and on all of my duties there is overtime attached, and you get allowances for different shifts, like you do currently. In the time I’ve been driving them, I’ve always been paid a lot more than £34000.

[Navalron]

You are comparing your 600 duty, including allowances, with the basic pay of a class 1. I drive class 1 on a 4 week rotation, and on all of my duties there is overtime attached, and you get allowances for different shifts, like you do currently. In the time I’ve been driving them, I’ve never been paid anywhere near the £34000.

No it will be a lot more. Probably in the region of approx £39,000/ £45,000 per year.

[the beautiful bd south]

I really don't understand the issue.
The terms and conditions where set out before you applied for the driving academy. As one poster has said with allowances added to the basic wage you are going to earn more. The hours travel was always a consequence of taking part in the academy and something you will have been aware of. Could it be that your current duty pattern suits you and in an ideal world you would like to remain on the same hours?
That was the risk you took taking part in the scheme.
At the end of the day you have a class1 qualification for free.
Cake and eat it springs to mind.

[postman2014]

Did it say pick a duty within a 1 hour drive away or just 1 hour away. If you suddenly don't own a car i assume it would be a 1 hour walk which would mean your distribution centre is closest. What I am getting at is that if they didn't actually stick the method of transport when they said 1 hour away more fool them. Just say you only got a bicycle now

[Whinealot]

You are mis informed about C+E pay rate. As stated straight pay is around £34K (36.1/4 hr week pre 6% rise) plus Night shift allowance circa £5K plus O/T. Depending on what the criteria T&C’s for obtaining training through RM and it’s consequences were, you would or should of known this before applying for it. Did you expect them to pay for C+E and then just leave you to drive C1 because you think it’s a pay drop or it’s too far from your nearest VOC? I may seem to be a little blunt but RM seems to have a few who think C+E is a money ticket upgrade but aren’t prepared to do the work that goes with it.

[NWpostie]

This is the main reason why I decided not to go for it, if you sign up and have your trainng paid for, you're their b*tch for 2 years, travelling for an hour with fuel cost and in social hours may negate any gains in money.