7 day working

[Hermescourier]

As a self-employed courier for Hermes, we (the 10,000 couriers engaged by Hermes) are shortly to be forced (without any consultation) into working 7 days a week, possibly up to 8pm every evening to fulfil our contract for services. Although we are not 'obliged' to collect and deliver the parcels in theory, we would lose our jobs (or contract for services) if we didn't, so in practice, we have no option but to accede to the company's wishes. We also have the right to nominate substitute couriers, but in reality finding someone to cover our work on weekends has proven impossible, so much so that even Hermes themselves isn't trying to engage staff for weekend work. Their contract for services is pretty watertight, but I just wondered if there was anyone out there who had an idea that could be useful in our fight to avoid being forced to work 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year without holiday pay, sick pay or any other benefit. I accept that we are 'self-employed', but only because it's how the employer chooses to operate without costs to themselves.

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I'm sorry to hear about your problems and understand your concerns.

 

I hope some of the guys will be along later with advice for you. Weekends are always a little quieter here though, so please bear with us.

 

My best, HB

[Sidewinder]

Sadly - and as I think you acknowledge yourself - there is not an awful lot you can do. There is no legislation to fall back on here. They are giving notice of a change to the contract and it seems to be a case of take it or have the contract terminated. I used to be involved in similar contracts - to deliver newspapers - which involved a seven day a week requirement (obviously due to the nature of the product). We originally had a couple of contract drivers who just used to work weekends, but in the end it was far easier to just issue the contracts and leave the arrangements for 'how' the seven days were covered to the individual contractors. They still managed to take holidays by getting friends or other family members to cover those periods and the days that they wanted off and it worked rather well.

 

Are you not able to find somebody in need of extra money from time to time who might be willing to cover some weekend and holiday work?

[rebel11]

I'm not a big fan of Unions, but is there a Union you could join, talk to the company, tell them it's not a good state of affairs where contracts are forced on individuals without consultation, that can't be in the interest of any business. If 10,000 individuals started their own delivery company, what would Hermes do then?

 

http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1410