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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

This bothers me AIBU

111 replies

tortoiserock · 04/04/2016 17:03

So, I work shifts (fine) anti social hours (also fine) sometimes with someone else (fine.) This involves driving.

If I worked at asda 7-11 I wouldn't be expected to pick up my colleagues and drop them off so whys it considered an expectation because the job is car based? Or AIBU?

OP posts:
wheresthel1ght · 04/04/2016 17:31

Mileage rates cover the cost of fuel and inc wear and tear, insurance etc. So you are being paid for the additional distance just not the time which is due to be implemented as I said above.

You essentially have 2 choices, accept it or find another job, but you will find the situation you described is the same for virtually all caring roles

almondpoisson · 04/04/2016 17:32

can you raise this with management? does your colleague ever do the driving? do you have a team base, and can you agree to both start and end your shift at the base? I think the latter is the only fair way of doing it and no, it's not right to add 40 mins to shift work unpaid for someone else's convenience.

Original poster
tortoiserock · 04/04/2016 17:32

I get around £30 p/w in fuel Elderly and the car including petrol definitely costs a LOT more than that.

The point is that the mileage is meant to compensate the fact that you need the car to get from client to client, otherwise it would be like expecting a Tesco delivery driver to deliver your shopping from their own car and paying their own petrol.

OP posts:
Original poster
tortoiserock · 04/04/2016 17:33

Oh I'm leaving, I just wondered if I was BU.

OP posts:
almondpoisson · 04/04/2016 17:33

I know some district nurses and they operate from a team base so although they drive in and out from their home, their colleague gets in and out at the base and has their own transport from there.

Coconutty · 04/04/2016 17:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
tortoiserock · 04/04/2016 17:37

They don't drive; that's the point.

OP posts:
Binders1 · 04/04/2016 17:37

Elderly is correct. The pence per mileage is to cover all those things. I think ops gripe is her working day being longer having to go out of her way to collect and drop off and she is not paid for the extra time but is reimbursed for the mileage.

KinkyAfro · 04/04/2016 17:39

OP people are trying to give you advice and you're coming across a bit rude.

Buckinbronco · 04/04/2016 17:39

Mileage isn't being paid though. It's just covering petrol and wear and tear. Unless she's being paid for her pick ups and drop offs she's doing them for free

Original poster
tortoiserock · 04/04/2016 17:40

I'm sorry if I am coming over that way, it's interesting as I felt people were being quite rude to me tbh. Anyway there's no actual advice I'm after, just wondered if people felt I was being unreasonable. And maybe a little rant :)

OP posts:
acasualobserver · 04/04/2016 17:41

The OP has never said whether these lifts are a contractual obligation. This is relevant in considering if she is being unreasonable.

BillSykesDog · 04/04/2016 17:42

YANBU to want to be paid for the time. YWNBU to request that you only pick up and drop off colleagues who lives within a certain reasonable distance.

If (as it sounds like) you are resentful of your colleague because of this arrangement then YABU. YABU to expect to ditch your colleague at the first and last job of the day regardless of where it is and leave them to make their own way back. It's not their fault and that would be unfair and unworkable.

Is there a public transport location closer to your house that you could drop them off at/meet you at so that your journey out of your way is minimised?

Original poster
tortoiserock · 04/04/2016 17:43

It was never an issue casual when I first started and as for in my contract, I just don't know sorry.

We were told at a recent meeting we had to do pick ups and drop offs morning and night.

Bill, it's not one colleague in particular its the principle of the thing really. It's basically saying my times worthless.

OP posts:
skankingpiglet · 04/04/2016 17:44

I agree you need to go digging through your contract to check if you are responsible for collecting/dropping off the co-worker. If not it seems perfectly reasonable to expect them to either make their way to/from your house at either end of the day, or you arrange a collection point en route to the first location each day (I assume every day are different locations). As you have willingly accepted the current set up for a period of time though I can imagine this will cause problems.

MintyChops · 04/04/2016 17:45

I would be pissed off at having to collect someone and drop them off. Your colleague should make their own way to the first, and from the last, calls. It would be reasonable for you to drive both of you for the other visits if that is where you are going anyway but not to expect you to basically act like a taxi service for them at the start and end of the day. So YANBU, tell them you can no longer do it.

Buckinbronco · 04/04/2016 17:45

Acasualobserver - I don't think the contact matters. How could it ever be OK to expect someone to work for free whether you put it in the contract or not? You can put anything you want in a contract, doesn't make it ok

ProcrastinatorGeneral · 04/04/2016 17:45

I think it is unreasonable for your employer to assume you will do the 'home' runs for your colleague. I think meeting at the first call and parting ways at the last is the fairest method. I'd refuse to do pick up and drop offs.

I think you're getting flack for having not explained properly at first.

user7755 · 04/04/2016 17:45

Anyone who uses their car for work is in a similar situation in terms of mileage. The rate per mile includes wear and tear, it isn't intended to pay for all the cost of running a car (as it is assumed that this is used by you outside work too).

Do you get paid for just the time spent on a visit or the travelling between appointments too?

Original poster
tortoiserock · 04/04/2016 17:45

Just time spent on a visit.

OP posts:
Bringiton2016 · 04/04/2016 17:46

YANBU. They haven't received recruited staff with the required skills and you are suffering because of that. Just tell your employer you're not doing it anymore, and will be meeting colleague on the job. Let your employer come to you and tell you its in your contract. If your employer employs people who can't drive, it should pick up the slack in the form of taxis, works minibus, whatever. It's not your problem, they are making it so. Good luck.

Buddahbelly · 04/04/2016 17:47

Dont know if this helps at all but when my nan recently had carers in at all times of the night, some would turn up alone (who had obviously driven), and would wait for the other person to arrive, if he was there first post of call.... never did i see them arriving together as if one had picked the other up. Now if you want to do that then fine but it should not be expected of you and would piss me off no end.

Also you shouldn't expect to be taken home, if you finish your shift together the least you could do is drop them near to their bus stop. If i were you id just say i'm loosing out on 40 mins a day ferrying you back and forth, so meet me at the first place, and well go from there, but at the end of the shift ask them were their bus stop is. I take it your a carer and not a taxi! Yanbu.

acasualobserver · 04/04/2016 17:47

as for in my contract, I just don't know sorry

I really think you should find out. An employer cannot simply make a unilateral change to your agreed conditions.

Didiusfalco · 04/04/2016 17:50

Seems quite clear that regardless of mileage payment if part of your job is to collect the other carer and that is not optional you should be paid for the time it takes you. The 40p p/m is not the payment for your time!

user7755 · 04/04/2016 17:51

Am I imagining it or has there been something in the news recently about someone taking a care provider company to court for unfair employment practices because they were only paid for the visits and not the time in between?

The issue is that care is so expensive to provide because of the sheer volume of people needing it, but it is so cheap because companies need to be competitive and it's the workers who are disadvantaged (not at all helpful but I do feel for anyone in this line of work).