Need some outside advice

[essexgt4]

Right to set the scene, ive been a bus/coach driver since i was 18 and im now 25, been in and out of a few companies but for the past 2 and a half years i have been with one certain small company.

It started off as just part time driving hours, you know school runs and the odd private hires, but when my boss found out i had a keen interest in mechanics he offered to take me on full time as a psv mechanic and a driver.

Now the going rate at my company is £40 a day for the school runs which is usually a maxium of 3-4 hours a day.
I am being paid and have been on £7 an hour for 40hrs a week for the past year and a half, but i feel that i am underpaid considering the amount of work i do and sort of work i do.

The work i do involves welding, safety inspections, general servicing, major mechanical work, body work, cleaning driving and dealing with general public, paper work, mot's etc

Now here is the tricky bit he has me down in my contract as a trainee mechanic as i am un-qualified, so i fear he has me by the short and curlies.
Don't get me wrong i appreciate he has given me full time work but the fact he pays two other contract mechanics £25 an hour for the same sort of work i find it a little unfair.

Im not sure on everyone elses opinion but i feel that the other drivers getting £40 for a maximum of 4 hours a day and me getting £56 for 9 hours a day a bit out of order.
He doesnt even pay me the £40 for the school run and £7 for the maintenance work i do inbetween its just the flat £7 an hour.

There is no unsociable hours rate no overtime rate and not that much overtime, there are private hires to do from time to time but due to him consistantly shorting me on wages when it comes to them i now refuse to do said private hires.

I asked him to consider a pay rise to a fair and decent amount and he just said put it in writing and tbh i havent a clue what to include in this letter.

I dont want to say i want a pay rise or im off as i do enjoy what i do and at the moment i have nothing else to fall back on and i really dont want to burn my bridges.

so guys and gals i need some friendly advice.

[dudleybloke]

it depends on how well you get on with the boss.
if you have a good relationship with them i would have a chat with him rather than go the letter route.

[rog007]

Like all other employers, he's trying to get the most bang for his buck. If you're not happy with this state of affairs you have 3 options: 1- ask for a raise now. 2- leave the company if you don't get the raise you want. 3-keep stumm and get on with it. Good luck!

[Jefftav]

As other posters have said either keep quiet and get on with things and hope your boss sees sense sooner rather than later.

Or as your boss has suggested put your thoughts into a letter. As you have in your post detail what you think is unfair (hours, rate of pay, demands etc)and also stress that you enjoy your job and would like to stay with the company but feel that your pay rate should be £??.??(See if you can find out what the industry pays a PSV mechanic).

Possibly even suggesting that you get paid separately for your driving shifts and bus maintenance shifts although legally I don't know how this works with driving time regulations. You could also suggest that the company pays for you to attend a recognised bus maintenance/repair course so that you are more useful to them in the longer term as if they recognise you are a trainee there should be some obligation to upskill and mentor you.

AS always be reasonable and don't make rash threats about leaving etc... as you may need a reference and it's sometimes easier to find a job when you already have a job. Also understand that your boss has to run a business and maybe they just can't afford anymore £££'s at the moment.

Best of luck

[blindswelledrat]

Just do a polite note containing more or less what you put in your OP. Stree your reliability and enthusiasm and that you like working there
Ackowledge your lack of formal qualifications but suggest you still undertake the saem work as the qualified blokes regardless. Agree that you don't expect to be on the same rate as the formally qualified mechanics but that you would appreciate a gesture to acknowledge the work you do relative to those.

[Nick M]

blindswelledrat said:

Just do a polite note containing more or less what you put in your OP. Stree your reliability and enthusiasm and that you like working there
Ackowledge your lack of formal qualifications but suggest you still undertake the saem work as the qualified blokes regardless. Agree that you don't expect to be on the same rate as the formally qualified mechanics but that you would appreciate a gesture to acknowledge the work you do relative to those.

+1

Stress your positives rather than using words like 'unfair' or 'unreasonable'.

For example, "I acknowledge I am an unqualified mechanic, but my work is at least to the same standards, if not better, than other mechanics earning nearly four times what I earn and I would like that to be recognised."

He's basically hoping you won't take the risk of putting a request for more money in writing, so he doesn't have to do anything or risk losing a valuable (and cheap) employee.

'Fortune favours the brave', as they say... ('they' usually being the ones with nothing to lose.... )

[zaphod42]

Be polite. Be clear. Be constructive.

Do you want become qualified? Might he give you some support for evening classes, etc to help - financially or in terms of time off?