Hello peoples, I'm hoping you might be able to give me a bit of help.

I work as a delivery driver for a well known, national company. I started working there in October, and I earn £5.63/hour plus £0.60 per delivery to cover my costs.

The problem is, the £0.60 no longer covers my costs, as fuel has risen ~£0.30 / L since I started working for them.

I understand that the commission has not been reviewed in at least five years (on the word of the longest standing member of staff), so I want to write a letter to the area manager (who I believe sets the rate, and is able to increase it) which all the drivers can sign and deliver.

I'm hoping people here could give me some advice on how to go about this.

The problem is, I don't know the full situation. I don't know:

1. When the commission was last reviewed
2. Who actually has the power to review it (I've been told the AM, but only by fellow drivers, who may not know themselves)
3. What I should ask for it to be set at. I know a (similarly sized, nationwide) rival pays £1.00 per delivery.

Also, I don't want to alienate or annoy my branch manager who is notoriously stroppy. I'm not contracted set hours, so I don't want to land myself in a position where she drops all my hours and I'm without any pay at all.

I was considering keeping all my fuel receipts and delivery records so I could prove that I am spending more in fuel than my commission covers, but it's easily rigged so thought it would be useless. It's also worth remembering that, fuel isn't the only cost associated with the work. Tyre wear, oil, and servicing costs all have to be factored in too.

Anyone got any pointers?

I'd be inclined to keep a mileage record for a week or so. Her majesty's government has a set recommended rate for mileage (40p) which is reviewed regularly, so you should be able to make a fair case.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/travel.htm

As to the politics, my advice is to get someone else to do it! Is there a union rep, even if you're not a member? Maybe someone more senior who is on a full contract?

As you have info about what one rival pays, is there anyway you can canvas some others? It may be easier to build a reasoned argument if they are all paying more.

My old firm used to pay 40p per mile to anyone using their own transport to travel to meetings etc.. But that was set when petrol was 50-odd per per litre, and still hasn't changed AFAIK. When people asked about an increase, they just flat refused - economic situation etc.. Although I wasn't there to see it, so I can't comment on the manner in which they asked.

I should note, last year my previous employer was paying 20p/mile. People still made a profit by claiming back the tax on the difference between that and the 40p rate.

Thanks for the replies guys.

Hmm, 40p/mile.

Mileage varies - some drops are very close, some drops are futher away. I suppose the best thing to do would be to record milage and compare it to the commission paid.

I don't really think it will be possible to get data for any other companies - I don't know of any other national companies, although there are some independents, but they're unlikely to tell me their pay arrangements.

Our commission has now been raised to £0.80



I asked for £1.00 hoping they would offer £0.80 and they did.

Some people are suggesting we should ask for it to be back-dated, but I think that's a bit cheeky. Realistically, I think we could only ask for it to be back-dated to when we asked for the raise, which wasn't too long ago. It's not as if they have deliberately delayed getting back to us in order to save money on the wage bill.

Good news Nick, nice one.