You know when you've been taken for a mug

[Pebbs]

Sorry its another rant, I recently took two subbies on, for a project and because the work is a bit of this a bit of that, I put them on day rate. I know now in retrospective this was one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made. I know work slows down on day rates but these works were impossible to do on a price. So they came on the job had a look round, I showed them what needed to be done and I estimated it would be about 20 days work for a pair so we are up to 40 days in total to complete the works. We had a few delays due to areas not being available but I cleared that out, I also put a labourer on the job to do the running about for them. Before Christmas I thought they are taking their time down there, as they were not even half way through and we were already 15 days into the job. Then on Tuesday I had a phone call from the client telling me neither of them were there....so then I was on red alert. I texted one of them telling them I would be dropping by later and I needed to pick up a tub of additive. No response till 5.39pm that afternoon saying sorry lynn didnt see your text message, and we have just left site. Thanks to the marvels of technology this site is on a smart card system, so today I asked for the swipe cards time for both of them... this is what i got back in from the main contractor.

Date	In	Out
09/01/14	8.04	13.45
08/01/14	8.17	14.55
07/01/14	8.05	11.29
06/01/14	7.41	12.54
20/12/13	7.54	11.51
19/12/13	7.47	12.41
18/12/13	7.35	14.46
17/12/13	7.33	13.04
16/12/13	8.02	14.33
13/12/13	7.33	13.24
12/12/13	7.47	14.06
11/12/13	7.59	15.42
10/12/13	7.43	14.44
09/12/13	7.44	14.55

So tomorrow, I will be down there, and I cant even put into words how furious I am, you trust people, and thats the mistake you should never trust people. Not once have they ever worked past 4.00pm, and to make matters worse I paid them before Christmas. I think I really have got mug tatooed on my forehead.

Lynn

 

[Gazzer]

You do seem to have more than your fair share of problems Lynn !. I can understand what you are going through though as years ago we had 28 fixers , and that means 28 problems waiting!

 

[White Room]

That is taking the p$ss, theres no other word for it....

 

[Pebbs]

The more subbies you have the more problems you have, you cant be watching over all of them every hour of the day. I already know kind of what their excuse will be...the smart card reader is wrong...blah de blah blah blah. I dont know what to do on this one, Im at full capacity, I cant pull any of the lads of the other jobs, Im screwed arent I?

 

[White Room]

Surly there must guys out there who are fit purpose for this work, all I keep hearing is how good everyone seems to be....

 

[Pebbs]

Anyone who is any good seems to be busy at the moment, I went through my book earlier and made a few calls. I think I have got to shut up and put up, and I cant do that, its goes against the grain, so I think I will explode tomorrow, and go back to square one...panic stations.

 

[White Room]

Where did you get these guys from...

 

[Alan.P]

Sorry to hear your having problems Lynn, not all subbies take the p1$$, you just seem to pick up the wrong 'uns.

 

[Deleted member 9966]

Lynn have you paid them for all of the work they were required to do, or just the work they did until Christmas? I'd be inclined to turn their daily rate into an hourly rate. Tell them if they want their daily rate, then they turn up and do a full day and that the clock card system will be watching them.

 

[Gazzer]

Lynn have you paid them for all of the work they were required to do, or just the work they did until Christmas? I'd be inclined to turn their daily rate into an hourly rate. Tell them if they want their daily rate, then they turn up and do a full day and that the clock card system will be watching them.

If ever I have worked or subbed to anyone on a daily rate then it is also understood that a full day should be acheived. Any late starts and early finishes were taken into account.