VOSA changes are at expense of staff
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AMONG ALL the ATF news about how good it will be for operators with onsite testing, reduced downtime and, rather bizarrely, reduced failure rates, there's one group of people that is being trampled on.
I'm a vehicle inspector working for VOSA, carrying out testing at a station and various designated premises.
We have been told that management proposals include the stopping of travel and subsistence expenses for working away from the base station.
It is also recommended that the first and last journey of the day should be at our expense and in our own time. At the moment, we are allowed to claim for both.
Overtime payment has been discouraged, with time off in lieu encouraged.
Mileage was calculated on distance from your base station. To claim it, you have to have busi ness mileage on your insurance. With fuel prices as they are, if this comes into effect, I would be forced out because I couldn't afford to drive to these locations, Increased operating hours is another bone of contention. We work 42 hours a week (41 hours in London) between 8arn and 5pm, Monday to Friday. The pro posed changes are to work from barn until 8pm, Monday to Saturday. No extra money will be paid for shift work and unsociable hours.
These are proposals, but with contracts being signed on the promise of Saturday testing, I think they may be more than just proposals.
All the vehicle inspectors I have spoken to and work with agree. If these changes happen, they will be forced out of work because of the costs involved.
We didn't receive a pay rise last year, and the year before it was a laughable 03%. It seems VOSA is bending over backwards to gain favour with the industry at the expense of its own staff.
It takes about a year to train somebody to be a inspector. If a majority leave, forward booking times could well be measured in months.
Name and address withheld Via email