Strange choice
Page 31
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T read with great interest the 1 article about Superdrug, "Healthy Outlook" (CM 10-16 September).
I was employed at Superdrug from August 1983 to August 1998 in the capacity of HGV1 driver. I was on call from 03:00hrs to midnight, Monday to Friday. This involved 03:00hrs starts on early shifts or 13:00hrs starts on the late shift, plus nights away. Weekend work was at 36 hours' notice, and paid at time and a quarter. We also, after delivery at our stores, did haul-back from suppliers. Our working week was 54 hours for £420 a week, plus five weeks' holiday a year.
Some days the business would dictate only an eighthour shift, but other days it was as long as 15 hours. I can assure you that every driver did the required 54 hours.
We had all been with the company for at least 15 years, and some for as long as 25, and until 1996 these had been good, happy years with a very caring and successful organisation.
During my time with Superdrug I saw a great number of directors come and go. Mr Grindlay joined the company as head of distribution, and none of us saw him right up to the day we all left. I still wouldn't know who had made me redundant if it had not been for your article.
We were all hard-working and conscientious, but your article seems to view us as lazy and unwilling to adopt flexible working practices. A considerable amount of the drivers are still looking for employment, and this does not stand them in good stead.
Furthermore, as this article states, Superdrug has gone over to a drivers' agency called Drivers Edge, which was introduced to the company only recently and which does not have the experience of such companies as Tibbett & Britten, Beck & Pulitzer, Wincanton, Exel Logistics, lIays, Bibby, Securicor. Omega, Harris, etc.
In your following issue, on page 42, a statement is made about the poor driving and high accident rates of agency drivers. You also mention agencies' horrendous costs, plus the fact that there is now a shortage of experienced Group 1 drivers.
Why, therefore, has Superdrug decided to use agency drivers? I know from my own experience in the past 10 weeks that companies hate to resort to them because of the terrible accident rates.
It is now costing Superdrug more for this sole agency agreement then when it had its own mature, and not by any means overpaid, workforce.
I am not writing this letter out of bitterness, as I have found employment with a large brewery only a short drive from where I live, one of several jobs I was offered. Wages and conditions are better, and the drivers are treated with respect as professionals. But I would like to exchange my one year's salary for 10')...'0 of Superdrug's costs for accidents and damage for 1998. PIA/ Hayden,
Kingston, Surrey.