Greater Anglia recruiting for qualified drivers (again)

[martin2345uk]

Seems to be most if not all depots?

Closing date is apparently either February 4th 2022 in the text of the advert, or 31.12.2022 in the side info, so better be quick

Wonder what this means for those of us who still have open applications from the last time they recruited, in January...!

Operations | Greater Anglia

careers.greateranglia.co.uk

 

[Andypandy1968]

Seems to be most if not all depots?

Closing date is apparently either February 4th 2022 in the text of the advert, or 31.12.2022 in the side info, so better be quick

Wonder what this means for those of us who still have open applications from the last time they recruited, in January...!

Operations | Greater Anglia

careers.greateranglia.co.uk

If you check their salary and roster its clear to see why they are often recruiting.

 

[Nflkrail]

If you check their salary and roster its clear to see why they are often recruiting.

Amen to that. Shame the pay deal was turned down!

 

[TheGoldfish]

Maybe if they gave their recruitment team a good shake it wouldn’t be so hard for them to get people … I think I had 4 apps with them in the end all of which just faded away … they would call me and ask me to attend assessment days then not send me any joining details … then no further contact … I still have an open app on their portal from 2017 that says ’in progress’ ‍♂.. I drive for another toc now but at the time it was so frustrating

 

[Crazyb]

Talking to one of their guys at Liverpool Street when passing through, the're balloting for strike. No rise for the last 3 years.

 

[martin2345uk]

Can't blame them, must be rubbish seeing other TOCs on substantially more, or getting decent raises this year, and to be offered nothing at all, or not even having pay talks entertained.

 

[dk1]

Can't blame them, must be rubbish seeing other TOCs on substantially more, or getting decent raises this year, and to be offered nothing at all, or not even having pay talks entertained.

DfT has given consent for TOCs to enter into talks regarding pay talks. As someone driving for Anglia/NXEA/GA since 1998, others pay means very little to me. I love where I live which counts for a great deal in life.

 

[20atthemagnet]

Can't blame them, must be rubbish seeing other TOCs on substantially more, or getting decent raises this year, and to be offered nothing at all, or not even having pay talks entertained.

They've just been left behind. Even with the talks getting anything half decent they'll still be far behind the pack. All of their surrounding TOCs have been progressively getting better in terms of not just pay, but T&Cs diagramming etc. Certainly on the bits I know they've been going backwards so will be nearly impossible to pinch drivers from other TOCs. FOCs perhaps. So unless you live/move on top of a depot its just not an attractive place to go to most are probably far better off where they are. I worked there for a lot of my driving career and it pains me to see so many of my old colleagues so unhappy because they are a great bunch. I moved and now live considerably closer to two of their depots to where I am but going back there is a big no no. Anglia is the only part of proceedings I think still has a bit of pull.

On the flipside they have enough want to be trainees to plug the outflux. Several staff members have assessments passed from when they advertised for trainees a few months ago, but then say nothing, then re-advertise qualifieds they probably wont get. You can imagine the feeling amongst those staff members. Speaks volumes

 

[Crazyb]

DfT has given consent for TOCs to enter into talks regarding pay talks. As someone driving for Anglia/NXEA/GA since 1998, others pay means very little to me. I love where I live which counts for a great deal in life.

I understand that others pay means little, but not a rise for 3 years, that's mad. It dosent matter where you live, it's the principle.......If correct, new francises normally take in account of pay rises.

I live on the GA route, and I love where I live, but you guys work hard...To attract qualified drivers, they need to do better than that, especially the work load you have to do.

I would rather sit on a reduced 5 car to London!!!!!

I'm not having a pop.....It just seems mad.

 

[357]

Anyone know what their roster is like?

 

[dk1]

Anyone know what their roster is like?

Mine is very nice. Four day week, no nights & a long weekend ever 3 weeks

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Apr 2022 ==

Quote a bit of difference between links and with T&Cs depending on whether you work for Anglia, Great Easterm or West Anglia.

 

[Nflkrail]

Just to confirm for GA, it's a 4 day week with Sundays outside, so when you factor that it's really a 4.x day week. The Sundays are committed too, with extras optional. The general structure and seniority within the links is very old hat.

On pay, GA drivers unfortunately missed the boat on the pay deal. Abellio had a franchise commitment to harmonise all 3 companies, or at least give it a go, and no one could agree. The benefits internally weren't really advertised well by either the company or the union.

But generally on pay, it's all really when pay talks are due as to what happens and how much you get. For example, if GA had have taken the pay deal as offered with the terms, ignoring any worsenment to T&Cs, they'd have been on £12k+ more a year now. There are a couple of TOCs, such as Southeastern, who's wages are really behind the rest of the industry. I'm sure it'll change, it's just when the appetite is to push for it.

 

[Class2ldn]

Whats the roster at Norwich like?
Is it a 5 day week there?

 

[Nflkrail]

Whats the roster at Norwich like?
Is it a 5 day week there?

4 day week + committed Sundays

 

[Class2ldn]

Cheers for that

 

[theking]

Talking to one of their guys at Liverpool Street when passing through, the're balloting for strike. No rise for the last 3 years.

No wonder, MTR driving on the same rails as them will be on nigh on 20k more than them.

 

[Class2ldn]

Most companies haven't had a payrise in 3 years and I know at my place there is talk of strikes being balloted , the companies are going to have to do something or people will force the issue.

 

[Economist]

DfT has given consent for TOCs to enter into talks regarding pay talks. As someone driving for Anglia/NXEA/GA since 1998, others pay means very little to me. I love where I live which counts for a great deal in life.

I presume this is a very recent development? As recently as last week, I was under the impression that the DfT was preventing TOCs from doing exactly that, except those which are devolved to some extent such as TfW.

Certainly the impression I have been getting is that the government views this as an ideal time to pick a battle with rail unions.

I do wonder if at TOCs like Greater Anglia there will be any driver retention packages to try and stem the continual exit of drivers.

 

[Astro_Orbiter]

Can't blame them, must be rubbish seeing other TOCs on substantially more, or getting decent raises this year, and to be offered nothing at all, or not even having pay talks entertained.

As a now former GA driver, I'm so glad to be away from there. I was at GA for around 10 years, it wasn't so bad back then but in recent years it's become really bad. The jobs (West Anglia) are absolute rubbish, 10 hour jobs with minimum breaks, 6 mins changing ends time most places, busy suburban work and incredibly poor pay with comparison to other South East TOCs. It might be alright out in back of beyond Norfolk trundling about all day with reasonably low cost of living, but any of the other depots it's hard graft for low pay in an expensive part of the world. As mentioned morale is at rock bottom these days, even before the lack of pay talks.
Having said all of that though, if you're looking to get your foot on the driving ladder then I'd recommend applying, it'll be a good foundation and gets you your ticket.

 

[dk1]

I presume this is a very recent development? As recently as last week, I was under the impression that the DfT was preventing TOCs from doing exactly that, except those which are devolved to some extent such as TfW.

Came through in a brief from head office on Friday.

 

[Economist]

That's an interesting development, if TOCs start putting deals through then those which don't will no longer be able to hide behind the DfT.

 

[Class2ldn]

If there's anyone at Norwich depot or knows about the depot itself could you pm me, wanted to ask some questions.

 

[387star]

Most companies haven't had a payrise in 3 years and I know at my place there is talk of strikes being balloted , the companies are going to have to do something or people will force the issue.

Many drivers will leave otherwise
Job is mentally exhausting
Lots have degrees and previous careers
Not that all are here only for the money...

 

[Class2ldn]

The job is definitely getting worse, not sure I'd call it a job for life now.
Seen too many drivers work to the bone and then drop dead six months after retiring.
More to life then this job thats for sure.
The issue is although not everyone does it for the money once you're earning that it can be difficult to get out and find anything that compares.
Its certainly still a better job then a lot of others but its changed a lot even from when I started.

 

[387star]

The job is definitely getting worse, not sure I'd call it a job for life now.
Seen too many drivers work to the bone and then drop dead six months after retiring.
More to life then this job thats for sure.
The issue is although not everyone does it for the money once you're earning that it can be difficult to get out and find anything that compares.
Its certainly still a better job then a lot of others but its changed a lot even from when I started.

I know you've been on a long time now so I'm interested if you can elaborate on what's getting worse?

Yes leaving is not easy but as mentioned shift work can have serious health implications which isn't great as you age

 

[Class2ldn]

I think the intensity of the work is the main downside now, obviously varies by toc but they constantly want more and more and more without giving much in return.
We've been on stp diagrams for probably a year now and they are awful, 9h50 jobs with 2 20 minute pnbs etc.
People are just mentally drained.
Constantly being taken off route refresher days so the drms can tuck you up with another pile of rubbish.
Like I say I know some tocs have some good work so it can be good but its just finding that work and its not much good if you're not in an area to work for a toc that has better work.
If you compare it to many other jobs outside the railway then we are lucky to have this job with the pay and terms , travel etc but there are definite downsides to it so it is a balance, I think people feel a bit trapped in some ways as there's not much outside the railway that can match the positives but on the flip side they don't always have to deal with the downsides of our job either.
I'm not ungrateful for this job, far from it but I've heard many people recently say if something else came up they'd consider it if it was comparable in pay.

 

[DA1]

at my place there is talk of strikes being balloted

And at my TOC but that’s for another thread.

Good luck to those applying! Routes seem quite good but I imagine, like my TOC, they’ll struggle to get applicants unless it’s due to location.

 

[Economist]

I think the intensity of the work is the main downside now, obviously varies by toc but they constantly want more and more and more without giving much in return.
We've been on stp diagrams for probably a year now and they are awful, 9h50 jobs with 2 20 minute pnbs etc.
People are just mentally drained.
Constantly being taken off route refresher days so the drms can tuck you up with another pile of rubbish.
Like I say I know some tocs have some good work so it can be good but its just finding that work and its not much good if you're not in an area to work for a toc that has better work.
If you compare it to many other jobs outside the railway then we are lucky to have this job with the pay and terms , travel etc but there are definite downsides to it so it is a balance, I think people feel a bit trapped in some ways as there's not much outside the railway that can match the positives but on the flip side they don't always have to deal with the downsides of our job either.
I'm not ungrateful for this job, far from it but I've heard many people recently say if something else came up they'd consider it if it was comparable in pay.

Those PNBs sound dreadful, how on earth are you supposed to eat properly in that amount of time? I guess it must be legal per T&Cs since I don't see any LDR worth their salt signing those off otherwise.

One of the best things about train driving from my perspective is that I'm on my own, I used to have colleagues who spent 8 hours a day on conference calls which I think are incredibly unproductive and absolutely soul-destroying. There might be ten or fifteen of them on a call but only one can speak at a time, yet fifteen train drivers could drive fifteen seperate trains...

Pre-Covid, I'd have quit the railway for commercial piloting. If I had a US Green Card, I probably still would given the pilot shortage in the US, though over here it's still in the doldrums as I see it.

Good luck to those applying! Routes seem quite good but I imagine, like my TOC, they’ll struggle to get applicants unless it’s due to location.

There's EMR at Norwich, XC at Cambridge and GTR at Cambridge/Kings Lynn as far as I know, so even the further out depots have competition going on. Quite how many of the other places nearby need drivers I don't know. Personally, I'm tempted to see who get's what before putting in for any moves, unless it's for a very small list of TOCs/depots.

 

[Class2ldn]

We have thought about relocating to Norfolk but I'm not sure what the work for GA is like, I know the routes etc but if they are constantly on the go all the time then its not somewhere I want to be now, want to get rid of some of the intensity that we have now so would like to find something where the pace is a bit slower

 

[baz962]

We have thought about relocating to Norfolk but I'm not sure what the work for GA is like, I know the routes etc but if they are constantly on the go all the time then its not somewhere I want to be now, want to get rid of some of the intensity that we have now so would like to find something where the pace is a bit slower

I don't know if you sign the MML , wouldn't EMR be good for you. Obviously not if you are relocating to Norfolk , but generally.