'Remember, I don't work for free': Farm driver refuses to work unpaid overtime, informs boss he will leave his truck on the side of the highway

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Oct 27, 2023 3:00 PM EDT

This company decided they weren't going to pay overtime to their employees anymore. Maybe they should've thought about their very perishable product before implementing that rule! 

Being a truck driver is a crucial job in America. It's how we receive all sorts of items---every time you buy food from the grocery store or buy a new sweater at a clothing store, you can be sure a truck drove it to that location first. Even though truck drivers are so critical, they don't always get the best treatment in the workplace, as this person's truck driver friend can attest to. The OP shared their friend's tale of malicious compliance. It all took place while he was driving a milk tanker full of hundreds of gallons of moo juice. Somehow, this dude's bosses thought they could get away with removing his overtime pay with zero consequences. He called their bluff, though!

Check out this workplace story below, as well as commenters who had their own tales of petty compliance to add. Then, lawyers are supposed to be renowned for their attention to detail, but this insurance lawyer couldn't even be bothered to watch the right video to help his client win an "open and shut case." 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    Font - NO paid over time? No worries S OC I have a mate who drives milk tankers from farm to farm and than drops the milk of at milk processing plant. He works under an award agreement with set pay conditions. They recently got a new manager. Recently they have been short staffed and each day they did about two hours overtime.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 02
    Font - Come payday my friend asks the boss where's the overtime pay. He gets the reply " we don't pay overtime anymore." My friend replies" sure but remember I don't work for free"
    via u/[deleted]
  • 03
    Font - The next day it comes knock off time and my friend is about an hour from the milk plant with a full load of milk. He pulls up the truck on highway and calls his boss and conversation goes like this.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 04
    Font - friend" Hey boss since you don't pay overtime i have left the truck at this location with keys in it, see you tomorrow" Boss" what, you cant do that"
    via u/[deleted]
  • 05
    Font - Friend" yeh I can as you don't pay overtime and I don't work for free. so see you tomorrow" he than hangs up 30 seconds later Boss" we will pay you the overtime plus what we owe you if you get back in the truck"
    via u/[deleted]
  • 06
    Font - He says the new boss is much compliant these days. EDit: thanks for all your support. Here some answers to your questions. 1. It Australia and he is covered by an award which means its law however
    via u/[deleted]
  • 07
    Font - 2. He is a former union delegate and thought some quick industrial compliance in the workplace would stop all the fuss quickly and rebalance the power between the worker and his manager. you can spend weeks sorting this stuff out in a formal industrial setting 3. He never intended to leave the milk trunk as its farmers milk. He was going to deliver and than file formal industrial complaints but he guess he wouldn't need to with his actions 4. My mate is the biggest larrikin also, so it wa
    via u/[deleted]
  • 08
    Font - TerraKorruption Always get it in writing. After this boss said he'll pay, the next response should be "sure, send me exactly what you just said in a text message / email, and when I've got that, I'll get right on it"
    via u/TerraKorruption
  • 09
    Font - heisdeadjim_au This is called work to rule and it is a good thing. Bosses need to understand their best assets are their employees. F around with them and find out.
    via u/heisdeadjim_au
  • 10
    Font - d_nijmegen I told my boss. The truck runs on diesel and I run on money. Cut one of them off and we both grind to a halt.
    via u/d_nijmegen
  • 11
    Font - Elmarc DeVaca Until the problem was his problem, the boss had no problem. 66 DST2287 Reply Share That's how it usually goes lol
    via u/ Elmarc DeVaca
  • 12
    Gesture - Pan-Pan90. D, sounds like the boss wised up before your mate could start a MOO-vement. I'll show myself out.
    via u/Pan-Pan90
  • 13
    Font - Asuran8 I could totally see the boss with a surprised pikachu face after finding out the employee has a backbone and won't work for free
    via u/Asuran8
  • 14
    Font - Silas89 To me it's quite simple: I'm okay with doing more than I have to do if they give me more than they have to give me.
    via u/Silas89
  • 15
    Font - -freemanwildling-. lol this reminds me of my GF who is a teacher. she often gets a new school or at least a new principal every year. this year the principal is a real sticker for working all your hours. no arriving late and no leaving early "you work the hours you are paid" as she put it. my GF was worried about this but i said: she (the principal) is such a stickler for the rules around working time then do the same back. you are entitled by law to 2 - 15 min breaks and a 30 min lunch.
    via u/-freemanwildling
  • 16
    Font - on day one the principal told her she would have to work over lunch. my GF reiterated what i had said. she is the only teacher in the school that takes all her entitled breaks and now the principal doesnt even ask her to cover extra hours any more. if your employers sets rules use those rules to your advantage.
    via u/-freemanwildling

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

boss malicious compliance payday milk malicious-compliance-reddit driving drivers driver pay truck overtime bad bosses
Scroll Down For The Next Article