Brexit and the driver shortage

theloadstar.co.uk/brexit-unease … ics-firms/

Some interesting figures. Only 14%, I thought it was higher than that.

Funny how they call it a “skills shortage” when we are classed as unskilled by Mrs May.

A definition of unskilled workers…

"An unskilled worker is an employee who does not use reasoning or intellectual abilities in their line of work. These workers are typically found in positions that involve manual labor such as packager, assembler, or apprentice, or farm worker. Unskilled jobs usually do not require formal education and can be performed by the majority of individuals. Due to the fact that their jobs do not require high levels of education or training, unskilled workers tend to earn lower than average salaries when compared to other workers. Jobs performed by unskilled workers are sometimes labeled “blue collar” jobs by mainstream society. Unskilled workers often work in environments where they are exposed to unsafe conditions on a regular basis."

One of the main challenges in attracting recruits has been the perception that the industry lacks significant career opportunities.

What a crock of bullshine…another example of these people not living in the real world.
THE MAIN CHALLENGE is …wait for it…POOR WAGES + EVEN WORSE WORKING CONDITIONS…kin idiots :imp: :imp: :imp:

You forgot to mention “rising costs of living” which means every manual worker in the land - will eventually run out of money.

The music stops - when the average household can no longer keep up minimum credit payments, which otherwise would allow them to keep on borrowing money forever.

“Cutting up your cards” and relying on ready cash - is as good for individuals to “end the cycle of debt” as “Brexit” is for “weaning the EU off the UK teat.”

idrive:
Funny how they call it a “skills shortage” when we are classed as unskilled by Mrs May.

A definition of unskilled workers…

"Unskilled jobs usually do not require formal education and can be performed by the majority of individuals. Due to the fact that their jobs do not require high levels of education or training, unskilled workers tend to earn lower than average salaries when compared to other workers. Jobs performed by unskilled workers are sometimes labeled “blue collar” jobs by mainstream society. Unskilled workers often work in environments where they are exposed to unsafe conditions on a regular basis."

Can anyone tell me what part of the above does not apply to truck drivers?

Okay - the bit I cut off - An unskilled worker is an employee who does not use reasoning or intellectual abilities in their line of work.
may not apply to many drivers, but employers are trying hard to make it so.

Truck driving is semi-skilled at best.

It’s getting a bit close to Christmas to have a go at santa but…

The bit you cut out is pretty important really as that actually describes what they think of the person.

I’d say that 3 grands worth of govt approved training and ongoing costs and training for life count as formal education.

Can the majority of individuals drive a truck?

Just because someone is paid poorly, or exposed to dangerous working conditions, does not make them unskilled.

We are entrusted every day with high value equipment + loads, and the lives of the people we encounter on the roads.

Maybe I have a different perspective as an owner driver for so long, perhaps that will change now I have joined the ranks…

But just because parts of the industry suffer from low pay and poor conditions, it does not follow that it is an unskilled job.

madmackem:
Some interesting figures. Only 14%, I thought it was higher than that.

Whilst it is 14% overall at some companies it can be most of their workforce. Certainly at Fowler Welch at Spalding it seemed to be, the drivers waiting room seemingly only having native english speakers when visiting drivers from subbies turned up.

There’s huge regional variations…the east of England has far more ‘rest of EU’ drivers than the south-west.

But as long as drivers are regarded and rewarded as ‘unskilled’ there will be a shortage of them.

There are only two ways to address the driver shortage.

  1. Cut hours to 9 - 5 and keep current annual wages as they are.

  2. Retain the ‘long hours’ culture and put the wages up accordingly…to x 2 the national average income.

Reason being: thanks to our inflated property prices and rents, you now need two average wages to keep one family housed and clothed. You either reduce drivers hours to allow the ‘driving’ spouse to do their share of the domestic stuff because both partners are working or you pay the driver double the money so the partner can be a full-time home-maker.

A couple of years back, the FTA admitted that newly-qualified younger drivers were proving the most difficult to retain…that’s a fact that speaks volumes about the way that their members treats drivers.

idrive:
.

Can the majority of individuals drive a truck?

But just because parts of the industry suffer from low pay and poor conditions, it does not follow that it is an unskilled job.

Personally I don’t count it as an unskilled job, but to your question can the majority of individuals drive a truck, no because they have never gone and taken the course. Could the majority of individuals drive a truck, then the answer is yes. Compare that with, could the majority of individuals get a chemistry degree, then the answer would be no.

Truck driving may be “semi skilled” - but the fact is that “NO employer actually wants to train people up any longer” - because they are scared that the new recruit will quickly tire of a near-minimum wage once “qualified”, and will thus use that employer as a “University of Life” rather than a serious EMPLOYER for life…

I guess people have now wised-up as to the old former “Tie-In” contracat of employment.

You got a job, got some training - and then were obliged to “stay with the firm” for something like five years, lest the cost of your training be deducted from your final pay - should you decide to up sticks, and leave - before the 5 years was up.

Nowadays, I suspect there are oodles of people who “deliberately get themselves sacked” from this line of work - because they know they have already got another job quickly, AND they don’t have to work their notice period!

There is even a movement to “get sacked on payday” - so you’ve already been paid to the end of the month - and then don’t have to work the days between payday and that last day of the month!

The larger firms especially - don’t want to train. They want to use you before you can make use of them. :bulb: :bulb: :bulb: :bulb:

The smaller firms should find life rather easier, once Brexit is actually completed, rather than left in limbo as it has these past two years already. “The Theresa May Limbo” it will be called in History. The EU’s “STOP” marker: A prime minister who’ll not even “drag her feet” but leave them completely buried in the Clay she’s been standing in the past 28 months already! :imp:

It takes skill to drive a truck well. It takes a good employer to pay their staff well. That means “Over time, the better drivers will gradually migrate towards the better-paying firms”.

The firms that pay the least - will end up with all the dross, “9-points-on-licence OK” types, who’ll surely smash up more kit per year than their low wages save the firm in turn.
It is false ecomomy - of course.
If you cannot afford to pay a premium - your firm is in the wrong line of business. :bulb:

…Wait until the insurance companies wise-up to firms “deliberately running high-liability employees” - and the effect such a policy should and could have on the company premia - the moment they DO wake up to the “implied” rather than “actual” insurance risks… !

“Firms with no insurance at all” would become commonplace… AVOID!!!

Winseer:
Truck driving may be “semi skilled” - but the fact is that “NO employer actually wants to train people up any longer” - because they are scared that the new recruit will quickly tire of a near-minimum wage once “qualified”, and will thus use that employer as a “University of Life” rather than a serious EMPLOYER for life…

I guess people have now wised-up as to the old former “Tie-In” contracat of employment.

You got a job, got some training - and then were obliged to “stay with the firm” for something like five years, lest the cost of your training be deducted from your final pay - should you decide to up sticks, and leave - before the 5 years was up.

Nowadays, I suspect there are oodles of people who “deliberately get themselves sacked” from this line of work - because they know they have already got another job quickly, AND they don’t have to work their notice period!

There is even a movement to “get sacked on payday” - so you’ve already been paid to the end of the month - and then don’t have to work the days between payday and that last day of the month!

The larger firms especially - don’t want to train. They want to use you before you can make use of them. :bulb: :bulb: :bulb: :bulb:

The smaller firms should find life rather easier, once Brexit is actually completed, rather than left in limbo as it has these past two years already. “The Theresa May Limbo” it will be called in History. The EU’s “STOP” marker: A prime minister who’ll not even “drag her feet” but leave them completely buried in the Clay she’s been standing in the past 28 months already! :imp:

It is not just the haulage industry UK industry in general just doesn’t do training, listening to the radio last week a boss in the hospitality trade was moaning that after Brexit he wouldn’t be able to get staff with the right skills to fill more senior posts, never occurred to the interviewer to ask him why he doesn’t train up his staff. UK bosses just want skilled people to turn up out of nowhere or for the last 10 years out of the EU now that supply is going to be turned off the companies that grasp the need to look after and train up their workforce will thrive those that don’t change will cease to exist

One of the biggest problems are agencies holding wages down for more proffit ,Not just in Haulage …
And some firms are paying pathetically low wages . Fagan walley are hilariously advertising “new pay rates” on indeed !Guess what ? They are still Shockingly bad …
I would rather sign on and ponce off the state than do 60 plus hours of no life for minimum wage .
Hope i aint triggered many :laughing:

I remember 2 years on euro fridges years ago,just before sat navs came in.

Map reading into central Marseilles,Milan,Paris etc sure felt like a skill,ditto vineyards in dark foggy Bordeaux,or pack houses in Spain required I would say certain skill.Any man and his dog with a Tom Toms capable now.
Obviously transporters,plant etc I would exempt.

I would definitely not call truck driving totally unskilled. Plenty of people say “I struggle to reverse my car, there’s no chance I could do it in one of them”. And there’s some knowledge we have to have in terms if the tacho, roadworthiness, load security, suitable routes all of which you don’t need for driving a car or van. So to call it unskilled I think is unfair. Semi skilled is probably appropriate for it because at the other end it’s probably not fair to call it skilled against some of the jobs where people have to train for years for and practise a skill to be able to it.

There are skilled lorry drivers about, the difference between a skilled and unskilled driver is large.

The job has been deskilled at many places to the point that some companies want minimum wage steering wheel operatives.

My current job is considered semi skilled and I do the same process 300+ times day in day out that a I have no doubt a chimp could perform :laughing: .

how they class driving a HGV as unskilled I have no idea, A good quality driver should at least be considered semi skilled.

Conor:

madmackem:
Some interesting figures. Only 14%, I thought it was higher than that.

Whilst it is 14% overall at some companies it can be most of their workforce. Certainly at Fowler Welch at Spalding it seemed to be, the drivers waiting room seemingly only having native english speakers when visiting drivers from subbies turned up.

Nearly every company in Spalding is majority foreign drivers. Mainly due to the pay in the area

Beetlejuice:
One of the biggest problems are agencies holding wages down for more proffit

The majority of places you go to on agency you’re on more money than their employed drivers. I’ve known just one place in 25 years where employed drivers are on more than agency.

kcrussell25:

Conor:

madmackem:
Some interesting figures. Only 14%, I thought it was higher than that.

Whilst it is 14% overall at some companies it can be most of their workforce. Certainly at Fowler Welch at Spalding it seemed to be, the drivers waiting room seemingly only having native english speakers when visiting drivers from subbies turned up.

Nearly every company in Spalding is majority foreign drivers. Mainly due to the pay in the area

Not just pay, most of the workforce in the area is from other shores, Christ knows what impact any serious changes after brexit will make. I’m not thinking of the workers, more the agricultural companies and surrounding businesses such as shops etc, some workers will have been here for years on and off, it’s not as if there is a like for like replacement workforce from the local youth!?!
Not wanting to take it too far off topic but what happens to companies such as Heritage Transport who have Bulgarian registered fleets? Are they going to have to actually contribute to the uk economy and tax system or hopefully go under after ■■■■■■ the transport industry?