Cue the usual Union bashers with the usual stereotypical bull crap 
(The existing Union firms drivers on here will be on much better t.s and c.s anyway, so no need to retaliate to them. 
)
I’ve been vocally critical of some firms I’ve worked for. And if I am honest was giving up hope with driving. But on Monday I started with a firm on a more long term gig through agency. I am taking some time off from uni for reasons relating to equipment availability.
Now this job is heavily unionised. But the blokes who work there are not pushed to their limit. They all earn over £34k. And in return, it makes them actually care about their job.
Since being here I’ve not really done a lot of work. I’ve been shadowing experienced drivers so I can learn to do the job properly for them. Fortunately my mentor if you want to call him that is nearing retirement and has been there 27 years. He has introduced me to everyone. I have class 1 on over the weekend and my test on Monday morning. If I pass this I’ll be put with their most experienced class 1 driver for a week or two. We will both come in early (paid) and practise reversing. Oh and apparently I get class 1 money even if I’m driving class 2 after that (£2/hour pay rise). If I want I’m told I can do a week or two as a shunter to improve my confidence.
All this for an agency driver. They are asking if I’d like a full time job and to go on the books. And if I didn’t have differnt plans in life I’d do it in a shot. Those that knock unions don’t realise how pleasant the job is when the workers are looked after and paid well. As far as I’m concerned unions are ace - it keeps the drivers united and means that they look after each other (including a senior driver bollocking the young shunter privately rather than reporting him to management over something very silly).
sammym:
- it keeps the drivers united and means that they look after each other (including a senior driver bollocking the young shunter privately rather than reporting him to management over something very silly).
I can’t get on with self declared senior drivers but I always like working at places where if you see another driver doing something naughty or you fix something before anyone else notices it and keep it between you and the other guy, occasionally other drivers need to be told if it’s something that needs taking the ■■■■ out of a few times.
The ones that run to management need a good ■■■■■■■. 
sammym:
Now this job is heavily unionised. But the blokes who work there are not pushed to their limit. They all earn over £34k. And in return, it makes them actually care about their job.We aren’t unionised. There are times when the job is long hours, then there are days when they do four hours, but get paid for 12 abroad, or 8 in the UK. Some weeks it’s 45 hours, some weeks it’s 80 hours, but those weeks would include being paid 12 hours for being on a ferry, or 12 hours sitting for a day in a hotel abroad. My drivers really care about the job, I care bout them and it’s a virtuous circle. My lowest paid class 1 driver got around 33k last year, but his job is usually 7 ish to 5ish, and not often going more than a 50 mile radius, in other words he takes trailers for servicing, local jobs, loads up for the long haul lads. Top earner was over £48k with an average of around 63 hours and then there were a lot of expenses on top of that.
Since being here I’ve not really done a lot of work. I’ve been shadowing experienced drivers so I can learn to do the job properly for them. Fortunately my mentor if you want to call him that is nearing retirement and has been there 27 years. He has introduced me to everyone. I have class 1 on over the weekend and my test on Monday morning. If I pass this I’ll be put with their most experienced class 1 driver for a week or two. We will both come in early (paid) and practise reversing. Oh and apparently I get class 1 money even if I’m driving class 2 after that (£2/hour pay rise). If I want I’m told I can do a week or two as a shunter to improve my confidence. We do the same, new people go out with older people. Although a lot of our work is double-manned, it takes around 2 months to get a clearance, so we are sending them with someone on what is a one man job. That applies to foreign work as well. My longest serving driver has been with me 26 years, we’ve only been in existance as a company for 27 years.
All this for an agency driver. They are asking if I’d like a full time job and to go on the books. And if I didn’t have differnt plans in life I’d do it in a shot. Those that knock unions don’t realise how pleasant the job is when the workers are looked after and paid well. .
Whilst I am quite happy to go along with the idea that unionised companies are usually at the better end, it doesn’t therefore mean that not having a union means that the company is not good to work for. Our pay rises are in April and they got 3% this year. No-one asked for it, we just thought it fair. 3% last year and 2.6% the year before. I do think that we take care of our drivers and we pay OK. They’d like more no doubt, but so would I. I wouldn’t mind being the top earner, but I’m not.
sammym:
As far as I’m concerned unions are ace - it keeps the drivers united and means that they look after each other (including a senior driver bollocking the young shunter privately rather than reporting him to management over something very silly).
That’s got nothing to do with unions though, that’s just an old school driver who has a fellow drivers back and isn’t a grassing little brown nosed [zb]
Albion you are already doing the things which make the job good. So a Union isn’t needed at your place. I know you don’t think a lot of my style of doing things - but I do have a lot of respect for any boss that makes the job enjoyable. Much of my complaining and whinging is due to companies and bosses who care about nothing other than making money for themselves. And who will throw the driver and other staff under the bus to do so.
Now I don’t really have the experience to say this - but in my experience, most firms are not like yours. And stobarts are definately not like yours. So they do need a union.
I’m really looking forward to going into work tonight. And I personally don’t think it would be such an enjoyable place if the drivers union didn’t exert force on the company. Here I’m happy to go the extra mile as I really feel like they have my best interests at heart. And I think that working here for a month or so will make me a better driver. Whilst I don’t want to be a driver full time as a career - I don’t want to be dangerous like I was after passing class 2 when I was a mobile demolition machine before I self-taught myself to be a bit better (and I still have much improving to do).
sammym:
. Whilst I don’t want to be a driver full time as a career - .
I can’t get my head round your comment above. If this is the case, then why are you spunking all your hard earned cash on going for C+E , when you don’'t even want to do the job ■■?
robroy:
Cue the usual Union bashers with the usual stereotypical bull crap
(The existing Union firms drivers on here will be on much better t.s and c.s anyway, so no need to retaliate to them.
A union is only as strong as the members, a union is not the saviour if it’s members are weak, lorry drivers think they need a union because they have no voice of their own.
pierrot 14:
sammym:
. Whilst I don’t want to be a driver full time as a career - .I can’t get my head round your comment above. If this is the case, then why are you spunking all your hard earned cash on going for C+E , when you don’'t even want to do the job ■■?
I’m not spunking all my hard earned. I’m reasonably comfortable and am not going without.
In answer to your question there are a few reasons:
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Currently, it’s a nice way to top up my income. I have a certain amount of free time and can do some agency driving in my spare time. I have over a month off now - I am earning £700/week driving (a lot of hours). If I wasn’t driving I’d be watching tv right now. So it pays for itself back quickly.
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The field of work I really want to go into is well known for being volatile and you having periods of time without work. So I could dip my toe back into driving to keep busy. It’s a nice way to keep busy and earn something when between jobs.
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I was just interested in doing it. And it seemed like fun. My training was fun. And I’m actually looking forward to this weekend. I enjoy driving - as odd as that sounds. What I don’t enjoy is certain aspects of driving like being pushed to the limit and having someone breathing down my neck.
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It’s a nice fall back in later life in case something goes wrong and I find myself needing to pay the bills. Call it an insurance policy if you will. Getting a job in a professional field could take months. Whilst I can call an agency and get work starting within 24 hours.
A good union is very important, however a union that has too much power is toxic.
I have been on the “Ford contract” at Speke whilst at BCA. Not allowed in before 06.00, given five hours work, then not allowed back in to reload until 15.00. If you go back before you will not be in the next day. All paid on P60 average pay, full week at a time.
Oh the irony, during the mail strikes when we, as union members were fighting to protect our pensions, terms and conditions, were getting shafted by scabarts drivers crossing our lines giving us all the hand signals and waving tenners at us, they now want to be a part of something that they themselves took an active role in undermining?
zb 'em, no sympathy from me
Stobart agency trampers can easy get 35k-40k per years .What is no bad .
UKtramp:
robroy:
Cue the usual Union bashers with the usual stereotypical bull crap
(The existing Union firms drivers on here will be on much better t.s and c.s anyway, so no need to retaliate to them.A union is only as strong as the members, a union is not the saviour if it’s members are weak, lorry drivers think they need a union because they have no voice of their own.
Cheers UKt for stating the ‘bleeding obvious’ 
If a Union is strong, and I’m not talking strong to the point where the tail wags the dog here (which is one of the main points used by the anti Union crew on here spouting the same old stuff about the 70s and the ‘Winter of discontent’ pony.) but where they can have a voice and an element of impact, it creates a fairer working environment, and fire can be fought with fire to do away with driver employee abuse, which is a prevalent problem in this industry.
I’ve worked for firms where there is absolutely no need for a driver’s union, because they were fair and their attitude towards drivers was spot on, I now work for a firm where a decent Union would be a good thing.
In my case your answer to my last post fits my present situation, the ‘voice’ is up to each individual there, rather than as a group (or union) ie…If you don’t speak up for yourself you get walked on, if you do…then you don’t.
robroy:
In my case your answer to my last post fits my present situation, the ‘voice’ is up to each individual there, rather than as a group (or union) ie…If you don’t speak up for yourself you get walked on, if you do…then you don’t.
You have really voiced the opinion of mine there rob. No need for a union unless you dare not speak yourself and can negotiate your own terms. A union is a bit like PPE, it is a last wall of defence.
Its been said before Unions are only as good as its members.
Whilst they are all gathered together in the rest room or some RDC waiting room they are all talk of being “together” until they drive out the gate.
Thats when they become “free agents” again and do what they want or use their own interpretation of the agreed T&Cs.thinking nobody will know (but invariably they do).it stays that way until they meet another workmate out on the road or get back into the depot,then its “togetherness” again
The link says Unite are going for statutary recognition.
I believe that means they must have at least 10% membership already and some form of petition with over half the drivers wanting a Trade Union, so its on the cards isnt it? Does the Central Arbitration Committee turn down many requests for recognition??
And just how worried should Stobarts be? How worried are they about the way they run their company? A good company probably wouldnt have drivers wanting the Union in anyway.
Franglais:
And just how worried should Stobarts be? How worried are they about the way they run their company? A good company probably wouldnt have drivers wanting the Union in anyway.
Your last sentence says it all.
Or do you consider Stobarts to be a ‘‘Good company’’ ?
I sure as hell don’t.
robroy:
Franglais:
And just how worried should Stobarts be? How worried are they about the way they run their company? A good company probably wouldnt have drivers wanting the Union in anyway.Your last sentence says it all.
Or do you consider Stobarts to be a ‘‘Good company’’ ?
I sure as hell don’t.
Ive never worked there, so everything is second hand. But if they publish "Hourly Equivalent Rates" rather than the actual rate, and oppose Unions then I doubt they are "Good". They seem to know they have something to be worried about? They do take on new starts. Good kit. Not likely to go pop owing money to drivers. So, not all bad. I doubt Id like working for them, and equally I doubt theyll be phoning me up, begging me to come work for them! Not being much to my liking, because Im used to something different, doesnt mean theyre “bad”.
Franglais:
robroy:
Franglais:
And just how worried should Stobarts be? How worried are they about the way they run their company? A good company probably wouldnt have drivers wanting the Union in anyway.Your last sentence says it all.
Or do you consider Stobarts to be a ‘‘Good company’’ ?
I sure as hell don’t.I
ve never worked there, so everything is second hand. But if they publish "Hourly Equivalent Rates" rather than the actual rate, and oppose Unions then I doubt they are "Good". They seem to know they have something to be worried about? They do take on new starts. Good kit. Not likely to go pop owing money to drivers. So, not all bad. I doubt Id like working for them, and equally I doubt theyll be phoning me up, begging me to come work for them! Not being much to my liking, because Im used to something different, doesnt mean theyre “bad”.
Ok, we’ll compromise on ‘Not the best, but best of a bad bunch’.
What annoys me about them is the way they consider themselves a cut above, where as in reality they are much the same as any other modern up their own arses type firm.
If they were as good to work for as they make out, it would be a nobody leaves/dead man’s shoes scenario…it aint!