Juddian:
Janos, ‘‘they’’ arn’t some aliens beamed in from the planet zod, they are drivers in this case who happen to be in jobs that pay above the norm.You make it sound as if getting jobs like this are impossible, well it isn’t impossible for anyone who wants the better paying work and is prepared to put the effort in, i made the jump from general haulage onto one of the best paying night trunk jobs of the 80’s by packing in the lorries and going driving vans for more money, right time right place, you never know when that opportunity will present itself.
That didn’t last forever, and i moved on to car transporters and have eventually onto tankers myself, i’ve had down times as well of course, ended up on agency meself before getting this job which hopefully (there are no guarantees) will see me out.You say about some tanker drivers not being paid as much as the Suttons lads, well no doubt those lower paid tanker lads are just biding their time till they get a chance to move up onto a better pad, and that’s why any driver worth his salt is willing the lads to win their case, because whilst there are these good jobs it gives others something to aim at, and other tanker operators won’t want to just provide free training only for their best drivers to be snapped up by the Suttons of the world, so pay should stay on a par.
I started on the pits of car transporter work, i didn’t have a relation or best mate to get me in somewhere top notch so i had to do it another way, ie i skilled myself up and eventually when drivers were needed i managed to get in on one of the big operators.
These were all supposed to be dead mans shoes jobs, but that isn’t the case, if you use your noddle and are prepared to rough it for a while till you skill up and if an opportunity comes grab it with both hands, then there is always a way in.
Oh and landing one of these jobs is only the start, chances are you have to take a right ■■■■■ shift pattern and lump the work you get, till you get your feet under the table a bit.
Things worth getting are usually worth putting some effort in.You’d be surprised what some drivers are earning out there by the way.
Juddian, your story is inspiring for those hoping to break into these ‘top jobs’. My beef is that you even have to mention ‘closed shops’. Also, the fact that these jobs are never advertised, so are not given really on merit. Although, I am sure you are worthy. Having had many run-ins over the years with union guys, I know they feel certain jobs are beneath them, so to have the guys doing those jobs supporting their action makes we wonder exactly where they are coming from. How this dispute will end, is anybodies guess, but something has to give, as it is uneconomic at the moment. By standing firm, without compromise the union are doing what they have always done, and all the current jobs may suffer because of that. As has happened so many times in the past.