The driver shortage is now a reality. This is our chance to stand up for ourselves individually and collectively. The respect for our job starts with us.
We have the upper hand for the 1st time since the strike in the 70s. They are panicking…
Like I say, It’s now or never.
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What do you suggest OP?
I’m getting paid Xmas rates now so im well chauffed
However what do you suggest shall we ransom owens transport make carryfest the new ops manager as a deal?
I’m suggesting that you stop thinking of yourself
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Roverman:
I’m suggesting that you stop thinking of yourself
I don’t know how long you’ve been in this job mate, but that is the only way to get on sadly.
There is no way you will get any backing from the majority of drivers these days, the ‘Yes men’ rule the roost,.and the companies love em…whilst at the same time secretly view them with contempt.
The way forward is to negotiate things for yourself, look after numero uno, have time for those few who are like minded, who probably will back you up,… and ■■■■ everybody else.
It genuinely pains me to say this, but it is true, getting drivers to stick together for a cause is like herding cats.
Roverman, as already been said don`t know how long you have been in the job, have been retired now for 10 years after being in the “game” for some 50 years.
What your saying was said at the start of my time,its never happened,even after going on national strike to get a £1 an hour.
Drivers as always have been their own worse enemy, all mouth in the yard and do their own thing once out the gate,either “brown nosing” or to get back to somewhere for dinner or a pint with the lads.
25 years and counting. Sadly, I agree with both of of you. The proof being the amount of views/replies to this topic.
I still take pride in doing the job properly but any enthusiasm for it has been beaten and sucked out of me, I’ll be glad to get out of this sorry industry ASAP.
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With a hell…
Of a shout it’s ‘out brothers out’ and the rise of the factory’s fall.
Not long back people at my place got so racked off that they fairly widely said its about time to form a union.
So I went out, looked at various options, spoke to different unions, got sent loads of forms and literature and even managed free postage envelopes and discount joining fees. Nearly everyone was happy to go ahead.
I handed out 140 forms and got three back.
Spinless.
Now I’m of the mind that I’ve tried, they cowered and ran, so I’ll sort myself out.
Roverman:
The driver shortage is now a reality.
Is It 
Are newbies being offered full time permanent jobs the moment they pass the test
I’m having a hard time trying to remain below £50k a year, leave me alone! I can’t go around trying to solve other peoples problems on top of my own.
Roverman:
I’m suggesting that you stop thinking of yourselfSent from my M2007J3SG using Tapatalk
The day any driver starts thinking about the big picture rather than ’ I’m alright Jack’ will be the day I die
Well done to you, but why did that happen I wonder? Is it the Muppets reading the Tory rags (and sites) that drag them in with pictures of ■■■■ and celeb gossip, whilst linking anti union nonsense?
Even if one doesn’t follow the links the background noise of “unions are bad” does affect ones perception of the world. Murdoch, Barclay brother’s, etc maybe making money from their publishing enterprises, but they certainly take benefit from their political influence even more.
(I could mention the “B” word here, but won’t.)
The atmosphere has been poisoned by memories of excesses of the Leyland plants in the 70’s or docks in the 60’s. But no one much remembers the earlier queues of casual labour outside dock gates in earlier times.
Seems to me we are in danger of swinging back too far, but renaming the “gig-economy” as “freedom to choose” doesn’t make it less of an employers (and profit takers) abdication of their responsibility to the society they Are Members Of.
Companies and their owners are beneficiaries of our society, for decades they have been taking excess profits, whilst their mouthpieces still harp on about excesses years ago. Look at the figures about the increasing difference in wealth between the highest and lowest, or average paid workers. How is it right it is increasing? And these rags tell us we should cut taxes further so we benefit from investments…
let me say I am truly grateful for those crumbs from the table of their benevolence. I am glad I provide a place for them to make even more money by not raisinng a finger. Well done to our leaders and their paid journalists/ politicians, or whatever hat they are wearing today.
.
Reckon I’ll get a job as a hack? Promotion to a safe seat? Retire to a well paid job on a board?
Franglais:
Well done to you, but why did that happen I wonder? Is it the Muppets reading the Tory rags (and sites) that drag them in with pictures of ■■■■ and celeb gossip, whilst linking anti union nonsense?
Even if one doesn’t follow the links the background noise of “unions are bad” does affect ones perception of the world. Murdoch, Barclay brother’s, etc maybe making money from their publishing enterprises, but they certainly take benefit from their political influence even more.
(I could mention the “B” word here, but won’t.)
The atmosphere has been poisoned by memories of excesses of the Leyland plants in the 70’s or docks in the 60’s. But no one much remembers the earlier queues of casual labour outside dock gates in earlier times.
Seems to me we are in danger of swinging back too far, but renaming the “gig-economy” as “freedom to choose” doesn’t make it less of an employers (and profit takers) abdication of their responsibility to the society they Are Members Of.
Companies and their owners are beneficiaries of our society, for decades they have been taking excess profits, whilst their mouthpieces still harp on about excesses years ago. Look at the figures about the increasing difference in wealth between the highest and lowest, or average paid workers. How is it right it is increasing? And these rags tell us we should cut taxes further so we benefit from investments…
let me say I am truly grateful for those crumbs from the table of their benevolence. I am glad I provide a place for them to make even more money by not raisinng a finger. Well done to our leaders and their paid journalists/ politicians, or whatever hat they are wearing today.
.
Reckon I’ll get a job as a hack? Promotion to a safe seat? Retire to a well paid job on a board?
Ok let’s pool some ££ together and start a drivers run transport company (as shareholders) why work for other people for scraps when we can work for ourselves and pay ourselves 100 grand a year or more? You’re the most generous among us so you be the CEO/President/Bossman 
robroy:
but it is true, getting drivers to stick together for a cause is like herding cats.
+1
Franglais:
Well done to you, but why did that happen I wonder? Is it the Muppets reading the Tory rags (and sites) that drag them in with pictures of ■■■■ and celeb gossip, whilst linking anti union nonsense?
Even if one doesn’t follow the links the background noise of “unions are bad” does affect ones perception of the world. Murdoch, Barclay brother’s, etc maybe making money from their publishing enterprises, but they certainly take benefit from their political influence even more.
(I could mention the “B” word here, but won’t.)
The atmosphere has been poisoned by memories of excesses of the Leyland plants in the 70’s or docks in the 60’s. But no one much remembers the earlier queues of casual labour outside dock gates in earlier times.
Seems to me we are in danger of swinging back too far, but renaming the “gig-economy” as “freedom to choose” doesn’t make it less of an employers (and profit takers) abdication of their responsibility to the society they Are Members Of.
Companies and their owners are beneficiaries of our society, for decades they have been taking excess profits, whilst their mouthpieces still harp on about excesses years ago. Look at the figures about the increasing difference in wealth between the highest and lowest, or average paid workers. How is it right it is increasing? And these rags tell us we should cut taxes further so we benefit from investments…
let me say I am truly grateful for those crumbs from the table of their benevolence. I am glad I provide a place for them to make even more money by not raisinng a finger. Well done to our leaders and their paid journalists/ politicians, or whatever hat they are wearing today.
.
Reckon I’ll get a job as a hack? Promotion to a safe seat? Retire to a well paid job on a board?
Unions such as that of London Tube drivers appear to still dictate terms and conditions to their employers.
Still, their employers can’t go bankrupt because the money they pay comes from the apparently bottomless pockets of us taxpayers, as it did when British Railways were held to ransom by ASLEF.
Yes Rog. I’ve passed class 2. Trying to pass class 1. Have yet to drive for a living.
But get constant daily calls texts and emails offering a full time job starting tomorrow.
Travelling yesterday on the A12 between Chelmsford Essex and Ipswich I saw 2 roadside signs advertising full time jobs for Hgv drivers, new drivers welcome.
Buckstones:
Franglais:
Well done to you, but why did that happen I wonder? Is it the Muppets reading the Tory rags (and sites) that drag them in with pictures of ■■■■ and celeb gossip, whilst linking anti union nonsense?
Even if one doesn’t follow the links the background noise of “unions are bad” does affect ones perception of the world. Murdoch, Barclay brother’s, etc maybe making money from their publishing enterprises, but they certainly take benefit from their political influence even more.
(I could mention the “B” word here, but won’t.)
The atmosphere has been poisoned by memories of excesses of the Leyland plants in the 70’s or docks in the 60’s. But no one much remembers the earlier queues of casual labour outside dock gates in earlier times.
Seems to me we are in danger of swinging back too far, but renaming the “gig-economy” as “freedom to choose” doesn’t make it less of an employers (and profit takers) abdication of their responsibility to the society they Are Members Of.
Companies and their owners are beneficiaries of our society, for decades they have been taking excess profits, whilst their mouthpieces still harp on about excesses years ago. Look at the figures about the increasing difference in wealth between the highest and lowest, or average paid workers. How is it right it is increasing? And these rags tell us we should cut taxes further so we benefit from investments…
let me say I am truly grateful for those crumbs from the table of their benevolence. I am glad I provide a place for them to make even more money by not raisinng a finger. Well done to our leaders and their paid journalists/ politicians, or whatever hat they are wearing today.
.
Reckon I’ll get a job as a hack? Promotion to a safe seat? Retire to a well paid job on a board?Unions such as that of London Tube drivers appear to still dictate terms and conditions to their employers.
Still, their employers can’t go bankrupt because the money they pay comes from the apparently bottomless pockets of us taxpayers, as it did when British Railways were held to ransom by ASLEF.
And what of “privatised” rail?
Share holders receive dividends out one end whilst the gov pours in taxpayers cash at the other! Profits go to the rich, including fiteifn investors, losses are subsidised by tax payers…and we all know the wealthiest are adept avoiding tax.
“Too big to fail” is still all over. It isn’t limited to nationalised industry.
Buckstones:
Unions such as that of London Tube drivers appear to still dictate terms and conditions to their employers.
Still, their employers can’t go bankrupt because the money they pay comes from the apparently bottomless pockets of us taxpayers, as it did when British Railways were held to ransom by ASLEF.
It must be awful to be in that Union as an employee. and be on on their lucrative wage.
I’d much rather be in this job where in direct comparison we are dictated to by our employers, and are kept in our place, working a week and a half in terms of hours for what equates to a weeks wage, on a tenner an hour straight through.
■■■■ Unions eh? 
I’m not even applying for Hgv work. Just an online CV that says passed class 2 Dec 2020.
Class 1 booked for June 2021.
Direct contact from transport companies all local to me offering me a job.
UK drivers have no back bone and wilfully bent over backwards to accept what the Government tells them what to do, from log books to analog to digital tachos to DGSA to driver facing cameras to WTD /POA , no more lorries with no speed limiters ; Where’s the fun in that! , to micro management, if the French don’t like it , they paralysed their country where their Government works for them but in the UK you work for your Government with a leadership that escapes criminal charges and responsibilities for their actions but as long as the TV film you with a clean hi viz and hard hat at a building site or new project you forgive your Master.