Harry Monk:
but from my observations wages in the transport industry are moving upwards by significantly more than inflation.
Only if you’re gullible enough to believe the official inflation figures. There are numerous reports from multi-billion dollar asset management/investment companies who say that fiat is losing approx 15% per year in purchasing power in real terms, not the 2% the official figures would have you believe which are manipulated to [zb] with their constantly changing ways on how they calculate CPI. In fact you don’t even need to compare against any official numbers, just look at one metric - your grocery bills - and compare against how much your wage has risen over the past 10, 20 years. And I don’t just mean the headline figures either, I mean after taking into account the package size reductions.
So you believe these “investment companies`” figures regarding price rises? 15% purchasing power loss year on year?
Do you have enough arithmetic to look at that for the past ten years, say?
Someone here is XXXX for sure.
ETS:
Meanwhile ‘Staff wanted’ signs popping up around. Wonder if it has to do with people still getting paid not to work while businesses are trying to restart
Yep people getting 80% of their wage to stay at home while those on the UC pittance have to search for/take work.What could possibly go wrong.
Over in the US it’s become a huge problem already. Will likely happen here too.
Plenty of sources for both if you use google. MicroStrategy and Blackrock CEOs have both been on record about it. When you “print” more than 60% of the entire USD supply in a year, it tends to have an effect on its value and purchasing power. This is basic economics.
DCPCFML:
Plenty of sources for both if you use google. MicroStrategy and Blackrock CEOs have both been on record about it. When you “print” more than 60% of the entire USD supply in a year, it tends to have an effect on its value and purchasing power. This is basic economics.
Ah ! Blackrock…sure, yes, they have only the public good, and the well being of the general pulic in mind when they make any statements.
Franglais:
So you believe these “investment companies`” figures regarding price rises? 15% purchasing power loss year on year?
Do you have enough arithmetic to look at that for the past ten years, say?
Someone here is XXXX for sure.
Carryfast:
Just as it was 40 years ago because it’s still rightly seen as a cut above building materials deliveries and retail distribution.Having said that most drivers don’t enter the industry to spend their careers driving around London and its suburbs regardless of the type of work.
Funnily enough, I was going to create a post something along these lines yesterday.
Having started my career in exactly this manner, then graduating (if you like) to more trunking style work. Yesterday I found myself, accidentally driving around Chelmsford, along streets I used to service. I never realised how different and lazy I’d become in my driving. IMO, the flow should be in the opposite direction.
If the company driver gets a 30p ph pay rise
The agency driver gets £2 ph pay rise , £300 bonus for not having any sickness / holiday for 2 months + entry to a £1,200 draw at the end of it , then £80 for every extra shift worked it’s no wonder there’s some really ■■■■■■ off company drivers rolled holidays or not
Carryfast:
Just as it was 40 years ago because it’s still rightly seen as a cut above building materials deliveries and retail distribution.Having said that most drivers don’t enter the industry to spend their careers driving around London and its suburbs regardless of the type of work.
Funnily enough, I was going to create a post something along these lines yesterday.
Having started my career in exactly this manner, then graduating (if you like) to more trunking style work. Yesterday I found myself, accidentally driving around Chelmsford, along streets I used to service. I never realised how different and lazy I’d become in my driving. IMO, the flow should be in the opposite direction.
Interesting.
Some drivers want just straight line motorway drives.
Some want more involvement with loads in the way of operating cranes etc.
Some want nights out, maybe weekending away in other countries, or home every night.
And the same individual may want all of the above at different stages in their life.
There is no real hierarchy, IMHO, although many feel superior to others for all sorts of reasons.
Each to their own.
Maybe they should let 18 year old’s drive an artic ? Here in the US an 18 year old can drive an artic but must stay intrastate but the powers that be are discussing letting them go interstate. Personally I know what I was like at 18 so probably not a good idea for me.
I’ve had four texts this week stating these higher pseudo hourly rates where the pay is presumably rolled up.
The “work” despite being advertized as “Class 1 drivers wanted” is actually C2 work multidropping around London, either for Pallet outfits, or home domestic appliance deliveries, like Knowhow. One is presumably meant to be chomping at the bit 'cos it’s £17+ per hour. Strangely, I’m not the only one out here that isn’t expressing an interest…
You see adverts on the back of trucks themselves saying “Now Recruiting” these days, and all up and down the country as well.
With all the warehouse/depots being constructed up the M1 corridor alone, I’d have to suggest tentatively that there might be a real short squeeze on agency rates before long, if indeed that hasn’t already started…
It has to be said of course that offering pseudo high hourly rates (£17 which includes rolled up holiday pay (illegal by this point) and you paying your employer’s stamp, etc.
Anyone else interested out there?
… 'Cos I’m not!
If they wanted me to do that kind of work now then they should have paid the ‘retainer’ a year ago…
f… 'em!
I’m semi-retired now, and only get out of bed for Trunk work - money isn’t the issue any longer. Quality of life is.
Those agencies incapable of “going straight” - are going to go under before long, as nothing now but offering actual PAYE rates of £17+ is going to cut the ice. That is, a proper full time PAYE contract where you get to wear the shirt. No more of this “any five from seven” rubbish.
remy:
Maybe they should let 18 year old’s drive an artic ? Here in the US an 18 year old can drive an artic but must stay intrastate but the powers that be are discussing letting them go interstate. Personally I know what I was like at 18 so probably not a good idea for me.
They can now. gov.uk/vehicles-can-drive/y … c/18-to-20
Changed a few years back I think. I didnt pay too much attention as I wont be seeing 21 again…
But I do remember what I was like at 21, and at 18, so do get what you`re saying!
Maybe the youth of today are a bit better than we were, in spite of the screaming headlines everywhere. I mean every generation seem to look down at the kids and slag them off, but when you look at headlines from 50 or a 100 years ago, were things so much more peaceful?
ETS:
Meanwhile ‘Staff wanted’ signs popping up around. Wonder if it has to do with people still getting paid not to work while businesses are trying to restart
Yep people getting 80% of their wage to stay at home while those on the UC pittance have to search for/take work.What could possibly go wrong.
Over in the US it’s become a huge problem already. Will likely happen here too.
Every warenouse I’ve been running into of late - makes us wait for over an hour to get tipped “lack of staff” they tell me.
That includes your own locale as well, as one of my regular runs is into foxbridge way and all. A lot of the vacancies go to EEs of course, but I’ve not met a single worker yet who’s “on furlough” anywhere… Odd that, bearing in mind there are plenty of people out and about spending cash like water, but no one actually wanting to top it up a bit by earning some extra on top?
Surely not everyone on furlough got told “you MUST stay at home, and not work anywhere else - or get fired!”
It was a firm’s decision what policies they wanted to pursue - wasn’t it?
Carryfast:
Just as it was 40 years ago because it’s still rightly seen as a cut above building materials deliveries and retail distribution.Having said that most drivers don’t enter the industry to spend their careers driving around London and its suburbs regardless of the type of work.
Funnily enough, I was going to create a post something along these lines yesterday.
Having started my career in exactly this manner, then graduating (if you like) to more trunking style work. Yesterday I found myself, accidentally driving around Chelmsford, along streets I used to service. I never realised how different and lazy I’d become in my driving. IMO, the flow should be in the opposite direction.
Interesting.
Some drivers want just straight line motorway drives.
Some want more involvement with loads in the way of operating cranes etc.
Some want nights out, maybe weekending away in other countries, or home every night.
And the same individual may want all of the above at different stages in their life.
There is no real hierarchy, IMHO, although many feel superior to others for all sorts of reasons.
Each to their own.
I totally agree, one man"s meat is another man’s gravy. I was just questioning CF’s 'ladder of progression '. I personally feel doing supermarket & convenience store deliveries to ‘ye olde’ coach houses, that were originally serviced by a horse & cart. Require more skilled driving than plodding up & down a motorway, backing on to bays specifically designed for HGV’s in RDC’s.
Winseer:
Surely not everyone on furlough got told “you MUST stay at home, and not work anywhere else - or get fired!”
It was a firm’s decision what policies they wanted to pursue - wasn’t it?
I think you’ve lost sight of WHY people were furloughed. That is EXACTLY what they were told! I’m fairly sure a business would rather open itself, than pay it’s staff to go and work in somebody’s else business. But the government’s mantra had ‘stay at home’ as it’s main instruction.
The company I work for cannot retain drivers due to, low wages, planned hours way above what we’re paid for, crap work for the final four weeks of 26 week ref period to get hours back to legal 48, also using non statutory holiday to reduce working average, 2nd jobs on return to depot with no prior warning, old trailers, very poor over subscribed management, intimidation etc etc. They use every trick in the book to make our lives a misery. They recently went through a warehouse to wheels exercise, signing participants up for a four year contract, if they leave within that period they would have to pay back the training fee. I think there were about ten in total, four or five have left already and I know two more are looking for the exit.
The solution is simple, always pay slightly above the going rate and plan drivers so they have a rewarding career coupled with a decent work life balance. Sadly managers these days (and I am generalising here) are too stupid to realise it. Flog em to death seems to be today’s mantra, but times are changing and those managers who choose not to heed the signs will surely fail.
Estoic:
The company I work for cannot retain drivers due to, low wages, planned hours way above what we’re paid for, crap work for the final four weeks of 26 week ref period to get hours back to legal 48, also using non statutory holiday to reduce working average, 2nd jobs on return to depot with no prior warning, old trailers, very poor over subscribed management, intimidation etc etc. They use every trick in the book to make our lives a misery. They recently went through a warehouse to wheels exercise, signing participants up for a four year contract, if they leave within that period they would have to pay back the training fee. I think there were about ten in total, four or five have left already and I know two more are looking for the exit.
The solution is simple, always pay slightly above the going rate and plan drivers so they have a rewarding career coupled with a decent work life balance. Sadly managers these days (and I am generalising here) are too stupid to realise it. Flog em to death seems to be today’s mantra, but times are changing and those managers who choose not to heed the signs will surely fail.
Imo an employment law lawyer would take your outfit to the the cleaners. Going on your post, they have completely willingly or unwillingly misinterpreted wtd law.
And 4 years lock in!?! Madness if they’re signed up to.
I mean it’s pretty obvious what’s going to happen if people get paid to stay home…except for Franglais. I don’t even know why I bother
Thank you for bothering.
.
I particularly liked the first video.
The 2nd one could have been anywhere, anytime. A coffee shop ain’t open for one day because of no staff…
Returning to the first vid it did day about 14min “so things will go back to normal, and we’ll all live happily ever after”.
Of course following the current global perturbations there will be lots of ups and downs, but the long term looks OK.
Any businesses who get their trade by undercutting on pay and conditions may not do too well, but I won’t be crying much for them.
Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday that up to 10,000 state residents considered to have been long-term unemployed will be able to sign up for a program that pays out a $1,000 “signing bonus” after applicants complete eight straight weeks of a full-time job. Ned Lamont is the Governor of Connecticut and his and other states are paying people a bonus to go back to work.
Wonder if they’ll pay the $1,000 if you start a new job every eight weeks.
DCPCFML:
Says PAYE in name and the rate seems ok, but then you find out your holidays are rolled into the rate and none of the other ‘perks’ of being proper PAYE.
That’s not been legal following a court case in 2007.
Every agency in the land still does it. Drivers Plus over this way is one example, and they even advertise the fact they do it in their job ads.
The only ones that’ll still do it are those paying you via an umbrella company. Proper PAYE like I’ve always been on on agency shouldn’t have been. The only time I ever got holiday pay rolled up into the hourly rate was in the late 1990s when we first got holiday entitlement. Turn of the century and I’ve always had paid annual leave although how they’ve calculated it has varied, the fairest I ever had with a few agencies was an amount for every hour I worked being put into a holiday pot, much fairer than the 12 week average that others used.
Carryfast:
Just as it was 40 years ago because it’s still rightly seen as a cut above building materials deliveries and retail distribution.Having said that most drivers don’t enter the industry to spend their careers driving around London and its suburbs regardless of the type of work.
Funnily enough, I was going to create a post something along these lines yesterday.
Having started my career in exactly this manner, then graduating (if you like) to more trunking style work. Yesterday I found myself, accidentally driving around Chelmsford, along streets I used to service. I never realised how different and lazy I’d become in my driving. IMO, the flow should be in the opposite direction.
Interesting.
Some drivers want just straight line motorway drives.
Some want more involvement with loads in the way of operating cranes etc.
Some want nights out, maybe weekending away in other countries, or home every night.
And the same individual may want all of the above at different stages in their life.
There is no real hierarchy, IMHO, although many feel superior to others for all sorts of reasons.
Each to their own.
Logically anyone who ‘prefers’ operating a crane to driving a truck would get all their crane qualifications and then work as a …crane operator.Why would they want to ‘drive’ a truck ?.
The ‘straight line motorway drive’ between Slough/London or even Midlands combined with whatever type of drops/collections/transhipment, isn’t the same thing as the ‘straight line motorway drive’ between Slough/Milan/Rome etc or even Slough/Glasgow.
Hierarchy as in those who are lucky enough to be doing the latter type of runs want to keep them by suggesting that those lumbered with the former work actually prefer it.
Everything else is all variations on the same theme.An industry full of mostly zb work that’s anything but the freedom of the open road and massively over subscribed for the ever deliberately diminishing decent work and those who’ve got it want to keep it at the expense of those who haven’t.
Or get ahead by laughably suggesting that anyone would prefer to do the local crap for most if not the whole of their career.
UK night trunking is an exception that proves the rule for obvious reasons.Or it was until hub system operations mostly wrecked that job too with the exception of the far Northern or Western locations.
As a rule ‘drivers’ generally want to ‘drive’ the further the better and vice versa.That’s your ‘hierarchy’.
