Hi everyone, this is for you guys either working in Germany or experiance of, I put my feelers out for a job over there, as the girlfriends lives there, anyway I got a reply asking me to send my details/application,
in the email i got from them as follows
“Driving License C/CE for Trailer
Drivers Card for Digi-Tacho
Unlimited Contract (6 Month trial period)
2100,-- € brutto + Spesen
Weekend 80 % at home — 20 % away
Tranports within South Germany & to BeNeLux”
my question is, are the wages always so ■■■■■■ 
no seriously, can I haggle, and
the expensies, what do they cover? does expensies mean night out money?
help me out here 
cheers
Hello depending where you are living that is good as many
of the germans , from the old DDR do not get that and also by
some firms in the old parts of Germany , as for expenses
they will vary as many firms do not pay the full amount allowed
but ,You can claim this back from your TAX return that you
will have to do , By the way this 6 month contract can be extended
three times before they have either to give a fixed contract or sack you,
AS for being Home every week do not bank on it due to various driving bans
unless they have the permits , also have they said that the starting wages
will increase and if so when and by how much , make sure this get put in
any working agreement you sign ,another point how good is your german.
if you wish I can give you a german site where you can enquire as well .
Be prepared for a shock when you do come over to work as rules may
have been made but are seldom adhered to by some firms ,you will need
your young lady to help you get RECHTS -SCHUTZ insurance ADVO-
CARD is the one I use and I pay 90pounds every 3 months ,as this will help
you with any speeding fines etc etc, If you need any more just ask away
cheers AGAIN Pete , the jobs near Karlsruhe, they bloke said to me in his email english
is no problem, i dont know what they do exactly, curtainsider work is all i can see,
im shockes already at the seemingly low wage! The wage he has mentioned is not enough for me to
entertain tbh, pity, he said 80% of the time i would be home at the weekend, im gueassing he means normally
altho he is covering his ■■■ as obv he cant guarentee that i wont
get stuck out.
Im intriged with you comment about rules not being adheared to, which rules do you mean? Enployment
ones or tacho ones?, and im guessing that thing you mention for £90 is am imsurence against
points/fines?
Ta mate
Hi the insurance is yes for fines for speeding or if you have
trouble with your boss or landlord it covers every thing apart from Divorce .
The wages will rise here as te driver shortage is bad,as for him saying
English speaking only is al-right,Well that is a porky pie why because when
you go for your permit to reside they will only talk German To you,
and where ever you are loading or unloading in Germany they will expect
you to speak German as you drive a German lorry , Yes i mean
tacho rules many firms still have lorry’s with the old system and it is
miss-used by Some, ,or they will use other methods, This paints a
blackish picture I know but we also have firms where it is the complete
opposite , The average wage is around €2200 before tax if you are single
you will pay lots then add you expenses say from €320–to–€1200 plus
depending where you have been and what you have done ,Then comes
the extra,s like working Saturday / Sunday / Holidays, and the extra for
working nights , Plus Holiday and Christmas bonus …
WHAT you have to remember is that you need to have a
good wage with out , the expenses as when unemployed you will
only get between 70—80% of your after TAX wages ,
Hope this has helped .
once again mat, thabks for being a valuable source of info in all
things German
i had to have the mrs explain to me the expense thing/tax thing, all sounds like a strange way
of doing it but there you go, your right , theres so much i would ahve to clarify before i could make any desicions about jobs there,
im just encouraged that i got a response from a firm,
why is there a driver shortage there tho? I thought Germany would have no end of close eastern european
drivers flooding into take the driver jobs?
Is agency work the same in German transport. ie very easy to get, tick all the boxes at interview and get working straight away?
Quipree , You asked why they have a shortage of drivers , well
its more than one reason, Drivers are retiring & then others are leaving
the trade to work else where ,as its better money ,less stressful
and they are home every night ;Then you have less youngsters coming
into the profession because they would rather be in the clubs and bars
from Friday night till Sundays ,Further more if they are having to pay for their
own driving licence the Costs are way way too high ,as for eastern
European drivers, well many firms have customers who stipulate
the driver of a German registered truck, should speak German at least
able to hold a conversation and read and write to a set standard, that’s why,
AGENCY Drivers Sorry i have no idea ,there are all ways adverts for these
but most people wish to have a full time job and not chop and change,
You do have the retired drivers who work for say their old firm and end
up in some cases making more money in retirement than when they where
working full time, Average daily pay can be for a Artic €100–130 in some
cases still being paid in cash so not TAX,