Harry Monk:
The bottom line is that we live in a free market economy and £7 per hour is all an employer needs to pay to get an artic driver in many parts of the country. So that’s what the job is worth. If an employer couldn’t find drivers at that price then he would need to increase it, but he can so he doesn’t.All arguments along the line of “We are in charge of £100,000’s worth of truck” are irrelevant.
Unfortunately, it’s true.
Harry Monk:
All arguments along the line of “We are in charge of £100,000’s worth of truck” are irrelevant.
True, In some industries companies actually charge people to work for them in charge of millions of pounds worth of kit just to gain experience or whatever other reason, I haven’t yet heard of this in haulage just yet, we still get paid to come to work…
nightstar:
I have had my class 1 for 20 years and when I started I was earning 7 quid an hour.How is it when you consider that its a lot more costly and more hastle to pass your test than ever, our wages haven’t gone up much!
Its nothing to do with the influx of foreign workers as this problem was here long before Europe opened its doors. Besides migrants have created more truck driving jobs just by settling in the uk.the more people who live here the more demand for stuff that travels around on the back of a truck.
As truck drivers Its probably time we did something about our lack of decent wages.But what?
With the judicious use of a felt tip pen you can turn your C+E licence into a brain surgeon permit.
Me, bitter? What makes you think that?
Tipper Tom:
I consider my earnings to be “decent”Class 2 tipper driver (until Thursday then class 1 fridges)
Paid for 10 hours regardless if we turn a wheel or not ( assuming the job is not cancelled 24 hours prior to arrival at yard) at a far higher rate than a lot get for Class 1 work.
Paid a clean lorry bonus (generally in diesel)
Night out money at 25 a night
A decent Christmas bonus every year in line with what the lorry has earned.
The fridge job pays 650 a week in the bank plus 25 a night out and a Christmas bonus.
I understand there are people working for an awful lot less per week than I earn and I expect there are those on more a week.
The reason employers are able to pay less is simply that people will work for it, not just immigrants but those with shiny kit syndrome, those with bills to pay a family to support who realise that a wage is better than no wage or those that realise lorry driving isn’t rocket science or hard work who value working above being on the dole.
I’m sure if my only choice was 7.70 an hour on Stobarts and the like or 75 quid a week on the dole I’d be taking the money I EARNED rather than going to the Job Centre
If one is unhappy with ones wage it’s a case of looking for something else which pays better or moving to an area which offers a better chance of earning more (obviously with a job to go to)
Who on fridges pays £650 a week IN THE BANK + £25 night out? There isn’t that much money in fridge workand It’s hardly specialist work.
Genuine question not having a pop.
Some good well balanced posts.
For the love of god! Please tell me of another profession who struggles to use ablutions when provided other than truck drivers. Or when provided they choose to abuse them! Or perhaps deficate in a bags and discard them into bushes, how about peeing into pop bottles and discarding them Into a highway verge!
Perhaps maybe when you are grown up little boys we can discuss wages?
After 20 mins of my last rant. Iam still struggling to find a group of “so called professionals” who are calling for a wage to reflect their inabilities!
Eg my wife is a IT Consultant. As of yet no-one in that sector has had felt the need to pee and deficate in a car park!!!
Perhaps it’s just me who’s out of touch?
chester:
After 20 mins of my last rant. Iam still struggling to find a group of “so called professionals” who are calling for a wage to reflect their inabilities!Eg my wife is a IT Consultant. As of yet no-one in that sector has had felt the need to pee and deficate in a car park!!!
Perhaps it’s just me who’s out of touch?
Yep sure looks like your out of touch pal. IT consultants are well known car park deficaters!!! Erm Truck drivers? No sorry first I’ve heard.
Walloper! Don’t take it off thread because the truth hurts some what!
nightstar:
Yep sure looks like your out of touch pal. /quote]Proof, source etc?
“Defecate”. No need to thank me. 
Rhythm Thief:
“Defecate”. No need to thank me.
Let’s start our profession learning basic bodily functions before we start picking people up on spelling eh!!!
Grammar nazis never bear well on forums!! Just a note!
Lorry drivers need to be able to use a toilet first, before we move onto spelling!
Language is power.
Anyway, it’s you who started banging on about people, er, “deficating” in truck parks. You obviously have something of a bee in your bonnet about it; everyone else was having a civilised (and on topic) discussion about pay and conditions.
By the way, too many of these - ! - mean that I can’t take you seriously. You come across as an overexcited child after too much Tizer.
Rhythm Thief:
Language is power.
Anyway, it’s you who started banging on about people, er, “deficating” in truck parks. You obviously have something of a bee in your bonnet about it; everyone else was having a civilised (and on topic) discussion about pay and conditions.
Would you employ an abled bodied person who could not use a toilet correctly and then pay them? 
For Christ’s sake, stop banging on about toilets. There are a minority of drivers who are animals, we all know that. What we don’t need is someone on the forum with an unhealthy fascination with the topic going on and on about it.
chester:
Rhythm Thief:
Language is power.
Anyway, it’s you who started banging on about people, er, “deficating” in truck parks. You obviously have something of a bee in your bonnet about it; everyone else was having a civilised (and on topic) discussion about pay and conditions.Would you employ an abled bodied person who could not use a toilet correctly and then pay them?
Take the “d” off the end of “abled” and it’ll be in English. Only took you four edits. 
Rhythm Thief:
Take the “d” off the end of “abled” and it’ll be in English. Only took you four edits.
That may be so.
Are you getting paid any better for pointing it out?
No. It just makes me happy. 
Rhythm Thief:
No. It just makes me happy.
Maybe a trucking forum is not the best place to be if you want to focus your attention on peoples spelling.
Just a thought!
As it puts some people off posting on a forum if they are going to be ridiculed for simple grammer errors.
A forum is more than just about you. Eh!
Maybe the vast majority of haulage companies can’t afford to pay decent wages? The many companies who have gone to the wall in recent years is a indication how tough it is out there. Rock bottom rates and too many companies fighting for bits of work. The profit margins are tight and overheads are high. Its not a easy place to make money for nothing the haulage industry.
While that maybe true in some cases I just think some bosses are as tight as you can get. Ours can be seen every morning around 0430-0500 driving around the truck park. He’s so tight he won’t use his own car, a Bentley, he says it’s too expensive! but uses the secretarys instead.
I’ve never attended an interview for driving yet where I was told I would get more, or less pay based on where I take a dump. Personally I find it easier to use a toilet, it’s quite difficult to have one in a bag and, tbh, well beyond my physical dexterity anymore.