Now we’re not just lorry drivers and instead are “key workers” it got me thinking as to who exactly amongst us is key to dealing with this pandemic, because theres no shortage in trucks on the roads…
Obvs everything we carry is essential to the end user, but is it really essential? Like the motorbikes I delivered last week aren’t really essential, nor were the phone holders I delivered this morning, or the bedding concrete I’ve got on now.
Should restrictions be placed further? Are companies being given an inch and taking a mile in their interpretation of the rules?
Interesting one, all I can think of is that for cost and some normality the UK is being run on a perceived skeleton crew although the list of non key workers is probably shorter than the list of key ones.
Depends how bad this gets, not out of the question that more sectors will be stood down and drivers switched to more food related duties, perhaps there even a lot of us that could take the unit home and be on standby to go anywhere for anyone.
Amongst thing we deliver builing supplies to various building sites . Not that essential.in my eyes.
Hope they say buliidng sites should shut down then get time.off on 80% pay
If sound selfish I dont care
Our team leader seems to think building sites won’t give a fork and will carry on regardless so we will be delivering our very important stone window sills [emoji57]
I think he may well be shown we aren’t quite as “key skills” as he thinks. Having said all that, I hope he’s right!
I’ve just been watching Nicola sturgeon saying building sites should think about shutting down.
‘Key worker’ = you are expected to work for 12-16 hours a day 6/7 days a week exposing yourself and your family to risk/danger and only go home (and don’t go out!!) to sleep/stay in; you’re allowed to go shopping of course since there will be nothing left to buy in the stores after your shift is over it will make for a quick trip. Oh and btw you can’t get any fast food either because the owners have decided to close shop due to their reduced revenue using the CV as an excuse just like car manufacturers sitting on months worth of unsold/unsellable stock did out of ‘concern for their workforce’
biggriffin:
Think I might be, Flowers on friday and produce today, us fridge-boyos, are so loved and wanted at the moment, I’m doing important war work
Fridges are the new ‘high value-high risk’ thing; how long before we start needing police/army escorts?
ETS:
‘Key worker’ = you are expected to work for 12-16 hours a day 6/7 days a week exposing yourself and your family to risk/danger and only go home (and don’t go out!!) to sleep/stay in; you’re allowed to go shopping of course since there will be nothing left to buy in the stores after your shift is over it will make for a quick trip. Oh and btw you can’t get any fast food either because the owners have decided to close shop due to their reduced revenue using the CV as an excuse just like car manufacturers sitting on months worth of unsold/unsellable stock did out of ‘concern for their workforce’
biggriffin:
Think I might be, Flowers on friday and produce today, us fridge-boyos, are so loved and wanted at the moment, I’m doing important war work
Fridges are the new ‘high value-high risk’ thing; how long before we start needing police/army escorts?
The burger,kebab,and chicken shops are all gearing up for a mad rush, via Uber eats/ delveroo, etc takeaway home delivery, our forigen friends don’t care,they just see a way to up prices and earn…
biggriffin:
The burger,kebab,and chicken shops are all gearing up for a mad rush, via Uber eats/ delveroo, etc takeaway home delivery, our forigen friends don’t care,they just see a way to up prices and earn…
I’ll take my chance with a CV over a food poisoning, thanks.
The danger of raising hourly rates for drivers - is that firms will feel emboldened to make it harder for said drivers to keep their jobs…
Not so much a “Six points OK” becoming “Clean licences only” = but rather a purge of perceived “troublemakers”, all the while so many of the red tape regulations are being scrapped or suspended as we speak…
We’ll all have to jump through ever-more hoops - if we want to be kept on at that meaty new hourly rate, essentially…
Contracts that are currently “Any five from seven” will end up being actually “Any five 12-13 hour shifts from seven” - which ain’t a pretty sight, when one is then obliged to work 60+ hour weeks, week in and week out for these extra pennies per hour in the “Salary”…
Perhaps now would be a good time for drivers to hold out for “Four on Four Off” or “Any four from seven” to keep weekly hours in the 48 area at very least?
…Perhaps we’ll see a return of “Overtime” that way, too!
Winseer:
The danger of raising hourly rates for drivers - is that firms will feel emboldened to make it harder for said drivers to keep their jobs…
What on earth are you on about? The only time the rates would rise is when they don’t have enough drivers to deliver their stuff, eg. because most of the workforce is out of action with a virus or self-isolating. They wouldn’t be in any position to “make it harder for drivers to keep their jobs” because the relatively small pool of drivers would simply up sticks from RDC #1 and walk down the road to the RDC #2 run by another company who are offering the same rates, but unlike RDC #1 they understand that ■■■■■■■ off the drivers means they go out of business and so would be grateful for any ‘bums on seats’ they can get.
Are farmers key workers too? Just thinking the anpunt of farm related chemicals we’re shipping currently (roughly half this trailer I got) suggests they either are or no ones told them to go home.
Not too sure the cows would be happy where applicable as they usually demand to be milked, but crops will still grow unaided.
Winseer:
The danger of raising hourly rates for drivers - is that firms will feel emboldened to make it harder for said drivers to keep their jobs…
What on earth are you on about? The only time the rates would rise is when they don’t have enough drivers to deliver their stuff, eg. because most of the workforce is out of action with a virus or self-isolating. They wouldn’t be in any position to “make it harder for drivers to keep their jobs” because the relatively small pool of drivers would simply up sticks from RDC #1 and walk down the road to the RDC #2 run by another company who are offering the same rates, but unlike RDC #1 they understand that ■■■■■■■ off the drivers means they go out of business and so would be grateful for any ‘bums on seats’ they can get.
So you agree with me then? You’ve just said the same things in a roundabout way…
real hourly rates - won’t be increasing. It will be the carrot of a higher “pay per week” - but in exchange the “working weeks” gets jacked up from 48 hours to 60 hours…
Those yards that offer the higher headline rates first - will be exacting the high price from those drivers who promptly ditch one yard for another… Only to be then run ragged at the new home, and realizing too late that the overall real terms money is the same - but with a lot more hoops to jump through.
If it were just a question of “Loyalty” on both sides - then this board would be full of drivers with what they perceive as cushy full time jobs - moaning about how hard-done-by they are, now that the boss has (after all this time…) told them “Sorry lads - Time’s are 'ard” - with the expectation that at very lest there’ll be no pay rise this year…
Winseer:
The danger of raising hourly rates for drivers - is that firms will feel emboldened to make it harder for said drivers to keep their jobs…
Not so much a “Six points OK” becoming “Clean licences only” = but rather a purge of perceived “troublemakers”, all the while so many of the red tape regulations are being scrapped or suspended as we speak…
We’ll all have to jump through ever-more hoops - if we want to be kept on at that meaty new hourly rate, essentially…
Contracts that are currently “Any five from seven” will end up being actually “Any five 12-13 hour shifts from seven” - which ain’t a pretty sight, when one is then obliged to work 60+ hour weeks, week in and week out for these extra pennies per hour in the “Salary”…
Perhaps now would be a good time for drivers to hold out for “Four on Four Off” or “Any four from seven” to keep weekly hours in the 48 area at very least?
…Perhaps we’ll see a return of “Overtime” that way, too!
Yet you state, your ready to do more hours and want to milk as much as you can… most drivers are aware truck driving is long hours and most expect 10-12 days now.
I work for Greggs and will be out of work for at least a few weeks by look of it. Greggs will pay us 39 contract hours for foreseeable future, wether that’s two weeks or three months we’re not to sure. I will say for Greggs they always look after their workers I know some people haven’t been so lucky.
and produce today, us fridge-boyos, are so loved and wanted at the moment, I’m doing important war work 
The only time the rates would rise is when they don’t have enough drivers to deliver their stuff, eg. because most of the workforce is out of action with a virus or self-isolating. They wouldn’t be in any position to “make it harder for drivers to keep their jobs” because the relatively small pool of drivers would simply up sticks from RDC 