Just found this apart from getting max working hours and max driving hours mixed up what do you all think
Unite says long-hours culture is putting overworked HGV drivers at risk
Chris Druce
Thursday 17 November 2011 14:15
The Unite union has accused road transport bosses of operating on “the edges of legality”, suggesting the industry’s long-hours culture is putting overworked drivers and other road users at risk.
Unite, which represents around 60,000 drivers and transport workers, says it is concerned that long hours and unreasonable routing is contributing to accidents.
Matt Draper, Unite national officer for road transport, says: “We are seeing the amount of hours drivers are expected to work continually rise, at a time, when their terms and conditions are being eroded.
“Some haulage firm bosses, in a very competitive environment, are pushing at the boundaries of legality. The industry must recognise the ■■■■■■■■■■ effect of drivers working tough schedules and 15 hour-days.”
The Union is calling on Transport Secretary Justine Greening to boost the resources of VOSA, so that it can carry out more roadside HGV checks.
It has also attacked the lack of driver facilities available, saying sleeping in a cab with little in the way of amenities is affecting the quality of rest they get.
The maximum hours drivers are legally allowed to work each week is 56
Long hours sat in Tesco RDCs maybe! I blame the numbty who drew up the 15 hour day and then put it as law!! It then becomes a target for All if required!
The Union is calling on Transport Secretary Justine Greening to boost the resources of VOSA, so that it can carry out more roadside HGV checks.
How exactly would that change the long hours culture and bring in shorter days? Sure, it might catch more people running bent but would do nothing to alter the number of 15 and 13 hour days being done legally.
As one numpty office manager said to one of our drivers I can make you work 15 hrs every day
I will agree with unite in the statement that companys are using the 15 hr rule as an everyday occurence, not realising that the working day was meant to be 13, and the 2hrs extra was to find a safe and suitable parking place after being delayed by heavy traffic etc, oh how the laws been interpreted.
I have always been an advocate of shorter working hrs, as no one takes notice of what time a driver gets up, how long he travels to his place of work, what time he starts, or what time he finished the day before.For example if a driver finishes at 2100, gets home at 10.00, goes to bed at 11.00, then gets up again at 04.30, to be back in work at 0600 ( on a 9hr break ) do you seriously think thats sufficient rest, cos i dont, the drivers only had 9 hrs off in between working, whereas employers and the nobs in the eu, in reality think hes had 9hrs rest. The drivers hours rules need to be looked at, and yes, there are a lot of very tired drivers on the road, and mainly because their under pressure to keep their jobs, and also because employers are pushing them to the maximum limits including 15 hr day as standard, which we all know is illegal.
15 hour days and 10 hour driveing is at my descretion i quiet often find my self explaining this concept to the planers who seem to be under the misunderstanding thats its there desretion …
Was at Tesco Liviingston (full load) last night from going in the gate to coming out the gate…23mins! Is this a record?
My Tesco record was Lichfield! 15 minutes! Backed on bay next to goods in! Went to hand in keys and had the load refused! Charcoal on White pallets, should have been on Cheps!!
the first post is an edited (for whatever reason) version, in that the union press release claims max 56 weekly Driving not Working as can be seen in Wheelnuts highlighted attachment.
Apart from giving the usual wrong way about daily limit (max work day instead of minmum rest period) what else is wrong?
Perhaps you should be focusing on the fact that after a long , long time of doing nothing for drivers, that finally after a lot of pushing by a lot of ordinary members they are now starting to campaign.
Especially when it comes to parking places and facilities which has been a very contentious issue for a long time
You may not like unions or even agree with their motives but you can be certain that NO-ONE else is going to campaign on your behalf…NO-ONE.
Unless there is one amongst you who is prepared to go the extra mile and start his own campaign…and see it through with all the time and expense involved.
However I do agree that calling for more resources for VOSA is a bit pointless as that will only result in those who break current rules being caught not actually altering the rules nor providing rest areas
What about the working time directive.
The weekly maximum working hours
Adult workers cannot be forced to work more than 48 hours a week on average - this is normally averaged over 17 weeks. You can work more than 48 hours in one week, as long as the average over 17 weeks is less than 48 hours per week.
The problem we have of course, and has been well documented over the years, is that in order to earn a decent crust, we have to work long hours. Coupled with the fact that in real terms, our money is actually going down and not up. We are earning now nearly as much, or as little, as a supermarket worker with no guarantee that we are going home tonight. 8 hours? What’s that?
I would love nothing more than to work 48 hours for the money I can potentially earn by working silly hours. I don’t work those hours out of fun, more so that I can have a reasonable standard of living for myself and my family.
We are capped by what we can work, whereas a shop owner can work what he wants, (Ask your local Asian shop owner what hours he works.) as can a taxi driver with no cap. Why is it WE are regulated by some faceless ■■■■■■ in Brussels?
