I agree with mal I think the answere is to get the goverment to set a minimum rate for a job be it per mile/per tonne whatever they legislate everything else concerned with our proffession so why not the rate for the job
it may stop all these big plc’s doing the jobs for peanuts or even nothing in some well known cases and it will mean there could be greater parity when it comes to wages
if every body was earning the same money then the bad bosses will soon be whitled out of the business because the good bosses would attract all the staff.
some will say it can’t be done but it already is in london with the black cab’s
so why not trucks.
some will say there will always be ythose willing to undercut the rate but i dont think this will happen because we would all be getting the same so why would you?
Mal:
Thats the rub Muckles. Lobbying is a proffesion in this land, and I repeat, if any substantial change for the better is to be secured for the future, the INDUSTRY, and that means all of it, us, the gaffers, the unions, the trade associations, all of us, must speak with one voice.
We need a voice as driver, Although there are issues in this industry that effect employers and drivers equally, we also have seperate issues as drivers that need to be heard.
Tony:
As for those of you happy with your lot you have my best and kindest wishes,BUT sadly most with whome i come into contact are not
What ever workforce you talk to they will always complain about something. I’ve work in warehouses and in offices and when talking to the employees they would also moan about pay and conditions.
However you have started an interesting debate and I think some ideas have come out, The question really is how do we go forward from here and get our views heard were it matters.
When the industry complains about the driver shortage how do we get a chance to respond and say there are enough licence holders its just they don’t want to work under the present pay and conditions. So get that sorted and you’ll get your drivers.
I must have been very lucky through my working life.
I have NEVER worked in a job where I have had reason to complain about my pay and conditions … Lucky you, I can hear you all say but it is not a case of Lucky me … it is a simple answer!!
IF THE PAY AND CONDITIONS ARE BAD , I HAVEN’T TAKEN THE JOB!!!
Now if everyone had that attitude, then those companies that pay poorly and treat their drivers bad would not have any drivers.
muckles:
We need a voice as driver, Although there are issues in this industry that effect employers and drivers equally, we also have seperate issues as drivers that need to be heard.
Thats true, theres no doubt that some issues are not common. What I was suggesting is that the power of influence in a unified approach is obviously increased. But I agree, drivers do need a voice specific to our grievances.
muckles:
However you have started an interesting debate and I think some ideas have come out, The question really is how do we go forward from here and get our views heard were it matters.
Well, a start would be to have a different thread without the word “strike” in it, what do you reckon?
muckles:
When the industry complains about the driver shortage how do we get a chance to respond and say there are enough licence holders its just they don’t want to work under the present pay and conditions. So get that sorted and you’ll get your drivers.
Yes, and if a lot of the common aims were addressed succesfully, the chance is that the pay opportunities, and the conditions that drive people out of the industry might well be rectified.
if you look on the forum you will see that i tried to just what mal said but a minor few still used it for what was not asked.
my be rikki could set up a page and tell drivers it is just for ideas and not comments as well
This page header says Trucknet Round Table, If you want a debate you have to let others express their opinion.
My opinion is similar to many others on this site. I dont want to take action against employers who are struggling to make a profit and replace equipment.
The enemy within are the huge multi-national logistics companys who run the distribution for shipping lines, supermarkets, dairys, brewerys and almost any kind of transport operation. The shareholders of these companies are not interested in anything but generating profit for themselves,
They are not interested in reinvestment and certainly are not going to listen to an unorganised bunch of moaning minnies. If the profits fall short they just move their investment to something that is doing better.
A trend of this thread has been to suggest that joe bloggs transport with 12 trucks is taking three holidays a year in Barbados and earning a large fortune for their retirement.
If you want to get Joe Public on your side, prices have to fall not rise. We are a minority in the grand scheme of life in Britain. The goverment was democratically elected by you and me, The alternative to democracy is unthinkable,
That is why I and so many others are scared of using the word strike or industrial action. There is always someone who is willing to step forward to make things better for his work colleagues. Arthur Scargill and John Prescott did it, Lech Walesa did it with Solidarity and there are many other names you will think of, all of them getting a cushy job at the end.
This government has agreed as our elected representative to stay in Europe and bring in things like WTD and amended unilateral working hours.
The previous one decided that European Trucks would not be charged for using our roads and opted out of the Vignette system.
I have been in transport all my life and have driven trucks since 1976. It was my choice to be a driver and left school with the minimum qualifications to do this. I enjoy spending time away from home, I chose this career knowing that the money and conditions were not always perfect. Apart from being away from work on sick I have earned lots of good money from transport and If I dont then I can walk away. If these companys want to pay you less than the going rate then leave.
Malc:
This page header says Trucknet Round Table, If you want a debate you have to let others express their opinion.
My opinion is similar to many others on this site. I dont want to take action against employers who are struggling to make a profit and replace equipment.
The enemy within are the huge multi-national logistics companys who run the distribution for shipping lines, supermarkets, dairys, brewerys and almost any kind of transport operation. The shareholders of these companies are not interested in anything but generating profit for themselves,
They are not interested in reinvestment and certainly are not going to listen to an unorganised bunch of moaning minnies. If the profits fall short they just move their investment to something that is doing better.
A trend of this thread has been to suggest that joe bloggs transport with 12 trucks is taking three holidays a year in Barbados and earning a large fortune for their retirement.
If you want to get Joe Public on your side, prices have to fall not rise. We are a minority in the grand scheme of life in Britain. The goverment was democratically elected by you and me, The alternative to democracy is unthinkable,
That is why I and so many others are scared of using the word strike or industrial action. There is always someone who is willing to step forward to make things better for his work colleagues. Arthur Scargill and John Prescott did it, Lech Walesa did it with Solidarity and there are many other names you will think of, all of them getting a cushy job at the end.
This government has agreed as our elected representative to stay in Europe and bring in things like WTD and amended unilateral working hours.
The previous one decided that European Trucks would not be charged for using our roads and opted out of the Vignette system.
I have been in transport all my life and have driven trucks since 1976. It was my choice to be a driver and left school with the minimum qualifications to do this. I enjoy spending time away from home, I chose this career knowing that the money and conditions were not always perfect. Apart from being away from work on sick I have earned lots of good money from transport and If I dont then I can walk away. If these companys want to pay you less than the going rate then leave.
Its as simple as that
Good post. A lot of sense spoken here, especially in the last paragraph. That is[/i] the top and bottom of it. If you don’t like it, get out and move on. I think there are a hell of a lot of members of this website in the wrong job. If you’re working for some paltry amount of money where you are and don’t like it then why did you take the job in the first place and why are you staying there I don’t understand drivers who work for Prestons of Potto for example, but moan like hell about the pay. I work for a company which is based in the same vicinity as Prestons, Bulmers etc (both well known for diabolical money), but in all honesty, I’m not unhappy with the money I’m on (significantly higher) and the gaffer makes sure he looks after you if you feel your money’s a bit short. There are good companies out there, all over the UK - not just on the M1/M4 corridor, who pay good money with good conditions, trouble is most drivers are too lazy to go looking for them and prefer to look in the job centre/local newspaper for them but you’ll never find them advertised there because they are good and only go by word of mouth. The best way to get what you want is to hit the companies where it hurts, and that’s in the pocket. Leaving or refusing to work for companies such as Prestons will eventually either bring them down or force them to have to put their rates up to a sensible amount because they won’t have any drivers willing to work for them. The same goes for MSA’s parking charges, the quality and price of the food they serve and the wash facilities. If no-one parks at them overnight nor spends any money in the shop/restaurant then you could quite probably bankrupt most of them in 6 months. You work out the figures. Take Lymm for example. Not sure of current overnight parking charges because I have the sense never to park there or at any other place that charges, but let’s say it’s £10 per night. I reckon that on an average weekday night there will be at least 100 trucks parked up. 4 nights per week let’s say to be generous. That’s an average pure profit of £104,000 over a 6 month period That’s a LOT of revenue to lose for just one of their sites over 6 months I’m already doing my bit there. Working for a sensible amount of money and not parking overnight (that’s 5 overnights every]/b] week) anywhere that charges for the privilege. That’s the answer to two parts of the overall problems anyway.
Thats two sensible posts in succession there!!!
You seem to repeat what I said, Rob… obviously you are like me in the jobs stakes… you could have run to Prestons and got a low paid job and then moaned like hell, but I see you waited till the right one came along. Good on you! I have just spent 3 months out of work simply because I would not work for A) £4.50 per hour (can you believe that??) and B) I do NOT want to work for just any old person. I have done a few bits and pieces in the last 3 months (and NOT signed on once) but thro waiting for the right job, I am now just waiting to have a job confirmed. Second in command asked me how much I was looking for… and agreed … told me I would have a company credit card etc and the best bit of all!!! Cop this!!! Has told me I will have a 50K budget to go get the truck I want to suit for the job!!! I find it, they will come and look and pay for it. How ■■■■■■ real is that■■? and I will be purely on European work
Strike■■? I don’t think so when I have a boss like that
Wheel Nut:
The enemy within are the huge multi-national logistics companys who run the distribution for shipping lines, supermarkets, dairys, brewerys and almost any kind of transport operation. The shareholders of these companies are not interested in anything but generating profit for themselves,
Yep these are the same companies that didn’t join in the fuel strike and run the FTA and RHA, which is why little is done to sort out RDC waiting times, it wouldn’t suit them. The average small haulier is working on a tight margin because they have to take the scraps that the big boys throw at them. From my experience the small haulier will treat you better because he understands the job from the drivers point of view, but because of thier margins they can’t pay the wages.
I can’t understand why a government won’t charge foreign hauliers for using our roads, it a way of getting money from people who don’t vote.
The only reasons I can think of is
a) They have been got at by industry which wants to use foreign trucks to reduce thier costs
B) The government want foreign hauliers so the UK industry can’t hold them to ransom after the fuel strike.
TheBear:
Thats two sensible posts in succession there!!!
You seem to repeat what I said, Rob… obviously you are like me in the jobs stakes… you could have run to Prestons and got a low paid job and then moaned like hell, but I see you waited till the right one came along. Good on you! I have just spent 3 months out of work simply because I would not work for A) £4.50 per hour (can you believe that??) and B) I do NOT want to work for just any old person. I have done a few bits and pieces in the last 3 months (and NOT signed on once) but thro waiting for the right job, I am now just waiting to have a job confirmed. Second in command asked me how much I was looking for… and agreed … told me I would have a company credit card etc and the best bit of all!!! Cop this!!! Has told me I will have a 50K budget to go get the truck I want to suit for the job!!! I find it, they will come and look and pay for it. How ■■■■■■ real is that■■? and I will be purely on European work
Strike■■? I don’t think so when I have a boss like that
so you have been out of work for 3months?? sponging of the tax payer then■■?
perhaps not then on reading all your post? but if you have wife and kids how have you supported them then?on savings? if so wot is the point in only working for higher payers then have to spend your savings supporting yourself?? far better to have some income at a steady rate than to earn alot to support short term work?
I don’t understand drivers who work for Prestons of Potto for example, but moan like hell about the pay.
at least theres always a job there!! and by the way prestons are helping to keep this site going(they advertise on here)
north surrey haulage:
especially as they’ve just had a “substatial” pay rise
I was chatting to a prestons driver last week his pay rise is now £6.00 perhour but overtime doesnt kick in untill 50 hours worked before it was 45 hours worked!
donno what they were on before but if it was a substantial pay rise it couldnt of been much
Wheel Nut wrote:
The goverment was democratically elected by you and me, The alternative to democracy is unthinkable,
I dunno, the government’s “mandate” was what?..52% of the vote. And what was the turnout?..something in the region of 40% of the franchise.
If these numbers are true (and they’re not far off) then the government came to power with the votes of less than 25% of the population. Most people seem to think that there is only one alternative - it’s either a democracy or a dictatorship - I disagree, there is more than black and white. Maybe it’s just me, but I think the alternative to democracy is already here.
Wheel Nut wrote:
This government has agreed as our elected representative to stay in Europe
The problem here is that the government refuses to get in Europe and insists on pussyfooting around the fringes. As a result we, as a country and an industry, are continually getting shafted by external forces which we have no serious influence over. A by product of this dithering is that the Euro is suffering instability which affects the economies of the countries which use it. You may think “tough” but remember that the majority of our business (import/export) is with Europe so that will then affect us.
I keep hearing about how we are the 4th largest economy in the world and yet all I see is industries closing and jobs being lost. How can this be? At the moment the yankee dollar (assumed to be the larget economy in the world) is weak against the pound and the euro (assume the euro zone to be the second largest economy in the world) is weak against the dollar. Why?..because the speculators have the pound to play with - net result…nobody buys what we still make. Makes sense?..not to me.
I suggest you all drop your trousers and grab your ankles and assume the position that successive governments have presented this country as to the rest of the world
oddsodz: so you have been out of work for 3months?? sponging of the tax payer then■■?
perhaps not then on reading all your post? but if you have wife and kids how have you supported them then?on savings? if so wot is the point in only working for higher payers then have to spend your savings supporting yourself?? far better to have some income at a steady rate than to earn alot to support short term work?
I am so glad you noticed your mistake there Odds :o)
I have NEVER ‘sponged’ off the taxpayer in my life!!!
How do I support my family■■? Normally I would not bother to answer this but I shall make an exception this time … my wife is a ‘paper’ millionairess!!
Why work■■? I hold a HGV and I love trucking … so why not truck?? or will I get slated now for taking a job off a man that needs it?
If I ‘sponge’ off anyone it is my wife
oddsodz: so you have been out of work for 3months?? sponging of the tax payer then■■?
perhaps not then on reading all your post? but if you have wife and kids how have you supported them then?on savings? if so wot is the point in only working for higher payers then have to spend your savings supporting yourself?? far better to have some income at a steady rate than to earn alot to support short term work?
I am so glad you noticed your mistake there Odds )
I have NEVER ‘sponged’ off the taxpayer in my life!!!
How do I support my family■■? Normally I would not bother to answer this but I shall make an exception this time … my wife is a ‘paper’ millionairess!!
Why work■■? I hold a HGV and I love trucking … so why not truck?? or will I get slated now for taking a job off a man that needs it?
If I ‘sponge’ off anyone it is my wife
TheBear:
my wife is a ‘paper’ millionairess!!
Why work■■? I hold a HGV and I love trucking … so why not truck?? or will I get slated now for taking a job off a man that needs it?
If I ‘sponge’ off anyone it is my wife
I’m not criticising the way you live your life, but your circumstances do give you the chance to wait for a good job, but some drivers may have to take what is offered to pay the bills.
On a lighter note. What is a paper millionairess? Does it mean loads of ten and twenties stuffed in the mattress?
oddsodz: so you have been out of work for 3months?? sponging of the tax payer then■■?
perhaps not then on reading all your post? but if you have wife and kids how have you supported them then?on savings? if so wot is the point in only working for higher payers then have to spend your savings supporting yourself?? far better to have some income at a steady rate than to earn alot to support short term work?
I am so glad you noticed your mistake there Odds )
I have NEVER ‘sponged’ off the taxpayer in my life!!!
How do I support my family■■? Normally I would not bother to answer this but I shall make an exception this time … my wife is a ‘paper’ millionairess!!
Why work■■? I hold a HGV and I love trucking … so why not truck?? or will I get slated now for taking a job off a man that needs it?
If I ‘sponge’ off anyone it is my wife
north surrey haulage:
especially as they’ve just had a “substatial” pay rise
I was chatting to a prestons driver last week his pay rise is now £6.00 perhour but overtime doesnt kick in untill 50 hours worked before it was 45 hours worked!
donno what they were on before but if it was a substantial pay rise it couldnt of been much
The simple reason that im sticking up for prestons is that i work for them albeit thru an agency,and have been with them for nearly one year,i have the keys to my own truck no body else drives it all my kit is in there never gets touched.I have time of when i need it,never a moan when i take time off,i am never pushed to get it there!,if i feel that its to close to the bone they swop trailers,i get a little more that there drivers not much more but if i was to be paid for work done i would end up owing them…and another thing the pay rise has not been accepted and is not going to be
That’s a LOT of revenue to lose for just one of their sites over 6 months 
)
