best way around the swear filter too 
tattiescone:
waddy,forty years i have been a class one driver and its [zb] like you that make me cringe.our fathers and grandfathers fought to get us better working conditions along with holidays,and a few other things to try and make our lives a little better.i myself have been a lifelong union member and also stood with my mates on picket lines in the 70s and even now i would be there fighting for the sake of everyone even [zb] like you who choose (to look the other way).sorry guys rant over.
This is a forum and everybody is entitled to voice their opinion but there is no excuse for abuse because you disagree with someone else.
If the unions have done so much for lorry drivers over the past forty years how come they still have to work in excess of sixty hours a week to earn a living.
sashmash:
Just tell any one who complains that you are a Muslim. That normally scares the c**p out off them.
Why? - Are Muslims scared of Union intimidation, or are they somehow more likely to 100% support the industrial action taking place by proxy as it were? 
Slightly off topic but can anyone explain why a union would pay your speeding fine, many firms that I have worked for would pay a tachograph fine at the drop of a hat even on the continent and generally used to be a pre condition for working for them but, I have never had one who would pay a speeding fine so why do unions when 99% of the time a speeding offence is black and white with very little case for an argument in the drivers favour. I can understand them helping you to fight a speeding fine if you believe the authorities are in the wrong.
Thevin union scum donāt get me started 
In the past companies like Royal Mail, BRS, and others, were very unionised and there were set times to drive from a to b. If you arrived early at your destination, it was likely that the union man would have words with you about ācarving the job upā, so it is highly unlikely that they would pay speeding fines.
mazzer:
Slightly off topic but can anyone explain why a union would pay your speeding fine, many firms that I have worked for would pay a tachograph fine at the drop of a hat even on the continent and generally used to be a pre condition for working for them but, I have never had one who would pay a speeding fine so why do unions when 99% of the time a speeding offence is black and white with very little case for an argument in the drivers favour. I can understand them helping you to fight a speeding fine if you believe the authorities are in the wrong.
As far as I know it is illegal to have the fine paid by a third party and the Union pay you a Hardship Allowance, its basically just a sweetener for members 
How can it ever be āillegal to pay someone elseās fineā?
Millions of high-ups have been spared jail over the years because āsomeone else paid a fine that would have been ruinous to them personallyā.
Usually, this would be the shell firm they āwork forā of course.
Life would become a lot more interesting if you could say in court
āMr Moneybags - You are hereby fined ten million pounds for your crimes. Non payment within seven days will see the fine commuted to 20 years in Jail, since itās such a large amountā.
Winseer:
How can it ever be āillegal to pay someone elseās fineā?Millions of high-ups have been spared jail over the years because āsomeone else paid a fine that would have been ruinous to them personallyā.
Usually, this would be the shell firm they āwork forā of course.Life would become a lot more interesting if you could say in court
āMr Moneybags - You are hereby fined ten million pounds for your crimes. Non payment within seven days will see the fine commuted to 20 years in Jail, since itās such a large amountā.
I can only pass on my experiences as a T&G Union member on the buses back in the day and that is what we where informed and my post did mention
As far as I know
waddy640:
In this world of every man for himself I would carry on as normal. Their dispute is with their employer and not my problem.
+1. The only subs I spend my wages on are made from bread and have meat in them.
waddy640:
If the unions have done so much for lorry drivers over the past forty years how come they still have to work in excess of sixty hours a week to earn a living.
Donāt blame the Official T.Unions for that mate, a āunionā by definition is a group of united individuals formed to achieve an agenda.
There is no solidarity today between said individuals, and a lack of both backbone and testicles (the two main qualifications needed to achieve this) is especially prevalent in the haulage industry today:roll: ā¦THAT is why we work in excess of 60hrs to earn a living 
robroy:
waddy640:
If the unions have done so much for lorry drivers over the past forty years how come they still have to work in excess of sixty hours a week to earn a living.Donāt blame the Official T.Unions for that mate, a āunionā by definition is a group of united individuals formed to achieve an agenda.
There is no solidarity today between said individuals, and a lack of both backbone and testicles (the two main qualifications needed to achieve this) is especially prevalent in the haulage industry today:roll: ā¦THAT is why we work in excess of 60hrs to earn a living
I understand what you are saying but why have they never been united, other unions in their day had large membership numbers why were drivers the odd men out? Does anyone know?
I donāt do over 60 hours to earn a living. Paid for 55 and I only did 50 last week.
In honour of the late great Jack Richards, āIām alright-Jack.ā 
I worked in the bus industry for many years and we had our fair share of strikes and I can with full confidence say the union stewards where not in it for themselves at that time but things did change
The drivers socialised more and where for want of a better word more social, we all met for drinks after a shift even went on the pop at weekends and had social clubs.
This does not happen in the trucking industry purely by the nature of the job so drivers are fractionated and even isolated with no where immediately to go to report a problem should an issue arise as likely no steward would be available for days.
This has not been helped by anti union laws or agencies that further fractionate the industry added to the fact that most work is is contractual and another company will be waiting to snap work up as big companies seem to shy away from employing their own drivers and all that entails.
The short and tall is as a united front in the trucking industry every thing is against the drivers being United.
waddy640:
I understand what you are saying but why have they never been united, other unions in their day had large membership numbers why were drivers the odd men out? Does anyone know?
I didnāt say āneverā, I meant ānowā.
Union became a dirty word after the 70s. The original concept was to protect workers from employer abuse, but the tables turned to the point where the Unions abused the employers in a way.
(A similar situation with agencies, the outcome contradicting the original idea)
Previous generations fought for basic rights and better conditions, most of which are being handed back, thanks to a subservient attitude among working people.
I crossed one last week.
Argos at Magna Park Lutterworth.
About 12-15 people there, waving some union banners/flags about.
I asked the bloke on goods in what they were moaning about
āThey dont want to work Saturdaysā was the reply.
waddy640:
If the unions have done so much for lorry drivers over the past forty years how come they still have to work in excess of sixty hours a week to earn a living.
The only reasons drivers āhaveā to work 60+ hours is because of the cab-happy idiots who think by doing so it makes them a proper trucker, and thus itās expected of everyone; and because of the similarly intellectually challenged mentality that āthe hourly rate is ā ā ā ā but you can get plenty of hours in and make a half-decent wageā. Until both change it will continue as is.
Olog Hai:
waddy640:
If the unions have done so much for lorry drivers over the past forty years how come they still have to work in excess of sixty hours a week to earn a living.The only reasons drivers āhaveā to work 60+ hours is because of the cab-happy idiots who think by doing so it makes them a proper trucker, and thus itās expected of everyone; and because of the similarly intellectually challenged mentality that āthe hourly rate is [zb] but you can get plenty of hours in and make a half-decent wageā. Until both change it will continue as is.
Well said
We all like a few bob extra and thatās what it should be, a few bob extra not a wage supplement.
waddy640:
tattiescone:
If the unions have done so much for lorry drivers over the past forty years how come they still have to work in excess of sixty hours a week to earn a living.
Most unionised sites donāt.
waddy640:
If the unions have done so much for lorry drivers over the past forty years how come they still have to work in excess of sixty hours a week to earn a living.
Been wondering that myself