Mrknowitall:
the reason why there is so many on the dole is because you are doing a job for no pay doing someone else out of a job 
im 54 as well 
■■■■■■■■.
This is just excuse for your laziness.
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I never worked for less than my British counterparts. Moreover, when I worked for that warehouse, they were paying me a quid more per hour than to the rest because they were so desperate for drivers to go there and I was only one of the few who don’t bothered to do some heavy work.
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How is, that all this poor guys driven out of job by me usually say “I would never work in a job you do for money you earn” without even knowing what I do and what I earn?
I remember once I was sitting in one truckstop doing my time sheets and other paperwork, and two guys came to me and started the same talk as you do, trying to wind me up. Then they told, that they would never do my job for my money. I asked: whad do you drive? He pointed at DAF CF with container trailer. How much you have for the week? He said “560”. I then showed him my pay slip with 625 take home and pointed at my 18 tonner DAF with exactly the same cab.
They took their coffes and left the cafe without saying the word.
From all Scottish people I know, these who want’ to work have no problem to find a decent job even under that circumstances we have now.
The only one who are on the dole are these who still moan about “I won’t work for them, as they have premiums only” or “I won’t rise my bum from bed for less than 12 per hour” or “I was on the interview, but the vans were basic, there was even no fridge” (all autentic quotes).
See, when I came to Scotland, I had no knowledge of road network, I had very poor English and paint on my cat. C license was barely dry. I started to work for agency along the British guys (there were only two other Poles there at the time) and I was last Pole to leave for permanent job after 7 months. And I was paid the same rate in my new job as every other driver was (I was the only Pole there).
So why they picked some unexperienced Polish guy with poor English if they could have all that mighty great British truckers to choose from? Do you have any answer to that other, that I am a better worker than them?
I struggle to come with any other answer.
If I was British haulier, I would prefer to employ a British worker, who have 20 years of driving under his belt, who knows everything and everyone in the business and speaks English since he was 2. There would be only exception when I would pick the foreigner: if I was fed up with that I can’t find any British worker who will be doing something more than constant moaning and giving excuses and I needed someone who actually will do the job. I don’t think Scottish hauliers are stupid or attracted to me in a different way - I dare to tell the only reason why I never failed to find some job was that I was a good worker, and if they were calling my ex bosses for references, this is what they were told.
So stop making excuses, as this is just silly and annoying.
You were living in relative luxury for many years and you had forgotten how is to work hard for your wage. Now the world has changed, I mean, the whole world is on it’s knees, we are not even close to be clear from previous crisis and there is another one seems to be coming, and it’s not influx of Poles to UK who caused that.
So instead of looking for whipping boys, just get your sleeves up and do some work, you will be surprised how easy is to find a proper job (altough I am not saying that your first job will be briliant, I think you have to do some share of crap job to show, that you are not afraid of work first, unless you are really lucky).
And last but not least: I do admit that influx of Eastern European drivers has some impact on a drivers wages, but I do not believe it was the only reason. See, when I came here in 2006 there was so big shortage of drivers, that me, the fresh class 2 driver signed up to one agency, with poor English and no knowledge of the area had a call from them every day and was offered few jobs to choose from for the next day. So I believe there was a genuine shortage of drivers at this time (at least the ones who want to do some work).
Later the market was getting thight, and again, I never met any Pole who was ready to work for less than Britons, but I met one Briton which whom I had an interview together and he openly told the interviewer “I am ready to take that job for 50p less per hour than he” before they even told us whats the rates are in that place. (somehow it was me who got that job anyway).
And last but not least, I somehow don’t believe than back in 80s for example you were all driving fancy motors for 20 pounds per hour and you didn’t needed to move your finger to do anything apart from driving. They were such jobs, maybe, as they are today, but somehow I think that the job back then was even more demanding - there was much less motorways around, there was all that roping and sheeting, and tilt trailers, reversing with a-frames involved and the trucks back then were much harder to drive - i guess older folks with confirm that.
So stop telling fairy tales, stop blaming everyone around, get real and get a job, if you want to work. There is plenty around.
The guy for whom I worked via agency was saying that he would like to get me full time, but I got the offer from the place I work just now and went for it. Yet he still calls me every few months to check if I am not willing to come back to him. So I guess he is still struggling to find some decent driver…
Disclaimer: Yes, I know, I repeat myself, but blaming immigrant for everything is also a common subject.
Disclaimer two: There is one thing in English that I did not find the proper way to make myself clear: it’s that “you” works for singular and plurar. All “you” above are not only refering to Mrknowitall, but they are “general you” to all British drivers who are too lazy to work and blame Eastern Europeans for stealing their jobs. And I am not saying that Mrknowitall is one of them, as I don’t know him 
I hope it’s clear now
