I came across this on Facebook, an advert for drivers from a Danish haulage firm, Kurt Beier A/S. They’re recruiting Romanian drivers, presumably because they’re much cheaper than Danish drivers. “Much” being the operative word!
They’re offering 800 Romanian Leu per month, gross, which works-out at a cushty sum of £135.15 per month!
That’s around £33.78 per week, or doing let’s say, 55 hours a week, working-out at 61 pence per hour!
I can’t imagine that going far in Denmark, not that the drivers will get the chance to spend it. Probably cooped-up in lay-bys all over Europe, night after night, months on end. Poor sods!
Something is wrong with that advert or is a joke. No EE driver will move his finger for that money!
Even Bulgarian companies for drivers driving in Europe offer 1200-1500 euro per month and there is shortage of at least 5000 drivers. Most BG drivers drive for companies in Europe for better money and work conditions.
Romanians are at the same standard(money wise) as Bulgarians.
I would imagine there is some mistake here. Romanian wages are low by western standards, but the wage you mention is about a tenth of a domestic Romanian wage for a truck driver.
You’re going to laugh at this, especially with the talk about Eddie Stobart’s meal allowance!
I’ve translated the article, and on paper, Kurt Beier are paying their drivers £135 per month, which is fine, because there is no minimum wage in Denmark. However, their drivers are also paid an Eddie Stobart-style tax-free allowance, of 10,000 Kroner per month, working-out at just over £1,000 per month.
So they’re taxed on their £135, and get £1,000 per month in tax-free “allowances”!
Harry Monk:
I would imagine there is some mistake here. Romanian wages are low by western standards, but the wage you mention is about a tenth of a domestic Romanian wage for a truck driver.
Maybe it’s not as simple as that Harry.The answer is probably more than that but a lot less than ten times the figure.IE going by standards here in which most drivers are on less than twice the UK minimum wage.There’s no reason to expect any different applies in Romania.In which case the relevant figure is 217 Euros per month with no stated hourly definition of ‘a month’.So 217 x 2 = 435 Euros per month over a 200 hour month = around £2 per hour ?.Either that or East Euro drivers are valued much more in their domestic economies than Brits are in ours ( doubtful ).
While Dolph’s figures are unsurprisingly based on East Euro drivers predictably walking away for West Euro wages.
Which leaves the question why would any west Euro operator want to pay west Euro minimum wage or more if they can find a way of employing East Euro drivers on East Euro wages.IE flagging out especially if/when cabotage restrictions are removed.
I’m led to believe that Esbjerg West’s biggest hauler’s drivers are on about 1600 EU/month. With a reputed 400 trucks that’s a big wage bill so you got to feel for the guy, plus fuel bill tyre bill oh and the damage bill, can’t imagine how the guy sleeps at night!
Rottweiler22:
You’re going to laugh at this, especially with the talk about Eddie Stobart’s meal allowance!
I’ve translated the article, and on paper, Kurt Beier are paying their drivers £135 per month, which is fine, because there is no minimum wage in Denmark. However, their drivers are also paid an Eddie Stobart-style tax-free allowance, of 10,000 Kroner per month, working-out at just over £1,000 per month.
So they’re taxed on their £135, and get £1,000 per month in tax-free “allowances”!
What could possibly go wrong.Meanwhile Labour’s pro EU policy in action. Lets put our own out of work to import cheap east Euro labour with massive tax loopholes being exploited as part of the deal.Even Rjan won’t have an answer to that.
Of course he’s not the only large Danish hauler using cheap labour but here there seems to be finally moves being made to clamp down on what has been nothing less than a disgusting modern day slave trade, money talks with all these greedy large international companies but I can feel in my bones that the end is nigh with this do called social dumping as it’s just so totally wrong. Out on the 23rd!!
Harry Monk:
I would imagine there is some mistake here. Romanian wages are low by western standards, but the wage you mention is about a tenth of a domestic Romanian wage for a truck driver.
Maybe it’s not as simple as that Harry.The answer is probably more than that but a lot less than ten times the figure.IE going by standards here in which most drivers are on less than twice the UK minimum wage.There’s no reason to expect any different applies in Romania.In which case the relevant figure is 217 Euros per month with no stated hourly definition of ‘a month’.So 217 x 2 = 435 Euros per month over a 200 hour month = around £2 per hour ?.Either that or East Euro drivers are valued much more in their domestic economies than Brits are in ours ( doubtful ).
While Dolph’s figures are unsurprisingly based on East Euro drivers predictably walking away for West Euro wages.
Which leaves the question why would any west Euro operator want to pay west Euro minimum wage or more if they can find a way of employing East Euro drivers on East Euro wages.IE flagging out especially if/when cabotage restrictions are removed. :idea:
Because no EE driver will drive for WE company in Europe on EE minimum wage, thas crazy, even Bulgarian drivers in Spain(high unemployment) are paid by Spanish standard.
Do you think I came to UK to work for Bulgarian wage, while living, paying taxes and spending all my money here or for British wage/standard?
Some of you think of us as a slaves, not you but in general…
I personally believe the EU could for once give the transport industry a hand and completely ban the taking of 24hr+ rest periods by hauliers drivers in other EU countries. Exceptions could be applied for via a permit system.
Does our industry no favours having the likes of Waberers running riot over here with drivers on wages below our minimum and massive diesel tanks filled up on the continent at lower prices. Doesn’t make for a level playing field.
The advantage for Beier and many other European Companys with this sort of system is that by having an EE sub Company they avoid all the hugh ‘’‘social’'COSTs in the home country such as tax,pensions,health unemployment ins.
Carryfast:
While Dolph’s figures are unsurprisingly based on East Euro drivers predictably walking away for West Euro wages.
Which leaves the question why would any west Euro operator want to pay west Euro minimum wage or more if they can find a way of employing East Euro drivers on East Euro wages.IE flagging out especially if/when cabotage restrictions are removed. :idea:
Because no EE driver will drive for WE company in Europe on EE minimum wage, thas crazy, even Bulgarian drivers in Spain(high unemployment) are paid by Spanish standard.
Do you think I came to UK to work for Bulgarian wage, while living, paying taxes and spending all my money here or for British wage/standard?
Some of you think of us as a slaves, not you but in general…
So long as your domestic economies get away with paying Romanian
type minimum wage levels East Euro workers are relative slaves.
While the question was meant as,‘for how long’ will West Euro wage rates remain ‘sustainable’ in an environment of flagging out to East Euro wage economies for international operations.Let alone if/when cabotage restrictions are ended.
WHY is it legal for someone paid that kind of wage - to then tramp over here?
Surely the moment they enter Britain - the pay rate should be upped to NMW in line with the EU laws we keep getting told (lied to) are “there to protect worker’s rights”.
It’s just another example of the double standards afoot that expose the EU workers rights rules for the total ■■■■■■■■ they are.
Remember: The EU along with Cameron & Co AND the leader of the opposition - are all pumping working class folk with the notion that “workers rights will be LOST if we vote for Brexit”.
How can you lose something you didn’t have in the first place?
Who’s talking about losing any rights in any case? - It would be simpler to leave a lot of laws on the statute books, and just ditch the unpopular ones!
Winseer:
WHY is it legal for someone paid that kind of wage - to then tramp over here?
Surely the moment they enter Britain - the pay rate should be upped to NMW in line with the EU laws we keep getting told (lied to) are “there to protect worker’s rights”.
It’s just another example of the double standards afoot that expose the EU workers rights rules for the total ■■■■■■■■ they are.
Remember: The EU along with Cameron & Co AND the leader of the opposition - are all pumping working class folk with the notion that “workers rights will be LOST if we vote for Brexit”.
How can you lose something you didn’t have in the first place?
Who’s talking about losing any rights in any case? - It would be simpler to leave a lot of laws on the statute books, and just ditch the unpopular ones!
■■■■ me, you are boring does you brain not have the capacity to cope with more than one topic at a time?
Winseer:
WHY is it legal for someone paid that kind of wage - to then tramp over here?
Surely the moment they enter Britain - the pay rate should be upped to NMW in line with the EU laws we keep getting told (lied to) are “there to protect worker’s rights”.
It’s just another example of the double standards afoot that expose the EU workers rights rules for the total ■■■■■■■■ they are.
Remember: The EU along with Cameron & Co AND the leader of the opposition - are all pumping working class folk with the notion that “workers rights will be LOST if we vote for Brexit”.
How can you lose something you didn’t have in the first place?
Who’s talking about losing any rights in any case? - It would be simpler to leave a lot of laws on the statute books, and just ditch the unpopular ones!
The workers’ rights bs is all part of the same old lie used by the Socialists to justify the idea that they have the monopoly of what’s good for the working class.When the fact is East Euro wages are what they are ‘because’ of Socialism just like cheap Chinese labour taking Western jobs is.
