It really depends on where you live. The south east is horrendous, round by me you can get a terrace for around 80k, nothing needing doing to it. Put that in London and you could stick 400-500k on that easily.
Before we get blown off course into murky waters, isn’t the bottom line of why we don’t have better pay and conditions is that company owners are looking to trim the fat where they can get away with it?
It used to be small independent hauliers where you would get the better pay and conditions, but the race to pay the lowest rate is fast catching up with the minimum pay.
You can’t buy cheap diesel or insurance, but you can buy cheap labour, and that cost of doing business is shrinking all the time. 50 hour weeks as minimum standard, little or no overtime, no decent health or pension.
The industry is ready to implode, the only saving grace is that the job is dumbed down enough that anyone can do it, the only criteria is the abilty to say ‘yes boss’
Honked: “the industry is about to implode”.
It’s not just transport though is it?
Car factories may employ agency workers on short contracts instead of regular workers. The big pensions once promised to lower paid council workers are evaporating.
Maybe transport isn’t doing too well, but is it worse than many other industries?
Sure train drivers always get pointed out as doing well, but aren’t they the exception?
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Franglais:
Honked: “the industry is about to implode”.
It’s not just transport though is it?
Car factories may employ agency workers on short contracts instead of regular workers. The big pensions once promised to lower paid council workers are evaporating.
Maybe transport isn’t doing too well, but is it worse than many other industries?
Sure train drivers always get pointed out as doing well, but aren’t they the exception?Sent from my GT-S7275R using Tapatalk
If you look at transport in years gone by, it was something to aspire to in the low skilled arena that gave you a high wage and also some kudos. Now it is just a way to pay the rent, there is little to learn about the job, no long term prospects or jobs for life. The agency guy can come in on Monday and do the same job as the regular driver as all we do is steer the truck to where the satnav says to go.
The crazy part of being a truck driver today, we think we are worth twice what we get paid but are happy to do it for half the money.
Is it any wonder we get treated like fools?
Had a think overnight about our jobs.
Wife, no skills and left school with normal exam results. Her job package:
33k salary, 40 days holiday, sick pay, company pension, additional benefits and schemes that you can join for free (health clubs etc) 37.5 hours flexi work.
Truck driver, needs to be qualified and continue development, needs to adhere to strict rules and be treated in a poor manner, long hours and sleep in a truck, cook in a truck pee in a truck. Start and finish times are unsocial.
Must be able to perform a mini mot every day and risk heavy fines.
Roll up roll up, £10 for every hour you can squeeze in.
TiredAndEmotional:
edd1974:
I was off sick for 6 weeks or so earlier this year. As some idiot decide to jump a red light crash my car up one weekend causing me to fracture my hand. Anyway was on ssp got back to work . 1st think work did when back wanted chat see how I was etc. Then handed me a section from my work contract with a section highlighted. Stating if any employee makes any claim to an outside party for loss of earning … The company will seek to claim back any ssp payments made to the employee plus any other costs involved insured during there absenceI’m not seeing a problem with that but you haven’t made it clear whether you have any issue with their action or not.
I can see there logic in off company needs find another driver. But I could be wrong. I thought you get sap the company doesn’t pay it. They claim it off the government dss don’t they? And if they do then to claim it back off me is so wrong
Honked:
Had a think overnight about our jobs.
Wife, no skills and left school with normal exam results. Her job package:
33k salary, 40 days holiday, sick pay, company pension, additional benefits and schemes that you can join for free (health clubs etc) 37.5 hours flexi work.Truck driver, needs to be qualified and continue development, needs to adhere to strict rules and be treated in a poor manner, long hours and sleep in a truck, cook in a truck pee in a truck. Start and finish times are unsocial.
Must be able to perform a mini mot every day and risk heavy fines.
Roll up roll up, £10 for every hour you can squeeze in.
[emoji2]
But think of what’d we’d loose if we quit.
Those scintillating conversations with interesting people in RDCs. The opportunity to work on Bank Holidays. The chance to reflect at length on our good fortune. And no one can accuse of being mercenary, we clearly don’t do it for the money.
[emoji6]
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edd1974:
TiredAndEmotional:
edd1974:
I was off sick for 6 weeks or so earlier this year. As some idiot decide to jump a red light crash my car up one weekend causing me to fracture my hand. Anyway was on ssp got back to work . 1st think work did when back wanted chat see how I was etc. Then handed me a section from my work contract with a section highlighted. Stating if any employee makes any claim to an outside party for loss of earning … The company will seek to claim back any ssp payments made to the employee plus any other costs involved insured during there absenceI’m not seeing a problem with that but you haven’t made it clear whether you have any issue with their action or not.
I can see there logic in off company needs find another driver. But I could be wrong. I thought you get sap the company doesn’t pay it. They claim it off the government dss don’t they? And if they do then to claim it back off me is so wrong
No companies can’t. Before 2014, they could to a certain threshold, 25 employees we certainly wouldn’t have been able to, so it really was just very small companies that could claim.
Nice to see his workmates standing by him …now. Surely it would have been a bigger help to have a whip around for him whilst he was off work. maybe they did but there is no mention of it. In days gone by when unions were around, our branch had a scheme whereby all members who chose to paid an additional amount (26p) per week into a branch fund that existed solely for sickness and death grants to widows. Instigated and administered by the branch committee not the union, this worked well for several years until membership dropped. I agree it was not a fortune, IIRC it was around £60 per 4 weeks but it certainly helped a lots of drivers that I knew. Not that different to have private insurance. However, one thing does concern me in the insurance idea. With all the data kept by the government bodies on our health and possibly in the future, our DNA and proclivity to certain illnesses, wouldn’t the insurance companies be desperate to buy that info in order to maximise risk/ premium balances. In effect then some would fare far better than others, through absolutely no fault of their own.
In Canada we have EI, employment insurance, I think its 80% of your average take home pay in the preceding 6months. All the builders and farm hands etc use it when it gets too cold to work. As an employer I stop it from wages along with income tax and CPP (state pension) and match CPP one for one and EI I pay 1.4 for one, or it may be the other way around.
For sickness due to a work related illness or injury, we have the WCB, workers compensation board, they pay you based on the previous years tax assessment, you get your annual nett pay divided by 52 paid into the bank every week you’re off sick, plus any rehab you need is covered too.
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del949:
Nice to see his workmates standing by him …now. Surely it would have been a bigger help to have a whip around for him whilst he was off work. maybe they did but there is no mention of it. In days gone by when unions were around, our branch had a scheme whereby all members who chose to paid an additional amount (26p) per week into a branch fund that existed solely for sickness and death grants to widows. Instigated and administered by the branch committee not the union, this worked well for several years until membership dropped. I agree it was not a fortune, IIRC it was around £60 per 4 weeks but it certainly helped a lots of drivers that I knew. Not that different to have private insurance. However, one thing does concern me in the insurance idea. With all the data kept by the government bodies on our health and possibly in the future, our DNA and proclivity to certain illnesses, wouldn’t the insurance companies be desperate to buy that info in order to maximise risk/ premium balances. In effect then some would fare far better than others, through absolutely no fault of their own.
You’re pointing out a real problem. Private insurance will rulecout preexisting conditions etc. Private insurance is there to make a profit for the company. Isn’t that why we need a better National Insurance scheme?
Government telling us we can’t afford a public insurance in one breath, then saying we have a responsibility to get a private one in the next gives a clue about their priorities!
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the train of thought there continues. If, for EG a company is forced to pay full wages for extended sickness, would they not also be interested in your medical history or even your genetic makeup. perhaps a full medical report including all relevant info before any offer of employment. It seems there is or maybe a lot more to consider before jumping in the deep end with requests. Maybe it would be fair to say that the last company I worked for paid me to have 2 periods of 26 weeks each sick over the last 4 years I was there, which was paid at full rate including night shift premium, so I was very lucky. I doubt that a smaller company could have stood that kind of expense, even if they had some kind of insurance in place as the effect on premiums etc could have been severe. Strangely enough, this morning I had an e-mail from 38 degrees asking for my input into a change into taxation for health etc, wether I would be prepared to pay extra income tax , ring fenced, for the NHS.
del949:
the train of thought there continues. If, for EG a company is forced to pay full wages for extended sickness, would they not also be interested in your medical history or even your genetic makeup. perhaps a full medical report including all relevant info before any offer of employment. It seems there is or maybe a lot more to consider before jumping in the deep end with requests. Maybe it would be fair to say that the last company I worked for paid me to have 2 periods of 26 weeks each sick over the last 4 years I was there, which was paid at full rate including night shift premium, so I was very lucky. I doubt that a smaller company could have stood that kind of expense, even if they had some kind of insurance in place as the effect on premiums etc could have been severe. Strangely enough, this morning I had an e-mail from 38 degrees asking for my input into a change into taxation for health etc, wether I would be prepared to pay extra income tax , ring fenced, for the NHS.
Enhanced sick pay has to come from somewhere, whether you are in the public sector or working for a private company. Maybe it comes from a slightly lower hourly rate, maybe it comes from increased taxation. The more we want, the more we need to pay for it one way or another and the more that people pay, the more they will question who gets what from that increased input.
albion:
del949:
the train of thought there continues. If, for EG a company is forced to pay full wages for extended sickness, would they not also be interested in your medical history or even your genetic makeup. perhaps a full medical report including all relevant info before any offer of employment. It seems there is or maybe a lot more to consider before jumping in the deep end with requests. Maybe it would be fair to say that the last company I worked for paid me to have 2 periods of 26 weeks each sick over the last 4 years I was there, which was paid at full rate including night shift premium, so I was very lucky. I doubt that a smaller company could have stood that kind of expense, even if they had some kind of insurance in place as the effect on premiums etc could have been severe. Strangely enough, this morning I had an e-mail from 38 degrees asking for my input into a change into taxation for health etc, wether I would be prepared to pay extra income tax , ring fenced, for the NHS.Enhanced sick pay has to come from somewhere, whether you are in the public sector or working for a private company. Maybe it comes from a slightly lower hourly rate, maybe it comes from increased taxation. The more we want, the more we need to pay for it one way or another and the more that people pay, the more they will question who gets what from that increased input.
Not in all sectors though, some sectors still command a high value and in my wife’s case, they have to look after the staff or no one would apply.
£17 per hour plus perks for hitting a few keys on a keyboard ( yup no skills or qualification) because that is what they have to pay.
Someone said earlier that all the good jobs in transport have gone, maybe because those doing the job lost their value and worth??
Honked:
albion:
del949:
the train of thought there continues. If, for EG a company is forced to pay full wages for extended sickness, would they not also be interested in your medical history or even your genetic makeup. perhaps a full medical report including all relevant info before any offer of employment. It seems there is or maybe a lot more to consider before jumping in the deep end with requests. Maybe it would be fair to say that the last company I worked for paid me to have 2 periods of 26 weeks each sick over the last 4 years I was there, which was paid at full rate including night shift premium, so I was very lucky. I doubt that a smaller company could have stood that kind of expense, even if they had some kind of insurance in place as the effect on premiums etc could have been severe. Strangely enough, this morning I had an e-mail from 38 degrees asking for my input into a change into taxation for health etc, wether I would be prepared to pay extra income tax , ring fenced, for the NHS.Enhanced sick pay has to come from somewhere, whether you are in the public sector or working for a private company. Maybe it comes from a slightly lower hourly rate, maybe it comes from increased taxation. The more we want, the more we need to pay for it one way or another and the more that people pay, the more they will question who gets what from that increased input.
Not in all sectors though, some sectors still command a high value and in my wife’s case, they have to look after the staff or no one would apply.
£17 per hour plus perks for hitting a few keys on a keyboard ( yup no skills or qualification) because that is what they have to pay.
Someone said earlier that all the good jobs in transport have gone, maybe because those doing the job lost their value and worth??
Yes, there are some jobs that will get that much money, but the cost still has to come from somewhere else. The company that pays your wife, has to charge someone else for that and they have to pay that money and that money comes from somewhere else - and eventually that payment will come from you, either because of how you are taxed, or by the choices you make as a consumer. The Company isn’t an entity that can pay that money without charging it.
del949:
Nice to see his workmates standing by him …now. Surely it would have been a bigger help to have a whip around for him whilst he was off work. maybe they did but there is no mention of it. In days gone by when unions were around, our branch had a scheme whereby all members who chose to paid an additional amount (26p) per week into a branch fund that existed solely for sickness and death grants to widows. Instigated and administered by the branch committee not the union, this worked well for several years until membership dropped. I agree it was not a fortune, IIRC it was around £60 per 4 weeks but it certainly helped a lots of drivers that I knew. Not that different to have private insurance. However, one thing does concern me in the insurance idea. With all the data kept by the government bodies on our health and possibly in the future, our DNA and proclivity to certain illnesses, wouldn’t the insurance companies be desperate to buy that info in order to maximise risk/ premium balances. In effect then some would fare far better than others, through absolutely no fault of their own.
Unions still pay benefits but you have to be in one…I’ve thought for a while now that part of the answer, if not all of it, might be to come together in the workplace and construct a scheme funded and administered by employees. A greater version than the whip round. One of our lads has just gone off for some treatment but that has now expanded somewhat. We get a few weeks sick pay but it looks as if our colleague is going to be off longer now, so we’ve had a whip round but I know from experience these can range anywhere from pitiful amounts raised (usual) to surprisingly generous amounts (unusual), which chimes with the desire for greater benefits without contributing any extra. At least a scheme along those lines would have no expensive shareholders or government administrators to fund!
DP
Honked:
albion:
del949:
the train of thought there continues. If, for EG a company is forced to pay full wages for extended sickness, would they not also be interested in your medical history or even your genetic makeup. perhaps a full medical report including all relevant info before any offer of employment. It seems there is or maybe a lot more to consider before jumping in the deep end with requests. Maybe it would be fair to say that the last company I worked for paid me to have 2 periods of 26 weeks each sick over the last 4 years I was there, which was paid at full rate including night shift premium, so I was very lucky. I doubt that a smaller company could have stood that kind of expense, even if they had some kind of insurance in place as the effect on premiums etc could have been severe. Strangely enough, this morning I had an e-mail from 38 degrees asking for my input into a change into taxation for health etc, wether I would be prepared to pay extra income tax , ring fenced, for the NHS.Enhanced sick pay has to come from somewhere, whether you are in the public sector or working for a private company. Maybe it comes from a slightly lower hourly rate, maybe it comes from increased taxation. The more we want, the more we need to pay for it one way or another and the more that people pay, the more they will question who gets what from that increased input.
Not in all sectors though, some sectors still command a high value and in my wife’s case, they have to look after the staff or no one would apply.
£17 per hour plus perks for hitting a few keys on a keyboard ( yup no skills or qualification) because that is what they have to pay.
Someone said earlier that all the good jobs in transport have gone, maybe because those doing the job lost their value and worth??
Usually the sectors that command high pay are those that cannot be easily subbed out to cheaper competition. Transport can be and is. Becomes the race to the bottom.
I am pleased for your wife but despite what you say there is more to that job than hitting keys with no qualifications to get that pay.
albion:
del949:
the train of thought there continues. If, for EG a company is forced to pay full wages for extended sickness, would they not also be interested in your medical history or even your genetic makeup. perhaps a full medical report including all relevant info before any offer of employment. It seems there is or maybe a lot more to consider before jumping in the deep end with requests. Maybe it would be fair to say that the last company I worked for paid me to have 2 periods of 26 weeks each sick over the last 4 years I was there, which was paid at full rate including night shift premium, so I was very lucky. I doubt that a smaller company could have stood that kind of expense, even if they had some kind of insurance in place as the effect on premiums etc could have been severe. Strangely enough, this morning I had an e-mail from 38 degrees asking for my input into a change into taxation for health etc, wether I would be prepared to pay extra income tax , ring fenced, for the NHS.Enhanced sick pay has to come from somewhere, whether you are in the public sector or working for a private company. Maybe it comes from a slightly lower hourly rate, maybe it comes from increased taxation. The more we want, the more we need to pay for it one way or another and the more that people pay, the more they will question who gets what from that increased input.
albion:
del949:
the train of thought there continues. If, for EG a company is forced to pay full wages for extended sickness, would they not also be interested in your medical history or even your genetic makeup. perhaps a full medical report including all relevant info before any offer of employment. It seems there is or maybe a lot more to consider before jumping in the deep end with requests. Maybe it would be fair to say that the last company I worked for paid me to have 2 periods of 26 weeks each sick over the last 4 years I was there, which was paid at full rate including night shift premium, so I was very lucky. I doubt that a smaller company could have stood that kind of expense, even if they had some kind of insurance in place as the effect on premiums etc could have been severe. Strangely enough, this morning I had an e-mail from 38 degrees asking for my input into a change into taxation for health etc, wether I would be prepared to pay extra income tax , ring fenced, for the NHS.Enhanced sick pay has to come from somewhere, whether you are in the public sector or working for a private company. Maybe it comes from a slightly lower hourly rate, maybe it comes from increased taxation. The more we want, the more we need to pay for it one way or another and the more that people pay, the more they will question who gets what from that increased input.
wothout doubt what you say is correct, someone has to foot the bill. The cost can be absorbed easier by a large company, even with more emploees going sick than a one man band with few staff. Maybe that is why a government scheme may be a better option in the long run. Strangely, i have just been awarded a benefit that I neither sought nor especially need, simply owing to my current prognosis. Finacially, I have rarely been better off than I am now.