Tata Port Talbot

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
21

wheelnutt:
We can’t compete with India and China on raw materials and basic low tech manufacturing, why even try. Our focus should be on what we ARE good at, Aerospace, engineering, IT, services, finance, automotive, design etc. That is where we can add value and create good paying jobs, not in areas where we are competing with third world countries, there is no point, especially if we the tax payers are footing the bill.

Our government subsidising small inefficient industries is a waste of money, that money can be better spend in creating jobs that pay well, jobs and industries that can deliver growth and that don’t depend on competing with third world countries on price.

That doesn’t look good for anyone who isn’t a fully qualified aircraft or automotive designer or zb banker.Do you really think that you can sustain the western economies by just relying on employment in those sectors and let everyone else sink or swim on minimum wage employment.Or for that matter sustain those third world exports to us.

22

Dave the Renegade:
Cheap Chinese steel. You are OK in London where the money men live. Try living in South Wales where industry has been decimated. I was hauling out of Port Talbot in the late 1960’s. Go down and tell the chaps down there what you think.

Actually it’s a national minimum wage and it’s a lot more difficult to live on that in London than Wales. :unamused:

23

Carryfast:

wheelnutt:
We can’t compete with India and China on raw materials and basic low tech manufacturing, why even try. Our focus should be on what we ARE good at, Aerospace, engineering, IT, services, finance, automotive, design etc. That is where we can add value and create good paying jobs, not in areas where we are competing with third world countries, there is no point, especially if we the tax payers are footing the bill.

Our government subsidising small inefficient industries is a waste of money, that money can be better spend in creating jobs that pay well, jobs and industries that can deliver growth and that don’t depend on competing with third world countries on price.

That doesn’t look good for anyone who isn’t a fully qualified aircraft or automotive designer or zb banker.Do you really think that you can sustain the western economies by just relying on employment in those sectors and let everyone else sink or swim on minimum wage employment.Or for that matter sustain those third world exports to us.

If you don’t like your minimum wage job, go to school, get retrained, take evening courses, bring a laptop and do a OU course, there is no need, nor reason to spend the rest of your live on minimum wages, unless you are thick as two planks.

24

Carryfast:

Dave the Renegade:
Cheap Chinese steel. You are OK in London where the money men live. Try living in South Wales where industry has been decimated. I was hauling out of Port Talbot in the late 1960’s. Go down and tell the chaps down there what you think.

Actually it’s a national minimum wage and it’s a lot more difficult to live on that in London than Wales. :unamused:

Have you lived in Wales ?

25

I think Dave was trying to point out that there are many financial sector jobs around London ie banking etc…, and South Wales does not afford that luxury.

26

eagerbeaver:
I think Dave was trying to point out that there are many financial sector jobs around London ie banking etc…, and South Wales does not afford that luxury.

+1
Cheers Dave,

27

If we follow Wheelnut’s idea then it would reduce prices for all we consumers if lorry drivers’ wages were curbed to the minimum wage level. I would be better still if all haulage in the UK were to be carried out by eastern european companies. Lorry drivers are unskilled, so those displaced should be given a broom and they can get on with sweeping up the litter that blights the towns and countryside! :bulb:

28

eagerbeaver:
I think Dave was trying to point out that there are many financial sector jobs around London ie banking etc…, and South Wales does not afford that luxury.

Yes and most of the population of London aren’t bankers.It’s actually more or less the poorest area in the country.Bearing in mind that most of London’s industry was wiped out long before now to be replaced by unaffordable housing estates and retail selling imported goods among other non wealth creating sectors.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24517391

29

eagerbeaver:
Listening to radio 2 going over the Woodhead pass today, and they said that Corby and Hartlepool will end up having job losses too.

Too much dumping of cheap Chinese steel. Cosying up to China maybe isn’t as great as Cameron first thought.

you must have heard that woman who came on and said and I quote why do we allow cheap imports into this country unquote,i would have phoned and said BECAUSE THEY ARE CHEAP,would that have anything to do with it,silly person

30

truckman020:

eagerbeaver:
Listening to radio 2 going over the Woodhead pass today, and they said that Corby and Hartlepool will end up having job losses too.

Too much dumping of cheap Chinese steel. Cosying up to China maybe isn’t as great as Cameron first thought.

you must have heard that woman who came on and said and I quote why do we allow cheap imports into this country unquote,i would have phoned and said BECAUSE THEY ARE CHEAP,would that have anything to do with it,silly person

Where was Cameron today… In a Mosque :exclamation: :unamused:

31

truckman020:
you must have heard that woman who came on and said and I quote why do we allow cheap imports into this country unquote,i would have phoned and said BECAUSE THEY ARE CHEAP,would that have anything to do with it,silly person

It would be fair to say that in addition to wage levels there are also quality questions involving many types of third world/communist imports.In which case we’re not comparing like with like.

32

We seem to live in a ’ disposable ’ world today. Buy it cheap, and when it’s knackered chuck it in the bin and get another one.

It seems to me a real shame that ’ quality no longer matters ', or should I say " It costs far too much " to produce quality products.

33

wheelnutt:
If you don’t like your minimum wage job, go to school, get retrained, take evening courses, bring a laptop and do a OU course, there is no need, nor reason to spend the rest of your live on minimum wages, unless you are thick as two planks.

You should take your own advice regarding basic economics. :smiling_imp: :laughing:

Does your advice apply to truck drivers bearing in mind Indian truck driver’s wage rates. :unamused:

34

wheelnutt:

Carryfast:

wheelnutt:
Who says I want wages reduced to third world levels, wages in the UK are rising, what are you smoking?

I just don’t want my tax money going to subsidising an industry that should have shut down years ago.

There is nothing strategic about Port Talbot, run of the mill bog standard steel that we can buy elsewhere cheaper.

Stop spouting that Labour/Corbyn BS.

You’re the one who’s saying if UK PLC can’t compete with India and China it will have to go out of business.

Wages are only ‘rising’ if anyone believes Camoron’s bs.

As for Corbyn no that Socialist zb would view me as a protectionist Nationalist ■■■■ just like he does Le Pen. :unamused:

We can’t compete with India and China on raw materials and basic low tech manufacturing, why even try. Our focus should be on what we ARE good at, Aerospace, engineering, IT, services, finance, automotive, design etc. That is where we can add value and create good paying jobs, not in areas where we are competing with third world countries, there is no point, especially if we the tax payers are footing the bill.

Our government subsidising small inefficient industries is a waste of money, that money can be better spend in creating jobs that pay well, jobs and industries that can deliver growth and that don’t depend on competing with third world countries on price.

The 60’s are gone, we can’t compete in the “old” industries anymore, let it go, shut it down and move on, the longer we hold on to it, the more it will cost and the less we focus on what we are good at.

Coal and steel isn’t it anymore, it has no future in this country. There are what, 5,000 people left in the steel industry? Shut it down, even if they live another 20-30 years, cheaper to pay them the benefits then subsidise a whole industry, plus we the consumers don’t have to buy their overpriced products anymore.

win-win for everyone, in a year we won’t remember those guys that lost their job now, we will notice the drop in prices on their products.

It will also stop the younger generation from even contemplating taking jobs in a dying industry, they can now focus on something better.

Can’t think of a single negative thing.

Shut it down, all of it.[/quote
Where’s all these highly paid jobs coming from ■■?
There’s nothing left in this country for the youngsters job wise
There’s a million 16 to 25 yr olds who either aren’t in employment or in education
This country has a over supply of cheap labour which as kept the wages down
So my friend your taxes go towards subsidising low wages in the form of working tax credits
So your friend Camoron keeps his pals with a endless supply of cheap labour thus keeping wages down
The only winners are the bosses

35

eagerbeaver:
We seem to live in a ’ disposable ’ world today. Buy it cheap, and when it’s knackered chuck it in the bin and get another one.

It seems to me a real shame that ’ quality no longer matters ', or should I say " It costs far too much " to produce quality products.

That doesn’t really work when it’s the structure supporting a bridge or building or the tool you’re using which will cause injury or worse when it breaks or doesn’t work because it isn’t good enough etc etc etc.

36

I was generalising CF!! You would hope a suitable grade of steel WOULD be used for structures.

37

gazsa401:
The only winners are the bosses

That would depend on whether the definition of ‘winning’ is crashing the developed western economies.That are totally dependent of the Fordist system to stop them ending up as degenerate third world and/or Communist type ones.

38

eagerbeaver:
I was generalising CF!! You would hope a suitable grade of steel WOULD be used for structures.

The definition of it being up to the ‘grade’ and who checked/decided that and where being the question.

The point being there’s no advantage in importing cheap stuff.Made by weak exploited workers,of questionable quality,that puts our own out of work and kicks off a deflationary spiral that turns us into a third world zb hole.

39

Agree totally with you CF.

Why does it feel wrong to agree with you though? Lol.

40

eagerbeaver:
Agree totally with you CF.

Why does it feel wrong to agree with you though? Lol.

He moves the goalposts on every forum. One minute he’s arguing about supporting the cause, then he changes sides. :laughing: Perhaps he ■■■■■ an orange at half time. :wink: