I had an interesting conversation with two Polish drivers on Thursday while loading at an air cargo facility near Amsterdam Schipol. They heard me speaking English to the goods out clerk so asked me how the fuel and driver shortage was going? It’s big news in the Dutch media and the subject of various tv satire shows. I asked them if they both fancied going over to the UK to assist for three months, but they both laughed.
Over the next half hour we chatted over the free coffee that’s always provided while our trucks were being loaded, and they explained that they had a good little number in the Netherlands which paid well enough. They just did Holland and Belgium with no nights out. If a night out was required, then parking was free at all the services with none of this pay to park business like at UK services. They had reasonably priced accommodation near their base in Roosendaal, and if they wanted to visit home in Poland, it was an easy drive from Holland back to Poznan, Warsaw or Krakow or wherever. For those drivers that didn’t have a car, their firm worked together with a Polish travel company (GTV, you see their coaches and minibuses all over Holland) to provide subsidised coaches back to Poland. The coaches would pick up at several truck firms in Roosendaal, Tilburg and Breda on a Friday night after drivers had done a shift, and then travel overnight to PL to take them home for a week or so R & R.
They said why would we want to come to the UK, where by the time they had sorted out accommodation and got settled, it would be time for them to get kicked out again. Or, they would have to cross the Channel each time they wanted to pop home to the family during the three months. Both politely said “thanks, but no thanks”. They were still laughing as they picked up their CMR’s and wished me a good afternoon as they walked to their trucks.
Sorry Boris, it doesn’t seem they’re coming. Well, not those two anyway.
Yeah they won’t be the only ones to decline the offer. The corporate greed the UK has displayed towards drivers over the years is finally biting them in the arse.
citycat:
I had an interesting conversation with two Polish drivers on Thursday while loading at an air cargo facility near Amsterdam Schipol. They heard me speaking English to the goods out clerk so asked me how the fuel and driver shortage was going? It’s big news in the Dutch media and the subject of various tv satire shows. I asked them if they both fancied going over to the UK to assist for three months, but they both laughed.
Over the next half hour we chatted over the free coffee that’s always provided while our trucks were being loaded, and they explained that they had a good little number in the Netherlands which paid well enough. They just did Holland and Belgium with no nights out. If a night out was required, then parking was free at all the services with none of this pay to park business like at UK services. They had reasonably priced accommodation near their base in Roosendaal, and if they wanted to visit home in Poland, it was an easy drive from Holland back to Poznan, Warsaw or Krakow or wherever. For those drivers that didn’t have a car, their firm worked together with a Polish travel company (GTV, you see their coaches and minibuses all over Holland) to provide subsidised coaches back to Poland. The coaches would pick up at several truck firms in Roosendaal, Tilburg and Breda on a Friday night after drivers had done a shift, and then travel overnight to PL to take them home for a week or so R & R.
They said why would we want to come to the UK, where by the time they had sorted out accommodation and got settled, it would be time for them to get kicked out again. Or, they would have to cross the Channel each time they wanted to pop home to the family during the three months. Both politely said “thanks, but no thanks”. They were still laughing as they picked up their CMR’s and wished me a good afternoon as they walked to their trucks.
Sorry Boris, it doesn’t seem they’re coming. Well, not those two anyway.
Anyone working in the industry knew this yet the people who actually want them, the RHA and it’s members don’t know this! Just proves how little the RHA etc know about drivers and working conditions in an industry they claim to be an authority on
A polish driver on the radio yesterday said why would we want to come to the U.K to help you for 3 months, ■■■■ in bottles because we cannot use the toilets and pay to park for the same money we can earn at home.
fuse:
No I do not care not a jot the UK has faults but the eu well ask the yellow vest people
But the EU are not trying to get UK drivers to work there by offering them a 3 month visa with the promise they will be ■■■■■■ off the moment things get back to something close to normal there so that is irrelevant.
Bin Man:
A polish driver on the radio yesterday said why would we want to come to the U.K to help you for 3 months, ■■■■ in bottles because we cannot use the toilets and pay to park for the same money we can earn at home.
Sorry, what toilets can you (they) not use so they have to ■■■■ in bottles? Pay to park except you pay with the company’s money. I’m no RHA advocate but come on, talking straight out the rear end doesn’t do us drivers any good either. Same money they can earn at home, really…At home but driving in Germany/Italy/Netherlands etc. for 1 month away maybe
Bin Man:
A polish driver on the radio yesterday said why would we want to come to the U.K to help you for 3 months, ■■■■ in bottles because we cannot use the toilets and pay to park for the same money we can earn at home.
Sorry, what toilets can you (they) not use so they have to ■■■■ in bottles? Pay to park except you pay with the company’s money. I’m no RHA advocate but come on, talking straight out the rear end doesn’t do us drivers any good either. Same money they can earn at home, really…At home but driving in Germany/Italy/Netherlands etc. for 1 month away maybe
Fair enough but as anyone who’s ever had experience of working/driving on continent and here will tell you this country is a crap hole compared to most of Europe from a truck driving point of view.
Bin Man:
A polish driver on the radio yesterday said why would we want to come to the U.K to help you for 3 months, ■■■■ in bottles because we cannot use the toilets and pay to park for the same money we can earn at home.
Sorry, what toilets can you (they) not use so they have to ■■■■ in bottles? Pay to park except you pay with the company’s money. I’m no RHA advocate but come on, talking straight out the rear end doesn’t do us drivers any good either. Same money they can earn at home, really…At home but driving in Germany/Italy/Netherlands etc. for 1 month away maybe
Fair enough but as anyone who’s ever had experience of working/driving on continent and here will tell you this country is a crap hole compared to most of Europe from a truck driving point of view.
switchlogic:
Fair enough but as anyone who’s ever had experience of working/driving on continent and here will tell you this country is a crap hole compared to most of Europe from a truck driving point of view.
I’ve only worked here but I challenge you to find me a non-tramping job in Poland which pays the same or more compared to a non-tramping job in the UK (and doesn’t involve a daily 3 hour car drive to Germany and back).
citycat:
Sorry Boris, it doesn’t seem they’re coming. Well, not those two anyway.
Boris doesn’t want them anymore than we do. He just wants to look like he’s done something (even if it’s nothing)
Exactly, I’m not sure if it’s deliberate, but Boris is doing a spot on job for drivers.
Relaxation of the hours that actually makes no difference to the vast majority, but seen to be doing something.
Held off on allowing EU workers back, telling the industry to sort themselves out.
Hand forced by the ‘fuel crisis’ so allows 5k back for 3 months, when in reality how many is that going to appeal to? By the time you sort accommodation etc for 3 month it’s not worth it especially when the money is up in the EU and jobs available.
The last thing any current driver should want is this shortage sorting other than by increasing T&C’s as anything other than increasing T&C’s will have a negative impact on T&C’s
switchlogic:
Fair enough but as anyone who’s ever had experience of working/driving on continent and here will tell you this country is a crap hole compared to most of Europe from a truck driving point of view.
I’ve only worked here but I challenge you to find me a non-tramping job in Poland which pays the same or more compared to a non-tramping job in the UK (and doesn’t involve a daily 3 hour car drive to Germany and back).
i find it simple to compair jobs. if the cost of living here is 3 times the cost of living in poland then if i earn 21 p/h joe blogs in poland has to earn the equivalent of 7ph. the issue is how much does it cost him to travel back and forth to the uk. as to housing etc well all the people that didnt want to leave the eu cos those that did were nasty rasist english can offer them the spare room or use the local b&b /hotels. it wont matter to them that the area becomes deprived, house values drop, wages and conditions drop as well as longer hours thats if you can find a job. because not only do employers want low wages they want to have less people working for them.