After reading these posts I see that Hgv drivers have little understanding of what the point of the working time law is.
The regs are meant to prevent fatigue.
Now I know the wages are low, but that’s because drivers can work double the hours of what most peaple do. Units and low pay.
Because drivers dont have a clue (clueless) they will work as much as they can to earn as much as they can. (Dog and Bone)
The point is this !
Fiddling or misapplication of mobile workers working time records with the intention of avoiding the accurate recording of the mobile workers duty time us a criminal offence.
The authorities have a new criminal offence of employing a worker not legally permitted to work.
Goods vehicles operators operate in a highly legislated industry and it is vitally important that the rules are followed.
Its understandable for workers to be eager to earn as much as they can but HGV drivers must be careful
The use of P O A if followed could have worked, but its use is being abused for the purpose of profit.
I won’t pretend to understand the ins and outs of wtd, mostly because I’m not that interested.
When the 48hr thing first came out a lot naively took it that hours would be reduced to the point where you no longer would HAVE to work twice the hours as other jobs ( not to make a GOOD wage but a LIVING wage) and maybe wage rates would be adjusted accordingly to achieve this.
Apart from the economic effect of this, it would not happen for as long as some drivers are readily willing to work excess hours using the "It’s part of the job and that’s how it’s always been "… well child labour was “how it’s always been” up to when it was banned, and every other form of old style working methods you can think of until changed to move in line with modern times.
I work as many hours as the rest of us, but I strongly believe the present format should be reviewed.( eg the 15 on 9 off for one) I know it will never be a 40hr job, but there is a large margin for improvement to improve the welfare of the driver, and to balance his job with some kind of a life.
As for your comment on POA working, it was doomed to failure mainly because of why and how it was brought in (in the form of a hidden agenda to appease the likes of Tesco ) Imagine if we had the wtd law on our side and said I’m out of here in an hour because of wtd regs, they would HAVE to get their fingers out and clean up their act, but to avoid upsetting them POA was introduced as a cop out, where the driver appeared to be doing the right thing on paper, where as in real terms he was WORKING the same hours as before, but only under the accepted cop out guise of POA.
As for the o/p subject of Unions, you need solidarity for results, and solidarity among drivers will never happen, and the job format will never improve for as long as drivers continue to emulate turkeys voting for Christmas.
The past post is 100% correct.
It would be great if some department addressed the legality of this issue.
I wouldn’t want 1 person to have suffered by the effect of a driver being tired and overworked. Not in this day and age
We would all like to work a 48 hour week, the unions can be as furious as they want, this is an old topic resurected, just like the argument.
The unions can scream and shout and spit there dummies as much as they want,they want shorter working days but dont want to scream about the money we will all lose. Sorry but I will work the hours I need to work to put food on the table,pay the bloody big mortgage I have etc. What does bug me is that I push a fully freighted 44t truck around the country for just under 8 1/2 quid an hour, which the unions say isnt a bad wage, yet my mrs pushes a pen and operates a computer for 10 quid an hour. Now good on her for that but who are the bloodymugs.
Hgv drivers wages range from arround £7.00 an hour to over £10.00 an hour depending on the employer/contract.I personally believe a good driver is worth at least £10.00 an hour.
Some very big companies like Tesco got rid of there own drivers who were on decent wages and legal working hours and changed to outside hauliers whose drivers work up to 80 hrs a week at a much lower hourly wage.The reason the wages are low is because drivers are able to work long hours , up to 15 a day.
If drivers did the hours they do on a decent hourly wage they’d be quids in.
Unfortunately drivers are on a low hourly wage and have to work up to 81 hrs to be on arround £700.00 before tax.
As I see it the operators encourage the driver to skirt arround compliance of the regulations and VOSA previously were not actively monitoring or carrying out visits to operators.
A good driver who works within the scope of the regulations is a safer and more efficient driver/employee.
In short this P O A loop hole had a effect on drivers wages and untill drivers recognise that the work they carry out is part of the job and not a chance fir a picnic, then the wages and long hours and fatigue related accidents will continue.
thelorrylawyer.com/for-manag … er-fatigue
Fatigue the hidden killer may land you in the slammer.
Theres plenty of hgv drivers in the nick so at least any driver and manager will have similar prisoners to chat and look back on what once was.
Drive safely and easy tiger
:roll: :shock:
) Imagine if we had the wtd law on our side and said I’m out of here in an hour because of wtd regs, they would HAVE to get their fingers out and clean up their act, but to avoid upsetting them POA was introduced as a cop out, where the driver appeared to be doing the right thing on paper, where as in real terms he was WORKING the same hours as before, but only under the accepted cop out guise of POA.