News 14% pay rise?

Aesgir

Loyal Freddie
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
252
Well it doesn't matter what we think obviously, they know the can have us over a barrel any time they want, because of the panic lack of fuel produces. Personally i don't think it's justified. Don't know about the rest of you, but i don't earn anything like that, and know i can't demand a 14% pay rise. In the current climate its just irresponsible and unrealistic. They are just blackmailing because they know people have no choice.....the fun part is drivers will pay for this on the pumps too, not the company.

I don't even drive....and i'm giving a big F.U. to the Shell tanker drivers.
 

ECA

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Dec 23, 2003
Messages
9,439
Seems like a paycut taking inflation into account.
 

Bahumat

FH is my second home
Joined
Jun 22, 2004
Messages
16,788
what a bunch of *****. £41k for driving about all day.
 

Stimpy

Fledgling Freddie
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
674
I wonder how many people are thinking about becoming HGV drivers now :)
 

DaGaffer

Down With That Sorta Thing
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
18,397
If they can get it, good luck to them. Real inflation is a shitload more than 7% a year in reality anyway. Just because the rest of us can't demand a big cost of living rise is neither here nor there, they're private sector workers and its no one else's business.
 

Tom

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
17,178
Feel free to elaborate

I can't. But then again you won't see me whinging about the wages that IT specialists can get.

My point is, is anyone who complains about these HGV wages in a position to state with certainty that they don't deserve it? Because I'll tell you now, I wouldn't want to drive around with a cargo like that in London every day.
 

Bahumat

FH is my second home
Joined
Jun 22, 2004
Messages
16,788
Obviously you know a lot about the job then?

I can't. But then again you won't see me whinging about the wages that IT specialists can get.

My point is, is anyone who complains about these HGV wages in a position to state with certainty that they don't deserve it? Because I'll tell you now, I wouldn't want to drive around with a cargo like that in London every day.

They get a 9% pay rise for the first year, then a 5% for the following year. That is far higher than most people get, and I dont believe for a second their job is any harder than most peoples. The hours may be longer? but the fact is they are not saving lives or helping prevent crime. I doubt cops/nurses/doctors get crazy pay rises like that.

Average wage (Per job) = £22k

Average wage (Police) = £31k
Average wage (Nurse) = £20k
Average wage (Firefighter) = £26k
Average wage (Shop assistant) = £15k

Do you really think a truck driver should be on more money than any of the above (excluding average wage)?
 

Bahumat

FH is my second home
Joined
Jun 22, 2004
Messages
16,788
Obviously you know a lot about the job then?

wow...sounds like a tough job eh?

You must have category CE or C (i.e. Class 1 or Class 2 HGV), with no more than 6 points on your licence and previous experience in a similar role. Duties will include driving throughout UK delivering goods to stores, between 1-4 drops daily. This is a temporary ongoing position. This vacancy is covered by the Working Time Regulations. (Middx.)

ahhh but that's for a temp! I bet the real thing is much much harder eh?

Applicants must be aged 25+ to satisfy insurance requirements, have good knowledge of London area and suburbs, be honest and reliable with a reasonable level of written and spoken English and good customer service skills. References are compulsory. Minimum 8.5+p/hr.


Why dont we all give bus drivers 40k too
 

Gumbo

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
2,361
Guess how much the tube drivers are on...?

This is dangerous, as is cost of living raises. So cost of living has gone up 10% so everyone demands and gets a 10% pay rise. The costs of those payrises are then passed onto the punter making the cost of living increase even more, so you need another payrise, etc, etc. The last time this happened was in the mid seventies, and inflation topped 24%.

This country is in a heap of trouble and we're only at the beginning....
 

MYstIC G

Official Licensed Lump of Coal™ Distributor
Staff member
Moderator
FH Subscriber
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
12,362
Do you really think a truck driver should be on more money than any of the above (excluding average wage)?
Supply and demand, end of. If you don't like it, move to China.
 

Bahumat

FH is my second home
Joined
Jun 22, 2004
Messages
16,788
Supply and demand, end of. If you don't like it, move to China.

Does it have to be China? It's just I wanted a big family, and if they still have that "1 child" rule I really wont enjoy it.
 

tris-

Failed Geordie and Parmothief
Joined
Jan 2, 2004
Messages
15,260
abort mid term and eat the fetus for a tasty treat.
 

Raven

Happy Shopper Ray Mears
FH Subscriber
Joined
Dec 27, 2003
Messages
44,616
I can't. But then again you won't see me whinging about the wages that IT specialists can get.

My point is, is anyone who complains about these HGV wages in a position to state with certainty that they don't deserve it? Because I'll tell you now, I wouldn't want to drive around with a cargo like that in London every day.

Thats not the point, how many other groups are going to start demanding higher wages? What will happen to the economy if every company has to foot a far higher wage bill. Obviously the oil companies can afford to pay them more, if they can't cut back they will just stick some more money on the price of fuel... To use truckers as an example. The smaller haulers can't afford to run properly as it is, what will they do once they have a far higher wage bill on top of the higher price of fuel? They will go tits up or cut back on staff which will mean that there will be far more truckers about which will eventually drive down the pay packet. OR ofc they will just increase the cost of moving stuff which will drive all prices up even further meaning everyone needs higher wages to buy stuff, which again drives up prices and so on and so on.

It may seem nice to have a sickening pay packet for what you do but it will go sour before long.
 

Tom

I am a FH squatter
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
17,178
They were on around £32k 9 years ago. They are still on that now.

They apparently haven't received wage increases in line with inflation, which basically means that their wages have been cut year on year.

Like I said, I don't know much about their job but if the market pays it, then that's what they're worth. Tough titty if anyone is jealous.

By the way, comparisons with nurses/police/firemen are quite apt - if there were no HGVs on the road tomorrow, you'd be shitting bricks by the end of the week. You'd have no food, no fuel, no job, no power, no water, no gas, nothing. Frankly, I think that driving a HGV might be quite a valuable job, actually.
 

Raven

Happy Shopper Ray Mears
FH Subscriber
Joined
Dec 27, 2003
Messages
44,616
and I agree, drivers are important, they keep the country running but we have to be realistic. The more they are paid the more it costs to transport our stuff which means the more it costs to buy our stuff which means we all need to be paid more which again drives up prices. It may seem like 14% (or whatever it is) but it wont make a difference when inflation hits 10-20%, and it will do that the way we are headed. Everyone needs to tighten their belts over the next 10 years because capitalism ain't working.
 

throdgrain

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
7,197
1970s here we come :) Last time Labour was in power? 1970s ...

Half you lot probably cant remember the TV going off at 10pm, and buying candles for light etc.

I almost hope it happens now, just to make a few people squeak :)















(Actually I dont, it was too shit for words, and I was only 10 or something)
 

Gray

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 25, 2003
Messages
3,418
My dad through his life was always a truck driver. In the Army he drove tanks and everything to that order. That was before my time though.

In my time though, my dad would be working for many companies. Getting up at 5am in the morning, starting work at 6. Doing really nothing but driving, filling up and going off to the next location.

He wouldnt finish work until around 9pm, the job HAD to get done otherwise he would have to stay behind. A lot of the time he would be away from home. It was a dangerous business, where no family life was present if you worked the fulltime shift as he did.

Do recall the mention that he didnt really earn lots, but looking back at it, im sure whatever it is would be justified. Being cramped up in a cab all day nearly everyday isnt good for your health!
 

DaGaffer

Down With That Sorta Thing
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
18,397
1970s here we come :) Last time Labour was in power? 1970s ...

Much as I'd like to lay all the blame at Labour's door, the reality is that the government has very little influence on the economy, they just like to give the impression they do. Labour, (because of the legacy of the Tories before them) only have one tool to control the economy, and that's interest rates, which is fine in a growth market but what do you do when interest rates are already low (and they are by historic standards), and the banks are fucked? Lowering interest rates to stimulate the economy is a non-starter because the banks still won't lend, and raising interest rates may encourage the banks to start lending again, but knackers consumer spending (the key engine of the domestic economy), which is already under pressure because the real inflation rate is actually much higher than the massaged government rate (because they changed how they measure inflation in 2003 so that it doesn't include mortgage payments), and growing fast. To be honest, the more I think about what's going on, the scarier it gets, because I really don't think any government can do much about it.
 

00dave

Artist formerly known as Ignus
Joined
Jan 1, 2004
Messages
1,549
Obviously you know a lot about the job then?

Well I do :D I have worked as a hgv driver for numerous civillian companies and the military so I know all about it. And I drove all sorts of stuff including fuel although our fuel was aircraft fuel. I've also carried sidewinders (the missiles that is), ammunition, various weapons, various chemicals, and for any of you that saw trooping the colour at the weekend the cannons used in the 41 gun sallute I ended up carting around hammersmith roundabout several times because the army tosser guiding me was shit at navigating. But I never earned anywhere near the amount these tanker drivers are earning although I am tempted to get a job with shell now as my dangerous goods licence is good for another year.

The job itself (and this is from my civillian experience) depends on the person. It's very very very long hours and a lot of time away from home, but if you don't mind that, enjoy being by yourself a lot, enjoy driving, and most importantly can actually navigate well then you might even enjoy the job. Personally I couldn't stand it.
 

throdgrain

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
7,197
Much as I'd like to lay all the blame at Labour's door, the reality is that the government has very little influence on the economy, they just like to give the impression they do. Labour, (because of the legacy of the Tories before them) only have one tool to control the economy, and that's interest rates, which is fine in a growth market but what do you do when interest rates are already low (and they are by historic standards), and the banks are fucked? Lowering interest rates to stimulate the economy is a non-starter because the banks still won't lend, and raising interest rates may encourage the banks to start lending again, but knackers consumer spending (the key engine of the domestic economy), which is already under pressure because the real inflation rate is actually much higher than the massaged government rate (because they changed how they measure inflation in 2003 so that it doesn't include mortgage payments), and growing fast. To be honest, the more I think about what's going on, the scarier it gets, because I really don't think any government can do much about it.



To be honest the scariest time for me was the early '90s. No jobs, no money, I ended up with CCJs and all sorts. Hope to go that dont come around again :(
 

Calaen

I am a massive cock who isn't firing atm!
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,538
They get a 9% pay rise for the first year, then a 5% for the following year. That is far higher than most people get, and I dont believe for a second their job is any harder than most peoples. The hours may be longer? but the fact is they are not saving lives or helping prevent crime. I doubt cops/nurses/doctors get crazy pay rises like that.

Average wage (Per job) = £22k

Average wage (Police) = £31k
Average wage (Nurse) = £20k
Average wage (Firefighter) = £26k
Average wage (Shop assistant) = £15k

Do you really think a truck driver should be on more money than any of the above (excluding average wage)?

They are supplying much needed fuel to allow most of those to do there job to the highest level.
 

Calaen

I am a massive cock who isn't firing atm!
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,538
1970s here we come :) Last time Labour was in power? 1970s ...

Half you lot probably cant remember the TV going off at 10pm, and buying candles for light etc.

I almost hope it happens now, just to make a few people squeak :)












(Actually I dont, it was too shit for words, and I was only 10 or something)

Atleast you could get a clan match in nowadays :p

The whole world is borked, too many people not enough shit.
 

Chilly

Balls of steel
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,046
Crappy job with shit hours and bad working environment that is detrimental to health (posture, lack of movement, etc).

I think it's a decent wage to be honest. Its not the increase in the salary that's the point, perhaps they have not had a rise for 5 years? It would then be totally in line. Its so easy to say "14% zomallah rip off merchants!" but you need to consider the whole picture.
 

Calaen

I am a massive cock who isn't firing atm!
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
9,538
I believe what Tom said is right, there wages were at the same amount years ago.
 

DaGaffer

Down With That Sorta Thing
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
18,397
To be honest the scariest time for me was the early '90s. No jobs, no money, I ended up with CCJs and all sorts. Hope to go that dont come around again :(

I honestly think its going to be much, much worse this time around; this isn't a 'normal' boom-bust recession; this is the combined effect of the rise of China/India, peak oil, and a failing banking system. What worries me most is that I think a lot of influential people knew this was coming and are terrified about popular unrest; it would certainly explain the rushing through of all this so-called "anti-terrorist" legislation that's out of all proportion to the actual threat. If I was being really paranoid, I'd throw in the rise of green politics as well, better to get people used to the idea of having much less by selling it as saving the planet rather than "the Chinese have got all that's left, and there's fuck all we can do about it".
 

Embattle

FH is my second home
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Messages
13,182
They get a 9% pay rise for the first year, then a 5% for the following year. That is far higher than most people get, and I dont believe for a second their job is any harder than most peoples. The hours may be longer? but the fact is they are not saving lives or helping prevent crime. I doubt cops/nurses/doctors get crazy pay rises like that.

Average wage (Per job) = £22k

Average wage (Police) = £31k
Average wage (Nurse) = £20k
Average wage (Firefighter) = £26k
Average wage (Shop assistant) = £15k

Do you really think a truck driver should be on more money than any of the above (excluding average wage)?

What we think and what is pratical is totally different, even if you discount the lack of a wage rise in the last decade they are in an industry that is awash with money.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom