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Damn you would have thought the remainers might have said something

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    #11
    Lorry driving was another thing they were looking to automate in the next few years, I had a conversation about this with my Father-in-law who's just retired after 30 years of driving HGV's. Some of the places he delivered to were way off main routes, I can't see automation overcoming that.
    In Scooter we trust

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      #12
      I don't think they will increase salaries, most likely will cut benefits and do a push to get people to do the jobs they would otherwise keep away from.
      There is always the discussion of supply and demand, my personal opinion is that the people at the top control salaries carefully and would not want things to get out of hand. You can moan and demand and not work but min wage is all you'll get. Low pay in itself is a motivator. What would people do? They can't work anywhere else.

      Eastern Europeans were cheaper but they are not stupid. I they can get E1500 in Europe it is better than £1500 in Uk they go for another company.They might try it out but when they realise the cost of life in UK they'll vote with their feet. Also there has been a feeling of being unwelcome for a while.

      There might have been freight companies that doe to brexit have decided to keep away from UK, if there is too much paperwork and can't predict waiting times at borders... it's difficult to manage resources.

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        #13
        Like many problems, it's never as simple as a one dimensional cause. Reading the Beeb article below (sorry for those on the right, or those on the left, who think the Beeb is biased towards the other side) but salary doesn't even figure in the list of reasons why companies/sectors are struggling to recruit.

        Let's think about it, even if HGV salaries were able to go up to £50k +, would many more people be interested? Days away from family, sleeping in trucks, unhealthy lifestyle, fewer ladies of the night to 'liberate'. The Eastern European drivers came to fill a hole that was there, these drivers have left and the hole has re-appeared.

        A mix of the pandemic (the drivers went home), Brexit (the drivers didn't feel welcome) and Brexit/Immigration rules (drivers don't fit the skills matrix) are some of the main issues. Remove these problems, and even keeping salaries the same and the drivers will come back. Increasing salaries significantly isn't ever going to be an option, and there aren't enough UK people who are interested in lorry driving.


        https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57400560
        I am what I drink, and I'm a bitter man

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          #14
          Originally posted by Whorty View Post
          Like many problems, it's never as simple as a one dimensional cause. Reading the Beeb article below (sorry for those on the right, or those on the left, who think the Beeb is biased towards the other side) but salary doesn't even figure in the list of reasons why companies/sectors are struggling to recruit.

          Let's think about it, even if HGV salaries were able to go up to £50k +, would many more people be interested? Days away from family, sleeping in trucks, unhealthy lifestyle, fewer ladies of the night to 'liberate'. The Eastern European drivers came to fill a hole that was there, these drivers have left and the hole has re-appeared.

          A mix of the pandemic (the drivers went home), Brexit (the drivers didn't feel welcome) and Brexit/Immigration rules (drivers don't fit the skills matrix) are some of the main issues. Remove these problems, and even keeping salaries the same and the drivers will come back. Increasing salaries significantly isn't ever going to be an option, and there aren't enough UK people who are interested in lorry driving.


          https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57400560
          Brexiteers are trying to solve the wrong problem. There's been a shortage of truck drivers for years. All they've achieved is empty supermarkets and a declining manufacturing industry for the sake of a few drivers who can get a few quid extra.
          I'm alright Jack

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            #15
            Originally posted by BlasterBates View Post

            Brexiteers are trying to solve the wrong problem. There's been a shortage of truck drivers for years. All they've achieved is empty supermarkets and a declining manufacturing industry for the sake of a few drivers who can get a few quid extra.
            Why has there been a shortage of drivers for years?

            Why shouldn't lorry drivers be paid a fair wage?

            Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

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              #16
              <£30k average

              https://www.reed.co.uk/average-salar...-driver-salary

              https://www.totaljobs.com/salary-che...drivers-salary

              https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries...RCH_KO0,10.htm

              of course permanent jobs are hard to find.


              The average UK salary all jobs is £29,600.

              Why spend £3k+ and months getting an HGV license risk losing it for spurious reasons?

              Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

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                #17
                Originally posted by Whorty View Post
                Let's think about it, even if HGV salaries were able to go up to £50k +, would many more people be interested?
                Its not just salary, there are some other perks and benefits to being a truck driver:


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                  #18
                  Originally posted by vetran View Post

                  Why has there been a shortage of drivers for years?

                  Why shouldn't lorry drivers be paid a fair wage?
                  It's not just a 'fair wage' .... you have to want to do the job. Granted, you might get more people interested if the pay was higher, but let's face it, it's not a job lots of people are interested in doing. Plus, how high would the wages alone have to go to get UK people to apply .... and what would the impact of that be on goods and services (and inflation)?

                  It's not a simplistic as you and your mates think it is I'm afraid. If it was, we wouldn't be where we are today.

                  We had extra drivers, they came from Eastern Europe to fill the gaps left by UK people. A mix of Brexit and Covid has sent them back home.
                  I am what I drink, and I'm a bitter man

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                    #19
                    What you said made a bit of sense but you've lost me when quoting BBC. All of their news are nonsense and meant to spread the wrong information and control the narrative. They are the exact tool the establisment is using to control the people. And it is done so well that even wise people question it.

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                      #20
                      Originally posted by GigiBronz View Post

                      What you said made a bit of sense but you've lost me when quoting BBC. All of their news are nonsense and meant to spread the wrong information and control the narrative. They are the exact tool the establisment is using to control the people. And it is done so well that even wise people question it.
                      So are you on the right thinking the Beeb is too lefty, or on the left thinking it's too right wing?

                      Every news outlet has some bias, of course they do, they have to 'win' clicks and views. But of the choices, I'd pick the Beeb any day over the other news outlets.
                      I am what I drink, and I'm a bitter man

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