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Hire Uk Workers To Drive Lorries, Minister Tells Firms

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Roobaba | 07:16 Sat 28th Aug 2021 | News
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Hire UK workers to drive lorries, minister tells firms
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58364308

Oh do I have to come back here and point out the inevitable consequences of B'exit.. yes I suppose I must.. education of the masses and all that I feel driven to point out FACTS!!
...although in this case maybe driven is the wrong word.. maybe not.. drivers in short supply ;O)
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New Judge you were not being flippant, you said they sit for 12 hours a day in their cab which is wrong. I suggest you looked at the figures after they were pointed out to you and are trying to backtrack now.

Anyway, the debate was that there is a lack of HGV drivers because they are badly paid, and they are not: its an easy check and I really don't think that an average weeks pay of nearly £700 would put anyone off applying for the job if they like it.

The real reason we are short of HGV drivers is they have all been sent back to Romania/Poland/pick your European Country because of Brexit, and there is a back-log of HGV training courses/Tests for potential UK drivers because of Covid 19. How hard is that to figure out?
APG
why are there driver shortages in the glorious EU.
https://www.globalcoldchainnews.com/driver-shortage-is-pan-european/

If you had read the article webbo you would know Quote:

"The driver shortages have been affecting the global road freight market for around 15 years. The issue comes as the pool of truck drivers is contracting but demand for transport is rising. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the already alarming issue of driver shortages as new drivers have been unable to train and take their tests and Covid restrictions make the job even less attractive.

Even before the pandemic a serious cause for concern in the industry, the lack of drivers in the road transport industry was at an all-time high, with many of its underlying issues being long-term challenges. Factors such as an aging workforce and insufficient numbers of new recruits, due to working conditions and image issues of the profession, have been plaguing the industry for many years. "

No mention what-so-ever of low wages is there?
Sometimes you just need to raise your eyes to the heavens, have a wee stretch to relieve any tension and ditch the subject.

I say this as a 'well paid' medium distance driver who has had other jobs and would much prefer to be doing them than being a knight of the road.
Trouble is that those jobs no longer exist so me and my Yorkie are stuck with our lot.
APG
\\The real reason we are short of HGV drivers is they have all been sent back to Romania/Poland/pick your European Country because of Brexit,//

No one has been sent anywhere, have they ?
How unique, train, hire, and employ our own people.
//…you said they sit for 12 hours a day in their cab which is wrong.//

Yes it is. Many of them spend far longer than that because they live in them for five days a week. But I’ll not quibble. What I will quibble with is this:

//I really don't think that an average weeks pay of nearly £700 would put anyone off applying for the job if they like it.//

The average annual pay for an HGV driver is £32,500:

https://www.totaljobs.com/salary-checker/average-hgv-drivers-salary

That is £625pw, so not what I would call “nearly £700.” I would also quibble with this:

//The real reason we are short of HGV drivers is they have all been sent back to Romania/Poland/pick your European Country because of Brexit,…//

Nobody has been “sent back” anywhere. In fact as I pointed out on another thread, over 6m people from the EU have applied to stay here, less than 2% of them have had their applications refused and I doubt any of them have been “sent back” either.

As you say, the “pool” of HGV drivers (across Europe) is diminishing. This has nothing to do with Brexit and has everything to do with the pay and conditions of the job, As both Togo and Douglas have pointed out, it is not an attractive occupation for more reasons than one. Low pay is clearly an issue. It is not difficult to earn £30k in a number of semi-skilled jobs. Many in the construction industry earn that and there are tales in the Press today of some plumbers raking in £150k. Yes, this is obviously exceptional, but it is not difficult for a good plumber to earn £50k.

It is totally unsurprising to me that so many lorry drivers are deciding they’ve had enough. We could discuss at length why that might be but what I do take issue with is that it is predominantly Brexit that has caused the problem. It may be a small contributory factor but since the same problems exist in mainland European countries it cannot be a significant factor. UK hauliers have had over four years to address any problems that might be caused by Brexit and it seems to me they have singularly failed to do so.

//How unique, train, hire, and employ our own people.//

It’ll never catch on.
// //How unique, train, hire, and employ our own people.//

It’ll never catch on. //

no, because training is expensive. far better for your business model to poach someone who's been ready-trained by others.
"UK HGV drivers are not allowed to work 12 hours a day and a handy piece of kit called a Tachograph prevents them from doing this."

That statement is untrue since HGV 'pilots' do more than just drive. HGV drivers are covered by two sets of rules; 1.Drivers' Hours and 2.Working Time

Provided the 48 hour weekly working average, the maximum 56 hour weekly / 90 hour fortnightly driving limits, and the 2x10 hours plus 4x9 hours daily driving limits are not exceeded then an HGV driver may be permitted to work a 60 hour week including three shifts of 15 hours.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/856360/simplified-guidance-eu-drivers-hours-working-time-rules.pdf

£32,500 pa is £13 per hour for 48 (average) hour weeks that may actually include a sizeable number of 60 hour weeks, 15 hour shifts and days away from home.
The point is they are not paid peanuts..........however many hours they work.

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