Ready steady Queue

[Rich764089]

but there are many confounding factors that make a clear indisputable analysis largely impossible.

Agreed. Spoken like a true statistician/epidemiologist

 

[Darrell]

If the UK was the golden goose it used to be then they would be applying for visas etc.

I haven’t seen a golden goose for donkeys years.

There’s plenty of work in the U.K. for lorry drivers though. Apparently they can earn up to £70000 a year so surely it’s well worth getting a visa.

 

[markjay]

I think it’s also a little unfair blaming the government for the driver shortage. The Government isn’t responsible for employing drivers. Any business that uses drivers (or depend on any foreign labour for that matter) should have had a business continuity plan in place. It’s not like labour restrictions post brexit was unknown. Seems to me the users of drivers are blaming the government for their own lack of planning. Our Company had a Brexit risk assessment/contingency plan in place years ago.

Fair point, though I would still argue that when it comes to national infrastructure issues, the government should have their hand on the pulse to ensure that the private sector is able to fulfill the national needs, even in sectors where there isn't an official regulator. This applies to many areas including food and fuel supplies, etc.

 

[markjay]

Agreed. Spoken like a true statistician/epidemiologist

He's related to the late Humphrey Appleby...

 

[E55BOF]

The UK may be less attractive than most of Europe to some, but the boats coming across the Channel are full of people who have travelled right across Europe to get here. We'll know we're really finished when the boats are going the other way...

 

[Darrell]

It's the ones who work away and then go home, not like your guys who Live in the UK.

So we are talking about two very different types of workers then aren’t we?

 

[Deleted member 150136]

I haven’t seen a golden goose for donkeys years.

There’s plenty of work in the U.K. for lorry drivers though. Apparently they can earn up to £70000 a year so surely it’s well worth getting a visa.

That won't last, we all know everyman and his dog is going to try and get their LGV c+e and ADR qualifications, flood the market with drivers, the rates will go back down again.
Those with experience will stay in their steady paid positions long term, the agencies will have plenty of guys for cover work.

The £70k will be £35k because it'll only be 6 months until its all sorted, then there'll be not enough work.

But Europe will be paying a better standard rate so we won't get all the Europeans this time....its not worth the hassle for 6 months work.

If the industry paid a better standard average rate we wouldn't get this problem.

 

[Darrell]

The UK may be less attractive than most of Europe to some, but the boats coming across the Channel are full of people who have travelled right across Europe to get here.

See post #126

 

[Deleted member 150136]

So we are talking about two very different types of workers then aren’t we?

Yes, but most eastern European truck drivers don't live in the uk, they live in their trucks.

 

[Rich764089]

The UK may be less attractive than most of Europe to some, but the boats coming across the Channel are full of people who have travelled right across Europe to get here.

So much so that one might suggest they're economic migrants, rather than refugees

 

[Darrell]

That won't last, we all know everyman and his dog is going to try and get their LGV c+e and ADR qualifications, flood the market with drivers, the rates will go back down again.
Those with experience will stay in their steady paid positions long term, the agencies will have plenty of guys for cover work.

The £70k will be £35k because it'll only be 6 months until its all sorted, then there'll be not enough work.

But Europe will be paying a better standard rate so we won't get all the Europeans this time....its not worth the hassle for 6 months work.

If the industry paid a better standard average rate we wouldn't get this problem.

These problems have been around for years.

The construction industry well well paid 15 or 16 years ago so when all the Eastern European’s started coming over that’s the first place they went to. The market was flooded so the money went down and so the cycle carries on.

Boom and bust.

Ive seen it happen many times in the 38 years I’ve been in this game.

 

[Darrell]

Yes, but most eastern European truck drivers don't live in the uk, they live in their trucks.

So no rent to pay then? Plenty of dough then.

Where have they all gone?

 

[Darrell]

So much so that one might suggest they're economic migrants, rather than refugees

 

[Deleted member 150136]

Yup, it'll keep going like this but this time we have brexit/covid and IR35 to mess it up.

People won't leave a steady job that they kept through covid, people won't go contracting because of IR35 risks, the Europeans can't come because of visas....catch 22.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

So no rent to pay then? Plenty of dough then.

Where have they all gone?

No, because they left before the big money because the UK paid for cheap labour.

Now they've gone it's not worth it to come back for the short term benefits, where other countries offer a better long term outcome.

 

[Darrell]

Cabriomat, a quote from you in a similar thread. 7 Sep.

“The pay is fantastic for a truck driver these days, not crap at all.
The reason there are no truck drivers is that the kids these days are into IT and can make more sat in their bedroom”

 

[Deleted member 150136]

The UK generally paid Eastern Europeans less in all markets because they were happy with that kind of money, now because of last year they went home, got other jobs and realised they don't need the UK now.

If we had paid them equally to UK employees they would come back, like Darrells guys were likely on proper UK contracts and likely some form of residence, so they are still here

 

[Deleted member 150136]

Cabriomat, a quote from you in a similar thread. 7 Sep.

“The pay is fantastic for a truck driver these days, not crap at all.
The reason there are no truck drivers is that the kids these days are into IT and can make more sat in their bedroom”

Yes, for UK employees. For the big established companies.
Not cheap foreign agency labour, which is what has gone.

Which is why the uk drivers aren't snapping up these short term stupid high rate jobs.

 

[E55BOF]

I'd have thought that if there was a shortage of HGV drivers, those there are would snap up the short term stupid high rate jobs, secure in the knowledge that once the short-term job is over, they will have no problem going back to where they were before.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

No, these jobs with high rates are for when the normal driver needs his 48hrs off/holidays/etc but the truck needs to work 24/7.

Not permanent jobs