Shell tanker drivers

[Mike]

Are going to be paid £42k per year very shortly. Hands up those who think the truck drivers will earn more in their life time than we will!

[stimpsonslostson]

Me thinks its a similar situation to where train drivers went on strike... I think that teachers, nurses etc might be more deserving and yet never really get the credit (or cash!)

THE PAY STAKES
£175,000 - The prime minister
£100,000 - GPs
£75,000 - Hospital consultant
£60,000 - University professor
£57,000 - Backbench MP
£35,000 - Plumber
£32,000 - Train driver
£28,500 - Journalist
£26,000 - Nurse
£12,000 - Hospital porter

ps None of the professors I know make £60k.

[Andy]

We are all thinking of packing it in and becoming drivers. The whole situation is bollocks if you ask me. How the hell can a person who drives petrol around be considered more important than a Head of department in charge of 9 members of staff and 1,000 kids' results? Or a person who designs the safety of millions of workers in buildings? Or anybody for that matter? What are the qualifications?

[stimpsonslostson]

http://www.edp24.co.uk/Content/jobs/SoY ... Tanker.asp

best bit?...

There are many other training opportunities such as first aid training. No other academic qualifications are necessary, the right attitude and ability to actually do the job are far more important.

p

[Andy]

For me the best bit is...

You get to meet a lot of different people and visit many places

The greasy spoon? A petrol attend that looks like a Suntan Warrior with those plucked eyebrows?

[Fez]

good on the drivers for getting a bigger slice of the money pie; their union reps must be right bunch of stubborn bastards. goes to show if you want something bad enough you will get it.

[Andy]

I think they benefit from just having one union. That way, everyone is united and will fall at the same time. If just some of your profession strike then it isn't worth bothering with.

[mr_e]

How the hell can a person who drives petrol around be considered more important than a Head of department in charge of 9 members of staff and 1,000 kids' results?... Or anybody for that matter?...

Just about everyone needs fuel. Without them the teacher and kids don't get to school (in any reasonable time), and the economy goes to hell. Our society is such that the extraction, supply and distribution of fuel are very important.

To be fair to the tanker drivers, you don't just pass your license test then walk straight into this job: it seems like this is the "head teacher" role of HGV driving, ie. near the top pay and progression-wise.

[Andy]

How the hell can a person who drives petrol around be considered more important than a Head of department in charge of 9 members of staff and 1,000 kids' results?... Or anybody for that matter?...

Just about everyone needs fuel. Without them the teacher and kids don't get to school (in any reasonable time), and the economy goes to hell. Our society is such that the extraction, supply and distribution of fuel are very important.

If they can't read a road sign then they can't drive / get to their destination.

Anyway, this argument could get petty and I won't get petty on my weekend. I believe you are right that HGV drivers are incredibly good drivers because I have done a little internet research into the amount of tests you have to take but it still doesn't seem to me to be such a taxing job in terms of the amount of work that any normal professional has to do ''out of hours'', i.e. planning, any form of assessment, meeting deadlines, etc. Surely they just end up claiming for that? I can't do that and neither can many of us.

I think what I perhaps find most irritating is that they have been allowed to do this and that ultimately big companies have bowed to pressure. Let's face it, if the companies could have done they would have got rid of them and replaced them.

[mr_e]

Don't worry, I'm sure any discussion here won't get petty. When considering wages, I find it helpful to think of them not only as a measure of that person's value to society but also to those who have existing wealth (in this case, Shell). I think that goes some way to explaining why the tanker drivers are so highly paid. Supply and demand also affect value of labour, as Andy pointed out.

Heh, maybe I should go do politics and economics or something: I find this stuff fairly interesting.

[liz.brownlloyd]

Excellent, well if there is a recession and if it is as bad as last recession (worse point 50% architects unemployed) I now know what I will be retraining as.

[Andy]

Excellent, well if there is a recession and if it is as bad as last recession (worse point 50% architects unemployed) I now know what I will be retraining as.

I'm sure the shell tankers will honk their horns in appreciation