Are truckers the new miners?

[123everton]

If you cast your mind back it was the miners who brought down Ted Heath's government (Thatcher never forgave them) and they caused terrible trouble for Callaghan also.
Will tanker drivers be able to hold the country to ransom like the miners before them used to?

[sp1214]

It must be hard to manage on 37K a year doing what amounts to a semi-skilled job?

[jno]

Miners had a lot of public sympathy because everyone knew they were doing a hard and often dangerous job. Truckers are just seen as drivers like everyone else. I don't think they'll get the same amount of public support.

[Kromovaracun]

(Thatcher never forgave them)

I think the fact they were actively wrecking the country's economy might have had something to do with it.

Miners also had vastly over-powered unions and a leader who was... well... a nutjob is the only way to describe him (interestingly , Scargill has recently been seen attending regularly at a Stalinist society in London - linky). Truck drivers don't (but they do have some power as the petrol crisis showed, but not nearly as much as the miners did).

I don't think truck drivers have nearly the 'downtrodden' image that the miners have/did have either.

[123everton]

The truckers could hold the country to ransom, denying us food, fuel and mobility I agree I think they're very well paid (not to sure about semi-skilled) their dispute I feel is based on the fact that everyone seems to be making alot of (more) money out of petrol except them.
The miners strike could've been ended long before it was, Thatcher would'nt allow MacGregor to settle it. On top of that everything Scargill said about Tory plans for mining came true.

[jno]

they've been offered 42K (says Shell)

[sp1214]

I thought in emergencies they could use the armed forces drivers and we know they get a lot less than a traffic warden.

[Kromovaracun]

It was possible to eradicate the miners and import coal from overseas or convert the power stations to oil

In fact it actually made legitimate economic sense to do so.

On top of that everything Scargill said about Tory plans for mining came true.

I sometimes think Scargill might have known that mining (and therefore his own power) was going down the tubes. Then I remember how much of a loon he was.

As I say above, the fact is that what was done to mining was simply necessary economically. Sure, it screwed a lot of people over, but mining was a past industry by that point. Sometimes you have to do what's necessary even if it hurts.

-------

Back on topic: It's all very well to say that truck drivers have more potential influence, but they have no serious organisation, and they have no real incentive to strike or exercise their power. Unlike the miners who weren't paid much and have a hazardous job (and probably more public sympathy), and along with that had the organisation to pose a threat.

[RevFunk]

I would call it an unskilled job

Burger me we can all drive a car

[DrFilth]

spokesperson for the union said they get paid �32,000 a year and have not had a pay rise for 3 years (rock radio)

they work shifts including nights and weekends, where do all these different figures come from.

when they say they can earn �37,000 that is working overtime

[RevFunk]

The thing is employers are not obliged to give you a pay rise.

Sack them all and see what they can earn in their new jobs stacking shelves

[DrFilth]

rev there is a waiting list for jobs stacking shelves near me

[Twenty20]

Apparently the unions are demanding an average wage of �41,500. For driving a truck.

Bring in the Poles, they'll do it for a lot less.

[squarebear]

�41K for driving a tanker. Surely they'e got to be kidding?! All it entails is driving from A to B then unloading. I have no sympathy with them at all. I'm sure there would be people lining up for these jobs at half the wage.

How can they justfy this obscene amount of money?

[nedflanders]

although i think their wages are reasonable, i wonder how many of you people could drive a vehicle the size of theirs with a potentially explosive load behind you, not many i think.
Its not the crisis the media want it to be anyway 600 drivers on strike, 10% of petrol stations affected. The only thing that will cause panic is Labour telling the public "not to panic"

[squarebear]

And when was the last time you heard of a tanker exploding Ned?

I get on a bus most days but I don't expect a whopping salary in case the bus might knock me down.

[nedflanders]

squarebear - do you not watch movies? it happens all the time!!!!

All i was saying was it is a more skilled job than say a London Tube driver, who just needs to start/stop start/stop all day long.

[Kromovaracun]

Stopping/starting a train is a more complex affair than driving a truck, though.

[RevFunk]

A monkey in a suit could do it.

Bus driving is far more skilled

[123everton]

I've twixt myself between a rock and a hard place here.
As a bus driver of some years standing I'd like to say thanks Rev Funk. But driving a bus involves a far more precious cargo than any wagon, but artics require far more skill to drive the test alone lasts about 2 1/2 hours and is in 2 parts to get a class 1. It's not a semi-skilled or unskilled job there's alot to it. Similarly train drivers have to be retested every year or so and they have to know the proceedure for every given situation and follow it to the letter, which is why they're on good money.
The economic sense that Krom talks about involved the "dash for gas" what a great idea that was... The energy market was also skewed slightly by the subsidy paid towards nuclear fuel, the net result of Tory misrule in this instance is that we now import poor quality coal from Australia to power our needs.
The truckers were used as pawns to break every major strike in the 80s and 90s now they along with the Police have discovered that they're not needed to fight their battles so now it's their turn to get a kicking.
Ultimately business will look to put more goods onto the railways and another private business will profit from this aspect of Tory misrule.