BestOfBid.com - Do you not think the Government should get the Army to drive the tankers?

Do you not think the Government should get the Army to drive the tankers?

No way should greedy tanker drivers be allowed to win. I hope Shell hold out until the drivers are bled back to work. Indeed if Hoyer and the other company sacked the lot of them and then rehired thm on reduced contracts as Tesco did a few years ago i would support this. Indeed even bringing in foreign drivers to drive the tankers. We are being held to ransom by a small numberof people out of touch with the man in the street.If they win it will add to the cost of a litre at the pumps. It is not a civil matter when the infrastructure of the country is being held to ransom by a tiny minority who are out of touch with reality. Wozza, health and safety goes out the window in a national emergency. Did you know that during the miners strike in 84 that certain Central Scotland hauliers were allowed to ignore tachograph laws and lorries were driving with certifiable defect. Why, because breaking the miners was more important to Mrs T than having a lorry pulled because it had a dodgy tyre tread. It is called needs be. Lord knotty, we are not talking about MPs, we are talking about tanker drivers who are over paid at 32K.Are you saying a tanker driver is as important as an MP> Also the drivers have rejected 6.8%. My last pay rise was 5.1% over two years, inflation is 3%, and I and my work colleagues have to cover the first two abscences with no overtime for doing their work. Still want to talk fair pay? Michael contracting out of services in an NHS hospital is different from tanker drivers who work in the private sector. In the private sector the man with the money talks.

Public Comments

No it's a civil matter.....
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Maybe they should get the army to deliver the mail next time you go on strike. While you may not be in agreement with their demands,it is a slippery slope to start to decide who has the right to strike and who doesn´t. EDIT. What "Mrs T" did wasn´t called "needs be" that was called "I´m alright Jack. My needs first." edit to Beastie. The fact that you have no respect for people who went on strike to defend other people´s rights speaks volumes about you. edit2 I have no opinion of you personally whatsoever, and I do not waste my time "casting aspersions" on anyone´s character. However freedom of speech lets me slate your opinions as I see fit and your mocking tone while condemning workers who strike in solidarity with others speaks for itself.
yeah why not as if they don't do enough for us already......
Do you have a petrol shortage then? There's plenty here in the midlands. Yesterday some garages put a £20 limit on, but today tanks have been refilled and there's no limits again. I think we should all be blocking up London to get through to our MP's that we won't pay these prices much longer, but if more people want more money in the chain, the companies will be increasing prices before the taxes.
The goverment would have big problems finding anyone to do it. They're all in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It's a bit more difficult that that. The soldiers would be required extra qualifications to cover health & safety laws etc, and lots more which I don't know about before they would be allowed to drive a Tanker.
This is helping Shell. They have another excuse to raise the price of crude.
the goverment already have the power to draft in troops,they just have to declare a 'State of National Emergecy'.
While I dont agree with the strike and think they are being greedy, it IS only for 4 days. I dont really think the Army need to be drafted in, its not exactly a state of emergency
the government has created this problem by raising our taxes just to pay the expences of the MPs and the M E Ps we are being bled dry by this government it is time all the working class stood up to the parasites in charge and forced a change , i am having to put up my charges for driving lessons because of the expensive fuel costs with all this extra tax
Spot on, Midden lad. If they'll break out the military when the fire fighters go on strike, they should break them out when anything else affects the normal running of the country. There are enough tanker driving qualified guys in the military to do it, too. Incidentally, the guy who suggested that saying who could and who couldn't go on strike was a slippery slope, well, news for you, mate. They already do. Unite backing this lot means that it no longer affects only Shell. Employees of other companies (BP, for example) who are also members of Unite are also not crossing picket lines. And to add insult to injury it will further drive up already ridiculous fuel prices. I have even less sympathy for this lot than I had for that bunch of idiots at Grangemouth who went on strike to protect the rights of people WHO DON'T ACTUALLY WORK FOR THE COMPANY YET. Yep, they went on strike to support future employees pension rights. Not their own, because that's safe. For people who don't work there yet. Jomamo.... One, it's none of your business what I'm like; therefore don't cast aspertions on my character. Whatever I currently think of you is not in question and will not be stated here. Two, I suspect you don't have a clue about the scare tactics used by both the union and the employers at Grangemouth, otherwise you would not be so swift to take their torch. They get no respect from me, because they do not deserve it. Defending rights is one thing. Employing scare tactics to ensure public support is entirely another.
How would you like it if in 16 years time you were still on the same money as you are on now, and would you be grateful if your boss said i'm changing your contract, and you can do the same job for less money. I bet you would moan like hell, in your question you seemed to like the idea of tesco offering their drivers less money. How would you react to that, take it on the chin and say thats life, i don't think so. If you want greed look at the MP's not the working man.
Two things here. First, few people realise how dangerous it is driving several thousand litres of fuel around the country when the tiniest spark - even a static spark of the type you get off a carpet - could ignite the fuel vapour and create a very big bomb. Even hooking up the fuel line from the tanker to the petrol station inlet is a very dangerous procedure for which even the army are not trained. Second, we really must fight against this "contracting out" of services by major organisations to the cheapest bidder. This is why the NHS is in such a mess. The Shell drivers are just fighting for recognition of the important job they do.
NO!!! just sack the greedy money grabbing bastards. My hubby would be glad to earn £32,000 a year, and many more would be too!! There would be a queue for tanker drivers, no worries!! My hubby cleans toilets, and streets for a living for £6-00 an hour in Cornwall. He cleans up other people's vomit,colostomy bags, diahorrea, and used needles, and works 7DAYS A WEEK!!! He hasn't had a day off since Christmas day, and would be happy to drive a fuel tanker for £34,0000 a year. Come on, you greedy bastards, there's plenty worse off than you who would jump at your jobs!!!
Don't the army have enough to do in Iraq and Afghanistan than waste time driving petrol lorries, sorry but thats down to the management and their workers to sort out.
Move to China. They would just shoot them and make you happy.
DANGER!!!??? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW SOMEONE DIE DOING THIS JOB??? it is a safe enough job with security precautions, anyone drives with enough fuel to cause an explosion to kill so dont start. also think about university and qualifications, what does that make people think?? salary for a trainee accountant is about 19k, im about to start this course, however when i see a unskilled truck driver demanding double that wage it makes you wonder, especially when this course requires top grades to gain entry, surely the world is mad to pay these guys even their current rate, personally id give them 23k tops keep their rate, but do not rise it ATALL, and id bring the army and show we wont be held by these unskilled idots, 40k for passing a driving test?? my arze!!!
Unfortunately H.M. forces are committed elsewhere. In my opinion, these Idle, blackmailing, greedy tanker drivers should face immediate dismissal. They should not be given any benefitts due to their unemployment being their own fault.Their jobs should be given to people who want them. Before anyone jumps in. I used to drive tankers for a living on night runs, nice, easy job !