Lorry driver shortage

[Highland Mule]

A quick google finds the statistic below, which technically puts the UK unemployment rate at circa 57%, far cry from the official 5% that’s touted. Going by the ONS, only around 43% of the entire UK population is employed.

The 57% will of course include children, retired people, those that have disability’s and anyone else that’s not currently employed for whatever reason. Now of course I don’t advocate sending the children, the elderly or the disabled to work, that’s just silly, but at the current time, the fact remains that only 47% of the population is in paid employment, and in turn the remaing 57% are unemployed.

My point is, the 5% figure that’s touted, is like many statutory figures, is totally irrelevant unless you understand how its calculated.

View attachment 984050

“Payroll employees”. So also excludes self employed.

 

[Lowland1]

Employment in the UK - Office for National Statistics

Estimates of employment, unemployment and economic inactivity for the UK.

www.ons.gov.uk

Economic inactivity is 21% according to the ONS

 

[Turnip]

A quick google finds the statistic below, which technically puts the UK unemployment rate at circa 57%, far cry from the official 5% that’s touted. Going by the ONS, only around 43% of the entire UK population is employed.

The 57% will of course include children, retired people, those that have disability’s and anyone else that’s not currently employed for whatever reason. Now of course I don’t advocate sending the children, the elderly or the disabled to work, that’s just silly, but at the current time, the fact remains that only 47% of the population is in paid employment, and in turn the remaing 57% are unemployed.

My point is, the 5% figure that’s touted, is like many statutory figures, is totally irrelevant unless you understand how its calculated.

View attachment 984050

So this is what the ONS uses:
The definition of unemployment used by the Office for National Statistics is based on the internationally agreed and recommended definition from the International Labour Organization (ILO)—an agency of the United Nations. Use of this definition allows international comparisons of unemployment rates.

Unemployed people are defined as those aged 16 or over who are without work, available to start work in the next two weeks and who have either:

a) been actively seeking work in the past four weeks, or b) are waiting to start a new job they have already obtained.
Those who are without work who do not meet the criteria of unemployment are classed as "out of the labour force", otherwise known as "economically inactive". For example, a person who wants a job but is not available for work due to sickness or disability would be classed as economically inactive, not unemployed.

Which means your 57% is wrong unless you want the world to start following the H200GT definition of unemployment and let us know once you get that sorted.

@Highland Mule following the flowchart self employed would be included in the employed figure.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

I couldn't agree less, I'm afraid. Tap and bottled water are poles apart, and I will actively seek out some brands over others for the taste. On the other hand, I wouldn't walk to the other end of the fridge for a beer.

Just goes to show how we are all different.

I think these are the type of questions we as a country should be asking ourselves and finding a consensus that all can agree to I recon.

 

[Courier]

Co op agency HGV on £20+ ltd


I'll drink tap water from any tap in the UK.

After its been left out for the chlorine taste to reduce or filtered - I remember tap water in Chelmsford being impossible to make a decent pot of tea it having been in and out of the Thames so many times....

 

[Bald Rick]

They have the power ...

 

[Suffolk Serf]

If you are blotting Daisy in the corner of a field so she doesn’t know what is coming that’s fine but if it’s a thousand squealing pigs who have an idea of what’s going on it is not a job for someone who likes animals.

Anyway, the shortage isn't of slaughter men, it is of people to cut up the carcasses after the event.
By the way, what I have seen of modern abattoirs, the scene isn't one of "thousands of squealing pigs" it is one of calm, ordered, moving of the animals to their well managed end, mostly now by gas stunning.

 

[spanners and hammers]

yes but with the driver shortage they cant take you there

 

[Henarar]

Best way to solve the lorry driver shortage





make the cabs higher inside






then tall folk can drive them

 

[Lowland1]

Anyway, the shortage isn't of slaughter men, it is of people to cut up the carcasses after the event.
By the way, what I have seen of modern abattoirs, the scene isn't one of "thousands of squealing pigs" it is one of calm, ordered, moving of the animals to their well managed end, mostly now by gas stunning.

Fair enough but killing or butchering isn’t a career choice many want to make. I’ve not been in a modern slaughterhouse so I can’t disagree with you.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Anyway, the shortage isn't of slaughter men, it is of people to cut up the carcasses after the event.
By the way, what I have seen of modern abattoirs, the scene isn't one of "thousands of squealing pigs" it is one of calm, ordered, moving of the animals to their well managed end, mostly now by gas stunning.

If I could find an abattoir position which paid well and fit around my farming as well as truck driving does I'd happily do that.

 

[Henarar]

Fair enough but killing or butchering isn’t a career choice many want to make. I’ve not been in a modern slaughterhouse so I can’t disagree with you.

I was talking to a slaughter man who does that job a couple days a week in between other livestock work and he said it was a privilege that he could do it

 

[czechmate]

Now good cider is worth scrabbling around in the sting nettles to get the apples, will agree with you about the beer it makes me sick

you don’t have to drink a gallon

 

[Breakthru]

He can give me accountancy advice though, in the form of making me aware of my options and the pros and cons therein. The pre-year end meeting is invaluable in that regard.

Treading on dangerous territory until our Govt unravels EU Mifid2. Accountants down here will not give any advice other than how to arrange the numbers. They regard the advice game as a bag of sharks which their indemnity insurance will not cover. Hopefully we return to some form of normality due to Brexit.

 

[czechmate]

Treading on dangerous territory until our Govt unravels EU Mifid2. Accountants down here will not give any advice other than how to arrange the numbers. They regard the advice game as a bag of sharks which their indemnity insurance will not cover. Hopefully we return to some form of normality due to Brexit.

“normality due to brexit” ...
Now, that’s not something you see often

 

[Breakthru]

“normality due to brexit” ...
Now, that’s not something you see often

What I voted for was that our useless civil servants could no longer hide behind the old adage of blaming it on Europe when claiming they couldn't change anything. Now when told to unravel something they have to do it or find a proper reason why not.

 

[Henarar]

you don’t have to drink a gallon

Thank goodness

 

[Hilly]

You’re lucky. The last few trips to my closest Coop have seen:
No bottled water (last week)
No bread (week before)
No crisps (before that)
No chocolate bars (before)

Spoke to Tesco petrol forecourt chap, they had nothing edible in the shelves apart from some chocolate bars - hadn’t had a delivery in 8 weeks and were carrying stock from the store themselves rather than waiting for the supplies.

Water comes out the tap , buy a bread making machine better by miles anyway , chocolate is bad for you anyway they doing you a favour not having any same with crisps, just rubbish food do nations health a favour if the ran out of crisps and chocolate for ever .

 

[kiwi pom]

That's what I do, albeit I only have a small acreage.

Good on ya
Do you think Clive would be keen?

 

[Yorkshire lad]

Oh dear this it not going to end well, not only for drivers, but the country as a whole.
I have worked as a hgv driver in the haulage industry part time for some 30 odd years, as a way to supplement my income , mainly through the winter months, although for the last 10 years I have been full-time in the winter, and just part time in the summer when needed. (and when free to do so). One reason for full time in winter is IR35, that stopped the self employed side of driving.

I have seen a big change is some drivers attitude over the last 18 months, this is due to the covid19 situation and the spin off effects of it.
As with all ways of life you see good and bad people, and this applies to every walk of life, in every department of every industry, and at all levels, yes and farmers too.
In the case of the drivers, it could be said that they do it due to being feck all use at doing anything else, , but yet think the world and its mother owe them a living.
The wages have been , well let's say held back due to 2 reasons,
1 is a plentiful supply of drivers for years upto about a year ago,
And secondly, the introduction of the minimum wage/living wage, has meant over the last decade or so a lot of the country, has had their wages increased by a far bigger percentage than driver, thus narrowing the gap, as wage rises for drivers has been kept to a minimum, and therefore not as attractive as it once was.
And some drivers in general are listening to the sh1te on social media and the TV, now think they have the upper hand, and are starting lean on this as a tool to get an easier life, by starting to say there not doing this or that, ( I am friendly with 3 transport managers, and the feedback is the same from all 3).
Not only are they wanting more money, but better conditions and getting to the point the managers are having to appease there staff to keep them, simple things things like not wanting to do nights out, due to being sick of time away from home, means less work is getting done, and it seems getting staff is 1 problem, but keeping them is another,.
The company offered 1.5% pay rise, across the board, it was rejected, after negotiations it has been settled at 5% for every one and 12% rise for drivers with benefits, yet there is still a few that are moaning saying its not enough, 2 drivers of which have handed there notice in to leave,
I fear this will not do anyone any good in general, as inflation will take off , and together shortage of goods and services, could lead to unrest nation wide,
I can see it will end in tears for the country in years to come.

I will say, I have noticed a decrease in number of lorries on the road.

I drove for an agency 16 years ago. Making deliveries of fruit and veg to RDC’s
Saturdays was £14 Sundays £15 hour
A new agency came in and offered European drivers at half the rate They lived in housing supplied by the agency
So today’s. rates of £20 aren’t that great
I’ve give short shrift to anyone who says immigration has not affected rates of pay , it dam well did for me
Productivity in the Uk has been falling for the last 20 years If cheap labour wasn’t available companies would have had to mechanise if possible driving productivity up