[Update] Fuel tanker drivers vote to strike

[ZrByte]

I love the way how everyone focuses on the top figure for the tanker drivers pay. Ignoring the fact that this will be only the small minority at the top who earn this. And aren't most tanker drivers classed as self employed like Taxi drivers and Driving instructors? Which would mean out of that £43K the settle for their Cab would have to be paid (Assuming they don't own theirs) as well as a percentage of their fuel or even all of it for some.
Its just like during the postal strike a figure of 18.5K was released as average postal worker pay, this included all network and management positions. I earn 13K and though I am a part timer I still do 31hours per week so would earn no more than 16K top line If I was full time. However this was irrelevant to all those opposed to the strike even though ours wasn't about pay in the sense that we where being forced to work longer hours for the same amount of pay we had previously. So we didn't want a higher hourly rate or anything, we just wanted to be paid for the new hours we where (And still are) being forced to do. And even that was a small part of it.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by Tim Deegan

Because he is an MP!!

Nothing to do with being on the recipient of union backing when he got elected party leader then?

[Russ]

The transport unions could at least give people something like a month's notice about strikes. That way they'll get more people's support as we'll be able to make alternative plans.

It'll also give the government more time to get people in to do their jobs for them, thus rendering their strike action pointless as it will have minimum impact on the rest of us, as we have absolutely no influence over their situation yet we are the ones that get dumped upon again.

Fire service coming out to help people with overfilled cars.
Fights in forecourts.
Police closing stations down in an entire region due to safety concerns.
People queueing for ages to fuel their cars.

All because, in 10 days, there is speculation that a strike may be called.

[gazzae]

Meanwhile in NI life goes on as normal....

(The youths of the country have been assured their "Cultural*" supplies will be unaffected)

Bob Miller from the union Unite said just four drivers from Northern Ireland would be taking part in the UK-wide action and warned against “scaremongering� on this side of the Irish sea.

“There will be no or minimal impact in Northern Ireland with the looming petrol tanker drivers’ strike,� said Mr Miller last night.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/loc...anic-1-3676111

*Petrol Bombs

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Stated on www.sky.com that since the start of the stampede panic at garages has earnt the treasury £32 MILLION in fuel duty.

Good way of earning money at our expense for the government - start panic buying and bingo.

[Julian]

I think we should go to Defcon 2

If the filling stations are running out of fuel then how will tanker drivers fill there lorries up????

It's a disaster waiting to happen I tells ya!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Stated on www.sky.com that since the start of the stampede panic at garages has earnt the treasury £32 MILLION in fuel duty.

Good way of earning money at our expense for the government - start panic buying and bingo.

I suppose it's escaped you that all this extra money raised is OUR money NOT the governments


and whats bingo got to do with anything ?

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Stated on www.sky.com that since the start of the stampede panic at garages has earnt the treasury £32 MILLION in fuel duty.

Good way of earning money at our expense for the government - start panic buying and bingo.

It's not extra money Arthur, people will still use the fuel up at the same rate they normally do, it will just be longer before they need to buy any more.

[gazzae]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Stated on www.sky.com that since the start of the stampede panic at garages has earnt the treasury £32 MILLION in fuel duty.

Good way of earning money at our expense for the government - start panic buying and bingo.

And next week when things calm down they will get less, it will even out. Not like this is money they were never going to receive.

[Tim Deegan]

Originally Posted by martyh

AH ,time for a price hike then

Probably yes.

I just dropped my daughter off, and went to fill up (because I'm running low, not panic buying). Tesco had a cue a mile long, the local BP and Shell garages had sold out, and apparently Sainsburys is as bad as Tesco.

---------- Post added at 19:02 ---------- Previous post was at 18:53 ----------

Originally Posted by Osem

Nothing to do with being on the recipient of union backing when he got elected party leader then?

Nope. It's because that's what MP's do when it isn't their responsibility to sort the problem out. They just criticise the government, but don't come up with an alternate plan. They all do it, whoever is in power.

---------- Post added at 19:03 ---------- Previous post was at 19:02 ----------

Originally Posted by Damien

Fire service coming out to help people with overfilled cars.
Fights in forecourts.
Police closing stations down in an entire region due to safety concerns.
People queueing for ages to fuel their cars.

All because, in 10 days, there is speculation that a strike may be called.

And even when they call it, they still have to give seven days notice.

---------- Post added at 19:06 ---------- Previous post was at 19:03 ----------

Originally Posted by Chris

It's not extra money Arthur, people will still use the fuel up at the same rate they normally do, it will just be longer before they need to buy any more.

In fact most people will probably drive less, so when it all evens out, then the government will have lost money in tax.

[mertle]

Originally Posted by Chris

It's not extra money Arthur, people will still use the fuel up at the same rate they normally do, it will just be longer before they need to buy any more.

Indeed I hope the government think this way can you image if they think its windfall spend it.

Love the situation On telly they say there meeting bewteen government unions/refineries to thrash issue out.

7 days needed to be called which means EASTER wont be the strike. Now according beeb full tank going to wrk will last average 14 days now it depends on journey folks take but value they put to it.

Which means those panick in mess they run out during a strike potentially.

still going on at mine anyone else seeing still queues.

I am shocked its still going been hammered from 9.00am as know off.

we got tanker 2am as heared him pull in woke me up. Now how much they hold dont know.

Prior today it was quiet think we got delivery monday too.

At the moment no way another tanker can deliver which is the other crazy problem.

How low will refineries get too.

[Hom3r]

In the UK there are two standard sized petrol tankers, the capacity for fuel depends on which size vehicle you are looking at. The easiest way to calculate the difference is count the wheels

18T (4 wheeler) rigid 13,000 Ltr capacity
26T (6 wheeler) rigid 19,000 Ltr capacity

So a few trips will be needed to replenise stocks.

[Julian]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

In the UK there are two standard sized petrol tankers, the capacity for fuel depends on which size vehicle you are looking at. The easiest way to calculate the difference is count the wheels

18T (4 wheeler) rigid 13,000 Ltr capacity
26T (6 wheeler) rigid 19,000 Ltr capacity

So a few trips will be needed to replenise stocks.

Artics carry quite a bit more than that Homey.
IIRC an artic can carry over 40000 litres of petrol, slightly less if it's diesel.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Anyone got a bike for sale.