Britain outside the EU

[Carth]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

Ben, not that I know about those details, but I can’t imagine either side would wish to compromise classified information.

*cough* https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58351938

According to the Times, the documents identifying Afghan workers and job applicants were discovered on Tuesday this week on the ground at the embassy compound, which by then was occupied by the Taliban.

The papers are said to have featured the name and address of seven staff members - including the holder of a senior post - as well as the contact details, work history and addresses of people who had applied for interpreter jobs.

Probably scattered on the floor because they couldn't find a taxi or bus shelter to 'lose' them in . . . data protection my arse

[Sephiroth]

Nothing to do with the poxy EU though.

[Carth]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

Nothing to do with the poxy EU though.

bigger picture Seph, a data leak is a data leak . . . . even if it's just a cookie

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

Nothing to do with the poxy EU though.

I'm sure we can pin it on 'em somehow.

[Sephiroth]

They are just being nasty and stupid at that. If we don’t share intelligence dat, they are at risk too. That is their threat, though. Have I missed anything?

El Gov has clearly decided to make an example of the haulage industry.

Businesses have been told to prioritise hiring UK-based workers rather than relying on labour from abroad to fix a shortage of lorry drivers.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng rejected calls from firms to loosen immigration rules, saying it would be a "short-term temporary solution".

Companies should look to those facing an "uncertain future" when the furlough scheme ends next month, he said.

…

He added that the government had confirmed funding of up to £7,000 per apprenticeship from August for people training to be a lorry driver, while there was also grant funding to train military service leavers, ex-offenders and the long-term unemployed to move into lorry driving.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58364308

[mrmistoffelees]

It’s normally eight to ten weeks to get fully licensed as an HGV driver, now add in the inevitable delays due to covid.

Unless of course we’ve just got 100,000 unemployed hgv drivers sat flicking their plums (or respective ladies equivalent) going ‘if only there were some driving jobs going’

As per usual from this government attempts to deal with a very complex issue by issuing a ridiculously simplistic statement.

[Carth]

Maybe if haulage companies employed drivers direct instead of relying on 3rd party suppliers (agencies) which take a cut, they'd get more interest from potential new drivers?

Some firms could also 'up their game' with vehicle/trailer maintenance and load safety . . anecdotal I know, but I've known a few drivers that refuse to work for certain companies.

Cheap foreign drivers plays into the hands of the unscrupulous profit driven bosses, and I'm sure once we give in to recruiting foreign drivers the floodgates will open for more than just drivers being allowed in.

[papa smurf]

Not many people are obese enough to drive a Truck , I believe the minimum weight is 20 stone,thats why those who don't quite make the weigh become taxi drivers,also the skill sets are hard to learn, like pouring coffee from a flask while simultaneously rolling a cig and weaving between three lanes of traffic on the M1

[mrmistoffelees]

Originally Posted by papa smurf

Not many people are obese enough to drive a Truck driver, I believe the minimum weight is 20 stone,thats why those who dont quite make the weigh become taxi drivers,also the skill sets are hard to learn, like pouring coffee from a flask while simultaneously rolling a cig and weaving between three lanes on the M1

You forgot the leaving of bottles filled with pee in lay-bys and murdering sex workers.

Just to add to your already sweeping generalisations

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Chris

El Gov has clearly decided to make an example of the haulage industry.

Looks like the boss of Tesco was right, Christmas is cancelled, again, thanks very much Krazy Kwarteng

Originally Posted by Carth

Maybe if haulage companies employed drivers direct instead of relying on 3rd party suppliers (agencies) which take a cut, they'd get more interest from potential new drivers?

Some firms could also 'up their game' with vehicle/trailer maintenance and load safety . . anecdotal I know, but I've known a few drivers that refuse to work for certain companies.

Cheap foreign drivers plays into the hands of the unscrupulous profit driven bosses, and I'm sure once we give in to recruiting foreign drivers the floodgates will open for more than just drivers being allowed in.

Maybe if the drivers applied directly to the hauliers, instead of going through an agency?

Or is it they want to be self-employed rather than employees?

[Carth]

I'm not sure many would want to go self employed nowadays, but yes, applying direct to a company would work . . . as long as the company was willing to employ direct and not use agencies as a get out

[Sephiroth]

A lot of chickens coming home to roost. Will all get sorted in the wash eventually. Wages will rise as companies compete for direct labour; prices will rise accordingly. All as in water finding its own level.

Originally Posted by Carth

I'm not sure many would want to go self employed nowadays, but yes, applying direct to a company would work . . . as long as the company was willing to employ direct and not use agencies as a get out

They used to be, to "minimise" tax - HMRC caught up with them, which is one of the reasons for the shortage.

https://driverrequire.co.uk/ir35

(Hiring companies didn’t mind either - no NI or pension contributions/liabilities).

The effect of the IR35 reform is to force agency workers who previously operated as Ltd Companies to pay more tax and their agencies or end clients to pay Employer NI Contributions. If we were to keep the drivers’ net income the same, it would result in an increase in employment costs of 25% to the agency. This is clearly not sustainable and this cost increase must be absorbed somehow:

The drivers could take a cut in their net income, though it is feared that if this is too severe many British nationals will give up LGV driving for a career, while continental European drivers will “vote with their feet” and seek employment on the continent, where net pay will be higher and they will be “closer to home”.

The agencies could absorb some of the cost increase, but after decades of pressure from their haulage clients, their net profits are already razor thin, typically less than 2%, so they cannot tolerate much before being forced into insolvency.

Lastly, the end client, the haulage operator could absorb some of the cost increase, but we already know that margins in the haulage sector are extremely tight and there is little room for manoeuvre.

Asda are offering HGV drivers with a minimum of 6 months experience £32k a year, for 45 hour weeks on late shifts.

https://www.asda.jobs/vacancy/hgv-dr...6/description/