[Herr]

Fuel tanker drivers have voted in favour of taking strike action in a row over terms and conditions and safety, according to the Unite union.

The government is holding a meeting with fuel delivery companies and supermarkets to plan tactics for coping with any resulting strike.

Army drivers are being trained to deliver fuel to petrol stations in case of a walkout by tanker drivers.

Unite said there had been "unrelenting attacks" on drivers' conditions.

In an interview with the BBC's Hardtalk programme, the general secretary of Unite, Len McCluskey, refused to rule out the possibility that any strike would be held over Easter.

About 2,000 drivers at seven distribution depots took part in the ballot in what was the first national industrial action campaign for more than 10 years.

Unite said five of the seven depots backed strike action, while two did not. Of those five, the vote in favour was 69%. Turnouts across the five averaged 77.7%.

A statement from Unite said: "Tanker drivers work in an increasingly fragmented and pressurised industry, where corners are being cut on safety and training in a bid to squeeze profits and win contracts.

"Drivers face growing job insecurity as a result of the contract 'merry-go-round' and a 'beat the clock' culture has flourished, with drivers forced to meet ever shorter delivery deadlines. "

It added that pensions were also inferior to those previously offered and some workers had switched pensions six times.
Dispute

One of the companies involved, Hoyer, said its safety standards were very high.

A Hoyer spokesman said: "Hoyer has one of the highest health, safety and training standards in the petroleum distribution sector."

The firm said that pay and conditions for Hoyer drivers were among "the best in the industry", adding that the company's drivers earned on average £45,000 a year.

Hoyer said Unite had walked away from discussions designed to settle the dispute.

The UK has 7,900 petrol stations. Previous industrial action in 2000 caused widespread disruption.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said the government had "learnt the lessons" of the past and stood "ready to act" in case of a walkout.

Unite said the government should be putting pressure on oil companies.

Len McCluskey, Unite's general secretary, said: "For over a year we've been desperately trying to bring about some stability in the sector and urging government ministers to persuade contractors and oil companies to engage in meaningful discussions with us."
Contingency plans

Ministers say the training of army drivers will begin next week as part of contingency plans being drawn up to avoid major disruption to fuel supplies.

Mr Maude said: "We are calling on the trade union Unite and the employers involved to work together to reach an agreement that will avert industrial action," he said.

"Widespread strike action affecting fuel supply at our supermarkets, garages and airports could cause disruption across the country.

"The general public should not and must not suffer from this dispute, and strike action is manifestly not the answer."

Fuel tanker drivers around £45-50k per annum to drive a lorry. Most of these lorries are very comfortable to drive and usually they are held to strict standards with regard to how long they could drive.

Wonder what are their reasoning for conditions and pay to strike on when they are already so highly paid.

[Dr. Von Nostrand]

Ministers say the training of army drivers will begin next week

The government tried this threat with the prison service, they trained 3000 soldiers to cover 50,000 prison officers. It's just a tactic the government use to put pressure on the potential strikers

[Snagprophet]

What conditions? Getting arthritis? Then get a different ****ing job, Jesus Christ so you need someone to hold your hand all the time?

[kingsholmmad]

(Original post by Herr)
Fuel tanker drivers around £45-50k per annum to drive a lorry. Most of these lorries are very comfortable to drive and usually they are held to strict standards with regard to how long they could drive.

Wonder what are their reasoning for conditions and pay to strike on when they are already so highly paid.

(Original post by Snagprophet)
What conditions? Getting arthritis? Then get a different ****ing job, Jesus Christ so you need someone to hold your hand all the time?

Dunno where you got the 50K figure from but I'm sure you'll be happy to tell me. Most of the trucks that "are very comfortable to drive" are run by owner-drivers. The nature of the training required for this job (ie cost and time involved) mean that the drivers can only afford to get into the industry if they're employed. That means they're driving fleet wagons and if you had to spend all your working life in one of them, you would not be describing it as "very comfortable".

The strictness of drivers' hours regulations now means that there is very little opportunity for any meaningful overtime. That means ploughing up and down the same bit of motorway every hour they can if they want to get any bonus that might be offered, only to lose it if there's a traffic jam.

And no, the conditions referred to are not about getting arthritis, they're about being allowed enough time to do their job safely, they're about having the job security that their training and experience are supposed to give them without being forced out by cheaper people with less training; they're about receiving the pension they've been paying for all their working lives.

[Annie72]

(Original post by Snagprophet)
What conditions? Getting arthritis? Then get a different ****ing job, Jesus Christ so you need someone to hold your hand all the time?

.My husband is a tanker driver, not fuel though, and today the Dr has told him he has suspected gout!!.

The OP needs to remember that it's not always about money!.I imagine these driver work long days and drive long distances, theres deadlines to meet, traffic to avoid etc.It's not easy being a trucker, my dad was one too!!.

[Mufasaa]

I'd like to see more about what the companies are supposedly doing before passing judgement. There's undoubtedly a lot that's not being reported.

[Kibalchich]

(Original post by Herr)
Fuel tanker drivers around £45-50k per annum to drive a lorry. Most of these lorries are very comfortable to drive and usually they are held to strict standards with regard to how long they could drive.

Wonder what are their reasoning for conditions and pay to strike on when they are already so highly paid.

http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__e...enough_is.aspx

[Kibalchich]

(Original post by Tahooper)
I think all unions should be abolished, to be honest.

How would you propose to do that? Would you also apply it to bosses unions like the CBI and IoD?

[Tahooper]

(Original post by Kibalchich)
How would you propose to do that? Would you also apply it to bosses unions like the CBI and IoD?

Close them down and make them illegal, because I'm a individualist bastard

[Kibalchich]

(Original post by Tahooper)
Close them down and make them illegal, because I'm a individualist bastard

Do you know any history?

[Tahooper]

(Original post by Kibalchich)
Do you know any history?

Yes, I know quite a bit about history; it's my favourite GCSE and I plan on taking it at A-Level

What is it that you are inferring?

[Kibalchich]

(Original post by Tahooper)
Yes, I know quite a bit about history; it's my favourite GCSE and I plan on taking it at A-Level

What is it that you are inferring?

I'm wondering what you know about the history of class conflict and why unions arose, and what class conflict was like before unions became officially recognised. Its not the sort of thing they teach at GCSE level I guess, beyond the Tolpuddle Martyrs.

[Tahooper]

(Original post by Kibalchich)
I'm wondering what you know about the history of class conflict and why unions arose, and what class conflict was like before unions became officially recognised. Its not the sort of thing they teach at GCSE level I guess, beyond the Tolpuddle Martyrs.

The who-what?

In all honestly, I have little clue about history regarding unions. My forte is Hitler

I think they sprang up at around the beginning of the 20th century to help outlaw child labour and provide workers with fair hours and wages because the naughty little industry owners were keeping the money to themselves (owtte).

[Kibalchich]

(Original post by Tahooper)
The who-what?

In all honestly, I have little clue about history regarding unions. My forte is Hitler

I think they sprang up at around the beginning of the 20th century to help outlaw child labour and provide workers with fair hours and wages because the naughty little industry owners were keeping the money to themselves (owtte).

You don't even do the Tolpuddle Martyrs in GCSE history?

[Tahooper]

(Original post by Kibalchich)
You don't even do the Tolpuddle Martyrs in GCSE history?

No, sadly not (I'll look it up on Wikipedia in a moment ).

Was I sort of right about the conditions surrounding how the unions came to be?

[Kibalchich]

(Original post by Tahooper)
No, sadly not (I'll look it up on Wikipedia in a moment ).

Was I sort of right about the conditions surrounding how the unions came to be?

That can be your homework for tonight. A 2000 word essay on the origin of the trade union movement. On my desk, first thing tomorrow morning. Read E P Thompson's classic book "The Making of the English Working Class" first. It's only about 1000 pages long.

[anarchism101]

(Original post by Tahooper)
I think all unions should be abolished, to be honest.

Good to see your positive attitude to freedom of association and democracy.....

[Tahooper]

(Original post by anarchism101)
Good to see your positive attitude to freedom of association and democracy.....

Freedom to assert yourself in life without having to rely on other people

Btw my first post was slightly sarcastic - I'll be sure to edit that in. I realise unions have done quite a lot to help the working classes receive fairer hours, better wages and increased working conditions, but in recent times some unions are acting like a socialist version of a greedy business.

[Kibalchich]

(Original post by Tahooper)
Freedom to assert yourself in life without having to rely on other people

Btw my first post was slightly sarcastic - I'll be sure to edit that in. I realise unions have done quite a lot to help the working classes receive fairer hours, better wages and increased working conditions, but in recent times some unions are acting like a socialist version of a greedy business.

Examples?

[cl_steele]

petrol has hit record highs and people are being priced off of the roads yet these selfish buggers see the need to exasperate the situation by bottle necking the supply of fuel? bring on the strike breakers and the wave of firings.