I reckon we should send Carryfast. He’ll have the whole thing sorted in no time
There is no way a Bulgarien driver/crew are being paid the same WAGES as a brit employee, this is where East European hauliers are save money against brit companies.
The EU and it’s adoption of eastern block ex soviet countries has flooded western Europe with cheap labour.
That obviously does not help our children’s job chances and has imo helped to provide a solution least in part to the much mentioned driver shortage which in turn enabled the transport sector to avoid pressure to pay better.
The EU is socialist so we all expect it to engage in the “redistribution of wealth” that’s what is happening, only now with the EU and it’s superstate dreams it’s redistributing OUR wealth to the run down POOR East.
Sod our wages and kids prospects, as long as those tossers get to play at being America eh.
DadsRetired:
…And what if they won’t say their country of origin? Remember none of them have passports which would assist in getting the country right.
It will be explained to them in a language that they understand that they should reveal their country of origin. Failure to do so will, via an educated guess, result in a country being chosen for them. It will be their choice. If that seems harsh, well, so what?
Until we and our “European Partners” start to get really tough and show that we actually mean business through actions and not words then things will never change. These people are not welcome here. They have nothing in common with our way of life or our culture. They are hell bent on getting here so as to leach off the welfare and benefits system. Changes are supposedly going to be made with regard to what those who actually make it through to the UK can claim, but the word on that wont filter back to these individuals countries of origin.
Neville 1:
That’s simply not true… Bulgarian or any other sub-contractor is paid the same rates as the UK guys
on Heritage… or always was up until I last worked there…and pretty sure they are now.
Yes…in an ideal world they would like all English Sub Contractors but they simply are not there
any longer… and when you have around 80 trailers to be pulled… you use who you can to get
the jobs covered and keep the customers happy.
You’ve hit the nail on the head there, and if I was in that same situation I would employ whoever could move trailers at a price the market dictated.
However, the conclusion can’t then be drawn that there is lack of willing UK contractors to do that same work at the rates which the LT’s, BG’s are scraping a living. Have you seen the Heritage refugee camp by the AS24 at Transmark!
The thing is the rate offered for a job is the rate, it’s not as if there are two sets of rates, one for UK companies and one for foreign. Obviously if a foreign company with lower operating costs than a UK operator does the job it makes more profit.
The customers pay the cheapest they possibly can so it stands to reason that these rates are based on the lower running costs hence UK subbies can’t afford to take the job on.
It’s too simplistic to be naming and blaming certain companies for having foreign sub-contractors.
Is it a socialist redistribution of wealth, or a capitalist way of keeping labour costs down so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? Depends what angle you look at it from i suppose.
colinr:
The thing is the rate offered for a job is the rate, it’s not as if there are two sets of rates, one for UK companies and one for foreign. Obviously if a foreign company with lower operating costs than a UK operator does the job it makes more profit.
The customers pay the cheapest they possibly can so it stands to reason that these rates are based on the lower running costs hence UK subbies can’t afford to take the job on.
It’s too simplistic to be naming and blaming certain companies for having foreign sub-contractors.Is it a socialist redistribution of wealth, or a capitalist way of keeping labour costs down so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? Depends what angle you look at it from i suppose.
Agree with much of what you say, and, as mentioned, I can’t blame companies for using cheaper options to ship stuff around, but to assume there are no UK subbies that want the work is a false premiss. Not wanting the work at the rates offered is more accurate.
Perhaps is unfair to name one company, but a representative - albeit retired - gave a misleading account, in my opinion, of the situation.
There is never a shortage of drivers who want to drive on mainland Europe. The rates offered often puts the kibosh on the job.
Am I retired then ? … This is news to me… I don’t have time to retire. 
To be clear… There are a lack of UK Sub Contractors willing to pull the trailers…Without reference to the rate which is currently a market rate in line with most other companies to buy in Sub Contractors.
My Ex Company is well aware of the costs of running trucks as of course it runs it own with EMPLOYED drivers who are mainly BRITISH drivers.
There is a shortage of BRITISH drivers wanting to go over the water… Forgetting what the salary may or may
not be at this moment in time.
My point is… That No Driver…Should put up with the abuse and threatened violence the IS happening in and around Calais.
Heritage like many others use whatever methods they HAVE to … in order to move the goods they are
contracted to move by their customers. Its an ever changing world and they… like all others adapt to
the situation they find themselves in.
We all know in real terms what the mileage rates should be… But we also know what they are.
Off to work for me now…!!!
Flight stowaway in critical condition as police investigate links with fall victim | Air transport | The Guardian they are also coming by plane as well too, though not as successfully,lol
colinr:
The thing is the rate offered for a job is the rate, it’s not as if there are two sets of rates, one for UK companies and one for foreign. Obviously if a foreign company with lower operating costs than a UK operator does the job it makes more profit.
The customers pay the cheapest they possibly can so it stands to reason that these rates are based on the lower running costs hence UK subbies can’t afford to take the job on.
It’s too simplistic to be naming and blaming certain companies for having foreign sub-contractors.Is it a socialist redistribution of wealth, or a capitalist way of keeping labour costs down so the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? Depends what angle you look at it from i suppose.
Think you will find that there are different rates whenever we do an internal job within the UK it is quite common for the rate to be lower than if a UK based company it is then up to our boss whether he decides to take it or not at present the strength of the euro means we can do a job for a lower sterling rate but still get the same in euros. If you are bidding for a contract then if your overheads are lower then you can afford to undercut think we can all agree that EE overheads are somewhat lower than UK ones
In fairness I think we are all agreed that any truck driver shouldn’t have to put up with the grief that passing through Calais currently entails.
It’s a bit of a double whammy because parking far enough away from Calais can lose you half a day, which can never be made up. Couple that to a poor rate to start with and you aren’t covering your overheads let alone earning anything.
This thread originally was not about the rates being paid to EE companies, EE O/Ds or EE Drivers, it was originally concerning the danger, threats of violence and verbal abuse aimed at drivers from the hordes of "Asylum Seekers" camped out around Calais. As is the way with most threads it tends to meander one way then tother. Not sure how we wondered in to that area! 
Back to the original point…the disgraceful situation in Calais, what is to be done?
I wish I had the answer Bullitt. I feel sorry for the people of Calais and all the main transit routes to the UK. They are suffering daily through no fault of their own as well.
The British government must get more involved because the immigrants wouldn’t be there if coming to the UK wasn’t so attractive.
Then only with Europe working together to deal with the problem at source will things begin to improve. It’s not only the UK suffering, I’m afraid we are part of the problem.
Probably the only thing we can do is write to our MP’s and such like. Maybe invite them along to see things from our perspective. Mind you a few days in a truck would mean tearing them away from filling in their expense forms!!!
Neville 1:
Am I retired then ? … This is news to me… I don’t have time to retire.
Apologies , my mistake.
colinr:
Probably the only thing we can do is write to our MP’s and such like.
As I said in a previous post I’ve tried the writing to MP’s (the minister responsible in fact) about the problem and lack of checks on a Saturday before Christmas. Although I got back was the glib stock answer, which is basically.
“we understand your concerns” (I doubt the Minister has ever been to Calais and seen the situation let alone driven into the dock.)
“we are tackling the problem” (didn’t seem to be much evidence of that that day, although I have been subject to checks since then.)
“we appreciate the efforts hauliers and drivers are making to ensure their vehicles are secure.” (could have fooled me, 
)
Question!
If a non british driver,say a jerry or pole gets stoped in the ferry port at Calais with illegals in the trailer.are they also fined £2000 per stowaway same as UK drivers and if they are then do the authorities make sure they pay up before being allowed to go on there way?
thanks for any replies.
Neville 1:
That’s simply not true… Bulgarian or any other sub-contractor is paid the same rates as the UK guys
on Heritage… or always was up until I last worked there…and pretty sure they are now.
Yes…in an ideal world they would like all English Sub Contractors but they simply are not there
any longer… and when you have around 80 trailers to be pulled… you use who you can to get
the jobs covered and keep the customers happy.
And be assured… I am sincere about everything I do…Even now is semi retirement !!
I expect they are paid the same but no self respecting UK haulier will or can run at those rates offered .apart from the ones in there own livery I can’t remember an English or Irish truck on the front of one of your old firms trailers . Even your old companie ( who very rarely advertised for drivers in the past ) and its sister company are often advertising for employed drivers at a vastly reduced pay than your old drivers used to be on its even low for that part of Kent . And they wonder why there is a shortage of experienced international drivers .thers no shortage of experianced drivers I know loads that would jump at the chance of crossing the channel again but the fact is UK work pays more .
jjmorris1960:
Question!
If a non british driver,say a jerry or pole gets stoped in the ferry port at Calais with illegals in the trailer.are they also fined £2000 per stowaway same as UK drivers and if they are then do the authorities make sure they pay up before being allowed to go on there way?
thanks for any replies.
yes the same. you won’t have to pay on the spot but as we are all in the same EU, they will send out the claim for the fine and collect it quite easily from any EU country.
Just pulled three of our drivers down the corridor… into the Port and on the next P&O
Port is VERY quiet if you can get in there.
So the customer will get his Bananas in the morning !!
Sorry…Should have said Calais of course…NOT Dover !
Bach home:
It’s only a temporary flare up because of the building works.
To much panic about this subject.
Still think its a temporary flare up ?