Fuel strike drivers vote yes in row over conditions

 

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

 

 

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. "

 

Diana Holland from the Unite union warns of "an industry that is in chaos" It added that pensions were also inferior to those previously offered and some workers had switched pensions six times. The CBI employers' group said that disruption on the roads was in nobody's interest. "Drivers have voted for a strike, but each employer and Unite should now get back around the table to discuss the issues raised. Going ahead with strike action would have a real impact on people across the country," said John Cridland, CBI director general.

 

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. Mr McCluskey 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."

 

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."

 

 

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Now if we can get people mobilised to get a fuel protest to go hand in hand with this without taking away the spotlight from the issue at hand then imma be thrilled! The fuel industry in this country is a cartel between the big oil companies and governments that gets them both substantial income. The fact that something as vital to the UK economy as fuel is taxed at an extraordinary rate is straight up immoral. By the end of the Summer we're going to end up with a situation where we are paying £1/l in tax. A decade ago fuel WAS £1/l including tax! I see the arguments for taxing fuel to discourage the use of insane gas guzzling beasts that the yanks drive everywhere but at over £1.40/l its just harming those who live in rural areas and the economy in general.

 

The dispute is not over pay here and quite rightly so! But over the conditions in which they are forced to work. I personally remember the last fuel strike and thought it was a genius idea. Anything that halts the flow of revenue from the governments main cash cow while fighting for better working conditions for people vital to our success as a nation more than gets my backing.

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By the end of the Summer we're going to end up with a situation where we are paying £1/l in tax. A decade ago fuel WAS £1/l including tax! I see the arguments for taxing fuel to discourage the use of insane gas guzzling beasts that the yanks drive everywhere but at over £1.40/l its just harming those who live in rural areas and the economy in general.

 

It wasn't even a decade ago, when I started driving three and a half years ago it was less than £1/L. Since I have been driving petrol has been as low as 88p/L at least where I live anyway. Going to the petrol station is just so depressing now :(

Have the UK government responded to the SNP's ideas for a fairer system of fuel regulation?

 

They said something like when the oil prices are high and the government are creaming in more taxes than usual from the oil industry, fuel prices at the pumps should be reduced accordingly and the reverse should be true, that when taxes fell too low, the motorist should be asked to pay a few pence more for petrol.

Edited March 27, 201213 yr by Baytree

Any proposed fuel strike is disgraceful and they should be grateful that they even have jobs. Hope the Government sends the army in and gets the fuel moving.

Any proposed fuel strike is disgraceful and they should be grateful that they even have jobs. Hope the Government sends the army in and gets the fuel moving.

Have you bothered to find out what the potential strike is about?

Any proposed fuel strike is disgraceful and they should be grateful that they even have jobs. Hope the Government sends the army in and gets the fuel moving.

 

And by "moving" do you mean in a towering inferno sort of way? That is what you're suggesting with getting the Army in, surely.

Have the UK government responded to the SNP's ideas for a fairer system of fuel regulation?

 

They said something like when the oil prices are high and the government are creaming in more taxes than usual from the oil industry, fuel prices at the pumps should be reduced accordingly and the reverse should be true, that when taxes fell too low, the motorist should be asked to pay a few pence more for petrol.

Not that I've seen. Although the 5p cut in duty they gave the islands worked wonders as petrol prices dropped by......errrr 0p. The government are furious!

 

They have a point though. When oil prices are high, the government rake in cash from the oil and can afford a duty cut to keep petrol at a steady price. It would do wonders for haulage firms to have a fairer and fixed fuel price.

 

 

Any proposed fuel strike is disgraceful and they should be grateful that they even have jobs. Hope the Government sends the army in and gets the fuel moving.

Try reading the opening post you moron. As far as mid-recession strikes go, this is probably the most moral I've seen in my lifetime. They realise they are lucky to have jobs and they are content with their pay. They just aren't happy with the unsafe conditions they are being forced to work in. Although you wouldn't know much about that whole work thing now would you.

Apparently they are training 'soldiers' to drive the tankers, I can imagine the media wankfest about this whole thing already to the point where people don't why they're striking and presume they're 'greedy' and then it'll be all 'thank god for our '

"heroes"' :(

Even the item in the Guardian today didn't mention what the possible strike was about until several paragraphs in.

 

The Mail headline was - as ever - an utter joke. They refer to the tanker drivers "holding the country to ransom" - again implying that it is about money. Somehow their attitude towards the blockades in 2000 was different.

Any proposed fuel strike is disgraceful and they should be grateful that they even have jobs. Hope the Government sends the army in and gets the fuel moving.

 

This coming from someone who hasn't done a day's work in about two or three decades.... Seriously Chris, morons like you are the reason why it's so easy for the Mail to get everyone in the country hating the unemployed... Why dont you just STFU about things you clearly know nothing about....? -_-

The Mail wasn't the only ridiculous headline. The Express had a similarly retarded headline.

The Mail wasn't the only ridiculous headline. The Express had a similarly retarded headline.

 

BIG surprise there.... :rolleyes:

 

Apparently thought, the Govt advice is, we shouldn't panic... Just fill up our tanks to be "on the safe side" according to David Cameron.... Or, according to Francis Maude - "fill up a Jerry can"... But, hey, DONT PANIC!! DONT PANIC!!! They do not like it up em Captain Mannering....... :rolleyes:

 

Sometimes I wonder if we'd be better off if the cast of f***ing Dad's Army was running the country... And yes, I know they're all dead, pretty much.... That's the point..... :lol: :lol:

Fill up a jerry can, until the Fire Service remind the GOVERNMENT that it's actually ILLEGAL. :manson:

Queues at my local petrol station were absolutely ridiculous for the middle of nowhere! The sense of panic buying was added to even further by the fact that it was a M&S petrol station.

 

*ventures steadily away from the perspectives forum*

Fill up a jerry can, until the Fire Service remind the GOVERNMENT that it's actually ILLEGAL. :manson:

 

 

Its illegal? Why is nothing done when people just go and fill one up then?

 

But to be fair, the queues have been ridiculous today. I probably wasted more fuel waiting in queues then not putting any in.

Its illegal? Why is nothing done when people just go and fill one up then?

 

But to be fair, the queues have been ridiculous today. I probably wasted more fuel waiting in queues then not putting any in.

I was referring to the governments advice to fill a jerry can and keep it at how which is illegal.

Here's an explanation of what the dispute is about from a tanker driver

If you’re pissed off about not getting petrol today, please don’t believe what you read in the papers about greedy tanker drivers wanting a pay rise.

 

It’s not true.

 

The drivers are striking because their industry is getting more competitive, which means bosses are cutting corners for health & safety, training and conditions.

 

Now these drivers are transporting dangerous explosives with minimum training and poor health and safety standards.

 

Do you want to share the road with people carrying flammables who haven’t had any training? Probably not.

 

This strike is the result of a year of negotiations where oil companies haven’t budged at all.

 

It’s the last resort. And the only reason the union is ‘making threats’ is because the law requires them to announce that they’ve asked their members whether they want to strike or not.

 

If the law was different, they could ask their members in secret and keep negotiating, thus avoiding any panic buying!

 

Of course Cameron has been talking about how much tanker drivers are paid just to try and give the impression the dispute is about pay. It isn't.

 

People keep talking about it being pay and I keep trying to correct as many of those people as I physically can.

 

It's not fair that they've been thrown into the same pot as the tube drivers, who quite literally are greedy shites out for more money that have tainted strike action for all.

I was referring to the governments advice to fill a jerry can and keep it at how which is illegal.

 

Indeed. Wasn't that idiot Francis Maude actually advising people to keep it in their garage? Presumably alongside the barbecue set and fireligbters.... Because of course no one would fill up a 20litre Jerry can, store it and just forget it was there if they didn't need it right away. -_-