So how hard of a job is driving a truck?

So was reading the news and specifically this article

The trackers want an increase from £32k a year to £41k. Fair enough I say.

BUT can somebody please explain to me why they get paid in such a hefty way when they drive a truck that they do not own, the only drive 8hours a day (by law I think?), the don't have to lift stuff as it's just liquid being poured in the tanks

Yet I have 2 degrees, work defo more than 8hrs a day, have to deal with other people which adds to my workload instead of just driving from A to B to C etc AND I know I don't even get £32k !!!

So what is the "difficult", "worth the £41k" part of the job that I'm missing?

I am not trying to knock the trackers down, or the job they do.....I just can't figure it out and I would like someone to explain it to me please.

[SoulKiss]

Away from home for days on end

Handling Hazardous Materials

Better question seeing the mess we are in

What do MP's do to deserve the £100k they have suggested they are worth.....

I am away for days, I know Project Mgrs and Consultants that do 60+ hr weeks on less that £41k.

Handling Hazardous Materials you say - you mean the diesel and petrol they carry? It's not like they are carrying nuclear waste or acid??

Yes there are many jobs we can come up as examples on why they get paid as much as they do but I am just looking at this particular job.

[Viney]

Why are some IT consultants worth the £600 a day some of them command?

I see where you are coming from but in reality you could argue the to*s about any high paid job.

They want to earn the money, then can strike as they know that it would affect a lot of people and is thier bargining tool.

As for how hard it is, its not, not in reality other than having to deal with todays traffic on a daily basis.

Originally Posted by Viney

As for how hard it is, its not, not in reality other than having to deal with todays traffic on a daily basis.

Thank you! That sums it up for me!

Now I know it's just another job......similarly like the IT Consultants that get £600 a day

There is a great deal of responsibilty linked with this type of job, similar to that of train drivers. I get paid reasonably, but if I make a mistake then no-one will die as a direct result. Having a degree doesn't automatically give the holder the right to more money.

Originally Posted by Mogs

There is a great deal of responsibilty linked with this type of job, similar to that of train drivers. I get paid reasonably, but if I make a mistake then no-one will die as a direct result. Having a degree doesn't automatically give the holder the right to more money.

Disagree that this job has any more responsibility than any other. When did you last hear of a petrol tanker wagon spontaneously exploding? Anyone who drives anything is driving a potentially lethal weapon.

Originally Posted by Viney

Why are some IT consultants worth the £600 a day some of them command?

Because we can do in one day what it would take people in the team several weeks to learn/do and save that cost & the cost of training?

Well Im a trucker and used to drive tankers,Im also an ex shop steward with the T&G, its simple really, the average wage for a skilled person in this country is I beleive 29k for a 40 hour week, so if you are working up to 60 hrs a week wouldnt you think you should get paid a bit more ? up until two years ago I was working up to 75 hrs a week, every week, week in week out since 1986. The reason we worked all these hours was cos the basic was so poor, so basically we were working ourselves to death, then the goverment and the T.U.C. decided to accept the 'working time drective' meaning by law I couldnt work more than an average of 48 hrs a week over over a 26 week reference period, all of a sudden guys started to miss mortgage payments and many lost the homes, I dont have a pension anymore, and when we asked for support off the great british public, we got none, zero, oh its great when truckers lead fuel protest convoys, but pay us a decent wage for the hours we still work ? nah sorry mate.

Originally Posted by Ed

Disagree that this job has any more responsibility than any other. When did you last hear of a petrol tanker wagon spontaneously exploding? Anyone who drives anything is driving a potentially lethal weapon.

Err I can't think of a single incident. Perhaps this is because they are all so good and responsible at their jobs that they deserver the money. I have heard of plenty of solicitors and local government officers fouling up though .

I've lost this arguement havn't I?