Petrol Strikes ....

[Anchorhandler]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Fair comment.

However, as the union says (and no, I'm not a union member) it really isn't about the money.Wages aren't being negotiated. It's about not having knackered drivers driving 40,000 litre petrol bombs around the road network and the resultant loss of life that an accident can cause. Being 'told you can work longer hours' doesn't make it any safer. It's a demanding job where one slip will cause untold damage to lives and property.

This is what happens if it goes wrong:-

Hmm, i'm a bit confused here...
how can the tanker drivers be offered longer working hours when they are limited by EU driving hours regulations? And why then are the tanker drivers so knackered?

Don't get me wrong, i fully appreciate how demanding trucking can be, i have and HGV licence (all be it only ridgids), I own an HGV and have worked most of my life (over 22 years now) in the petro chemical industry. I also used to work aboard tankers (ships) and know all about transfering nasty flamable products (mogas, JetA1. along with crude, cat-feed, naptha etc..) and I spend six monthsof my life at the moment living in the intrinsicially safe enviroment that is an oil refinery!

My point is, how can the health and safety aspect of the whole process of transporting and delivering flammable substances be called into question?

AFAIK, the procedures set in place to protect drivers during the transfer process (not forgetting the extra training the drivers of DG vehicles recieve) are already quite stringent. This is surely reflected by the low number of incidents compared to the millions of litres of fuel that gets carried on our roads daily? I have always respected DG vehicle drivers for this reason considering them to be somewhat "elite" compared to other drivers (reflected by the extra pay they recieve)

I would never question the right of somebody to go on strike....but be honest about it and dont try and divert public attention away from the real reasons ie: Pay/conditions instead of blaming health and safety or some other erroneous reason.

During the fuel strikes of 2000, i actually drove down to the refinery gates and dropped off sandwiches and a case of beer for the striking drivers as i felt they were justified.....but then again they wern't blaming a dangerous and unsafe working enviroment back then.

Simon

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Anchorhandler

Hmm, i'm a bit confused here...
how can the tanker drivers be offered longer working hours when they are limited by EU driving hours regulations?

Simon, the Government has some powers to relax the driving hours regulations for specific groups and limited periods of time. It did the same during some of the really bad snow last year in Scotland to ensure food could get to the shops.

[Paul Cannell]

Local station has limited everyone to £30 except a/c holders, the assistant had people putting as little as £2:30p in to top up, I saw an old fella put 4 ltr in his old Escort and half of it spilled on the floor.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by willk

What's that you tell us Nos? "Claws away girls"?

You're right. If I continue it'll turn into a fight. I'll shut up.