Tanker Driver' Strike

[Eric]

Originally Posted by maxthecollie

It's well above the local average wage. Wish I could get £900 for 37 hours.

So would we all. But not too many of us can drive a tanker loaded to the nuts with explosive fuel. Nor would too many of us want to. Many moons ago I drove long haul ... cattle liners out of Regina and Moose Jaw ... but you couldn't have got me behind the wheel of a tanker ... not for twice the money I was getting paid.

[Gremlin]

I did thirty years on tankers, I carried liquids far more dangerous than petrol.
I also worked out of Shell for a while along side the petrol tankers and got the same pay and conditions as they did. Nowadays petrol tankers never see petrol. It is loaded through the bottom valve and the vapour is taken away through top pipe to another bottom valve, both pipes have break seals on so when you take away the pipe it seals and there is no spillage. When they unload on a forecourt it is the same, the petrol goes into underground tanks and the vapour returned to the tanker.
All the work they do is alike, no strange products to carry, no pumping or pressurized deliveries. It is loaded by meter, no standing on top with a dipstick anymore. They never go far from their depot or have night away, somebody else cleans the vehicle and services it, it's a cushy job and that's why there is a long queue to get on them and the drivers are trying to keep it that way.

I hope they don't get to striking and from emails I receive from a good mate who still drives tankers I don't think they will.
All he wants is to keep the job he has and the same conditions for contractors and new starters, mainly the training and safety.

In my opinion Unite is trying to do a Scargill on the Government and maybe this lot are too weak so they cause a panic before anything has been decided.