Petrol running low

david39

The problem with this possible strike is that people do not understand why it is happening :

Firstly, drivers do not get £45k salary - that is what is paid by the oil companies to the fleet operators who actually employ the drivers. The drivers get around £35k - and have to work the hours they are told - including weekends and bank holidays. Although their pay may be higher than average workers, it is skilled work, often done in extreme weather conditions, day and night.

Secondly, the strike is not solely about pay - it is about working conditions and health and safety.

I do not particularly support the drivers in this intended strike, but someone in their union should put their case to the public in a careful and reasoned way so that those of us who will be affected can understand why they are doing it and form a personal judgement.

On the other hand, the government should not be encouraging us to stockpile jerrycans of fuel in our garages - a most dangerous practice and almost certainly negating the contractual arrangements contained within most home insurance policies.

Itismehonest

david39 wrote: »

The problem with this possible strike is that people do not understand why it is happening :

Firstly, drivers do not get £45k salary - that is what is paid by the oil companies to the fleet operators who actually employ the drivers. The drivers get around £35k - and have to work the hours they are told - including weekends and bank holidays. Although their pay may be higher than average workers, it is skilled work, often done in extreme weather conditions, day and night.

Secondly, the strike is not solely about pay - it is about working conditions and health and safety.

I do not particularly support the drivers in this intended strike, but someone in their union should put their case to the public in a careful and reasoned way so that those of us who will be affected can understand why they are doing it and form a personal judgement.

On the other hand, the government should not be encouraging us to keep jerrycans of fuel in our garages - a most dangerous practice and almost certainly negating the contractual arrangements contained within most home insurance policies.

Hang on. Garages are purpose built for cars, aren't they?
Anyone else thinking that a car in the garage is just a very large can with fuel in?

pinkteapot

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/fuel/9171458/Firefighters-warn-Government-strike-advice-will-cause-exploding-jerry-cans.html

Mr Wrack said it is against the law to store more than 10 litres of petrol in two five-litre plastic containers in the home.

Though it then says that 10l is equivalent to a third of a tank in most cars. Err... Really? Who here has a car with a 30l tank?

Lum

It's legal to store more if you use metal jerry cans rather than the plastic ones.

Added bonus that they don't stink as much.

david39

Anyone else thinking that a car in the garage is just a very large can with fuel in?

One reason it is dangerous in jerry cans (amongst several others) is that when the fire brigade arrive to put out a fire in your garage, they expect to find the petrol in the car - not stacked up in containers at the back of the garage which could remain undiscovered until they explode.

runninglea

just told work to fill their 3 tanks which hold 2000 litres up!

Is that over reacting?

marlot

Lum wrote: »

That is the kind of thing Cameron does. See also: The demonisation of disabled and chronically ill people that's been going on for the last year.

To be fair, that started under labour. the tories have let it continue though,.

tiff

There was no army involved during the tanker drivers strike in 2000. I was in hospital with my baby daughter as she was having a heart operation. I stayed at the hospital, nurses were giving each other lifts into work but starting to panic about what they would do when they ran out. It never got that far. I am not worried about myself, it will work itself out but I do feel for those that need to be somewhere (drs, nurses etc) and those that cant get about easily.

Lum

marlot wrote: »

To be fair, that started under labour. the tories have let it continue though,.

True. I'd say the tories have ramped it up a notch or two, what with their carefully managed leaks to the right-wing press.

I'm sure we'll see the same crap with the tanker drivers as we all know how much tories love the unions.

Catapa

Good to see that there are still people who can afford to buy petrol. For me its a push bike.