Proper Use of Military Pesonnel?
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Tanker Drivers dispute
Nobody wants these folk to go on strike, but they are not striking over pay, most of it is health and Safety and working conditions.
The trade union Unite says the strike ballot is about safety standards and terms and conditions. The union says the industry is too "fragmented" and wants a "national forum" which would hold the employers to account over conditions. It claims some workers have had their contracts repeatedly renegotiated and some have had six different pension providers in 10 years.Unite also says shorter delivery deadlines have created a "turn and burn" culture. Unite insist the dispute is not about pay.
These folk are not carrying pallets of toilet rolls but up to 30,000 Ltrs of highly inflammable petrol. Luckily we have very few accidents involving Road Tankers in the UK, this is down to the experience and qualifications of the drivers, but it seem like all other jobs they are being pushed for the last penny. If God forbid there was a bad accident and the subsequent enquiry shown bad conditions and rushed drivers, you watch the same two faced Tw*ts poking the finger at these so called evil Tanker Drivers, will soon be banging the drum of regulations. Some have short memories with some recent incidents involving Fuel storage and death were shown to be the fault of bad management, training and cost cutting.
If this dispute is genuinely about conditions of work for workers involved in a dangerous occupation, then they really need to get round the table.
The trade union Unite says the strike ballot is about safety standards and terms and conditions. The union says the industry is too "fragmented" and wants a "national forum" which would hold the employers to account over conditions. It claims some workers have had their contracts repeatedly renegotiated and some have had six different pension providers in 10 years.Unite also says shorter delivery deadlines have created a "turn and burn" culture. Unite insist the dispute is not about pay.
These folk are not carrying pallets of toilet rolls but up to 30,000 Ltrs of highly inflammable petrol. Luckily we have very few accidents involving Road Tankers in the UK, this is down to the experience and qualifications of the drivers, but it seem like all other jobs they are being pushed for the last penny. If God forbid there was a bad accident and the subsequent enquiry shown bad conditions and rushed drivers, you watch the same two faced Tw*ts poking the finger at these so called evil Tanker Drivers, will soon be banging the drum of regulations. Some have short memories with some recent incidents involving Fuel storage and death were shown to be the fault of bad management, training and cost cutting.
If this dispute is genuinely about conditions of work for workers involved in a dangerous occupation, then they really need to get round the table.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Here in my Essex village, one station is already out of fuel, the other is packed, and cars are backed up down the road. To add insult to injury, they've put 2p on the price of diesel (150/l). Not helped by ministers suggesting the public store fuel in jerry cans!
If this dispute is genuinely about conditions of work for workers involved in a dangerous occupation, then they really need to get round the table.
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Please, your are doing Morons a disservice bunching them in with that Chimp.
the guys chosen for duty are lucky men - they can come out of the RAF and apply for a job delivering petrol "with previous experience" - apparently pays £45,000 a year
When is the strike?
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
What's crazy is that people are panic buying now. The union have to give seven days notice of any action, by which time a lot of people will have used the "panic" fuel and will be lining up again.
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Tankertrash has he tried getting into the likes of an airport fuel provider as opposed to road haulage.... Just a thought.
To go back to the OP's question for a moment. Simple. Yes it is a good use of the military. It is part of the contract. What used to be called 'Aid to the civil power' is one of the reasons for having armed forces. They will, if the stike goes ahead, be used to maintain supplies to essential services to ensure the ambulances and fire engines (just a couple of examples) can get to you when you are in trouble. This is nothing new and we don't need to make a fuss of it.
If you don't think the armed forces are there for the national interest, then you may need to review your terms of service.
If you don't think the armed forces are there for the national interest, then you may need to review your terms of service.
Knowing just how the numbers of service personnel have been decimated in recent years, it is surprising that the RAF actually has the personnel to spare to carry out this tanker driving.
Added to which the recently announced outcome of the review into the MOD Police & Guarding Agency has thrown in this gem:
''Making increased use of regular service personnel to carry out unarmed access control duties at (or near) sites where they are stationed, with individuals undertaking periodic duties that will not reduce their operational readiness. At other military sites unarmed access control will be carried out by reallocating existing complements of the specialist military guards of the Military Provost Guard Service. Together these changes will allow the removal of MOD guard service officers from many Navy, Army and RAF sites''
(Extracted from Hansard for 27th March 2012 - House of Commons Hansard Ministerial Statements for 27 Mar 2012 (pt 0001) )
So we will now have airmen manning gates (again!), also driving tankers, whilst still going off to far lands, but as to where the personnel will come from god knows. Also who will 'backfill' for them will be another matter. No doubt civvies on overtime (costing more no doubt than the above plans will save) or time off cancelled to provide the staffing (cancel all leave until morale improves!).
Added to which the recently announced outcome of the review into the MOD Police & Guarding Agency has thrown in this gem:
''Making increased use of regular service personnel to carry out unarmed access control duties at (or near) sites where they are stationed, with individuals undertaking periodic duties that will not reduce their operational readiness. At other military sites unarmed access control will be carried out by reallocating existing complements of the specialist military guards of the Military Provost Guard Service. Together these changes will allow the removal of MOD guard service officers from many Navy, Army and RAF sites''
(Extracted from Hansard for 27th March 2012 - House of Commons Hansard Ministerial Statements for 27 Mar 2012 (pt 0001) )
So we will now have airmen manning gates (again!), also driving tankers, whilst still going off to far lands, but as to where the personnel will come from god knows. Also who will 'backfill' for them will be another matter. No doubt civvies on overtime (costing more no doubt than the above plans will save) or time off cancelled to provide the staffing (cancel all leave until morale improves!).
Looks like Coalition advance warnings are backfiring. Then again ratcheting up the rhetoric to people and the media about this is proving so negative to tanker drivers union that they know they have to reach an agreement.
Gentleman Aviator
Heard a speech the other day on a similar subject by a retired general - Robin Brims, a good hand.
He recalled the troops being called in to clear snow outside a Glasgow Hospital, and his remarks were along the lines of:
"Size of Army = 140 000, size of NHS= 500 000. WTF!"
I guess we in the military have rather flexible Ts and Cs.......
He recalled the troops being called in to clear snow outside a Glasgow Hospital, and his remarks were along the lines of:
"Size of Army = 140 000, size of NHS= 500 000. WTF!"
I guess we in the military have rather flexible Ts and Cs.......
If Unite, or whatever Union is involved, wants to do something useful, perhaps it should look into Tankertrashnav's comments on tanker driving being a "closed world", where "newcomers are not welcome".
Indeed maybe this is an aspect that an independent press should be looking into as part of the overall storyline for this topic?
Indeed maybe this is an aspect that an independent press should be looking into as part of the overall storyline for this topic?