Dangerous game increasing wages when the trade is in massive demand, and there's no way of getting more experienced supply, in the short term (well there is supply, but Tories don't want it as there would be "leaver" meltdown). Then when we do get supply, the wages won't go back down. It seems inevitable mind, but all it will end up with is a bidding war for drivers, it's a bit like what happens with construction workers/ labourers etc.
But is the issue wages, or is it conditions? Do they want a bribe to put up with the conditions, or do they actually want better conditions and the same pay?
Were the drivers raising these concerns to the same degree a couple of years ago, or back in 2015 before the vote? Seems like some are taking advantage of the current situation, hard to argue against it, based on conditions.
Seemingly average wages for drivers are 30-40k, for 5 days of driving (9 hours is the daily limit), after spending about 5k on training. That's not so bad if you can put up with the living away, but they shouldn't have to deal with terrible conditions. But compare that to a nurse or teacher or whatever, on 30k, after doing a 3 year degree and being 50k in the red, maybe they should go on strike too?
We need to fix the problem of what is causing the demand, just paying more won't solve that, the demand will still be there, so wages could just keep going up and up. All it will do is increase inflation, the cost will get passed onto the public/ business and make the UK further less competitive than the EU, and wages of everyone else won't outdo this. You can bet your ass that transport companies and Tesco won't suffer, as they will just apply the same margin, but 20% of 1m is better than 20% of 500k etc (for them), it's not for the buyer of the food, fuel, construction materials or houses though.
The demand was there pre-pandemic, the Tories knew it, they've been in power 11 years, and they've done nowt about it, except made it harder and less lucrative for EU workers to do it, they're stood on the hosepipe and now whinging that they have no water.
Yes, driving a wagon is not a nice job (albeit there are worse, harder labour, on less pay), and they should certainly get better working conditions (we trail the EU in this respect), but kipping in the cab has been part of the job forever. I imagine it's terrible doing that for 40 years mind! The transport companies could get forced to make conditions better, as in enabling the drivers to use the facilities at truck stops, and let drivers divert to use them etc, but all this will do is make the routes take longer, which will increase the effective demand/ shortage of drivers.
A better fix would be the UK investing in some cheap, safe, secure, reliable, clean truck stops, especially along the major routes and motorways, as what we have at the minute is a joke. They need to relax planning on lorry parks, and put caps on what the drivers/ companies get charged at such places. This should help the guys who have to sleep out often, in rough locations, which is the worst part of the job, I expect.
Years ago, once Brexit was known, a competent government would have started a program for free licences, or training/licence fees rebated over 5-10 years etc.