London, UK: The majority of the public believe that truck drivers should get better pay says a poll for Unite union.
The poll issued today finds that 56% of the public believe employers should pay lorry driver more.
The polling, undertaken by Survation for Unite the union, found that that more people, 48%, blame the government for food shortages, with only 14% blaming supermarkets, and 14% cent the truck drivers.
The public believes a combination of factors, Covid-19, Brexit and low pay are all significant factors in the shortages being seen in supermarkets. 57% believe low pay for truck drivers is a significant factor. Among Conservative voters 53% share this view while among Labour voters it is 60.
The poll comes following the government’s recent announcement that the extension to drivers’ working hours will continue into 2022, a move described by Unite as `dangerous’ and quite probably illegal.
Adrian Jones, Unite’s national officer, said: “This is confirmation that most people in this country are coming across shortages on our supermarket shelves.
“They believe that the chronic low pay for the lorry drivers who’ve kept our country going during the pandemic is one of the key reasons.
“The majority of the country, including the majority of Conservative voters, say truck drivers must be paid more. It’s high time that government and the supermarkets got together with Unite to make sure that they are.
“The government cannot solve this crisis by making fewer drivers work ever longer hours. The public is blaming them for the shortages on the shelves so reckless, legally dubious, quick-fixes that make our roads more dangerous just don’t cut it.
“And the industry cannot shirk its responsibilities on this either. There’s no shortage of trained drivers in the country but there is a shortage of drivers who want to work miserable hours for stingy pay with all the pressure of being on the road.
“Short-term cash bonuses are no substitute for decent pay and pensions. The industry has to face up to the true causes of this crisis – its decades-long race to the bottom – and work with Unite to address this once and for all.”
Unite’s Totally Trucked Off campaign will launch in the autumn to improve drivers’ pay in the longer term to restore its value, and to press for better treatment and conditions for drivers while on the road.
