Sky News business presenter Emma Crosby

Lots of business comment coming in about the 4 day tanker drivers' strike as they say the oil giants are raking in the cash from rising oil prices and yet their pay hasn't increased since the early 1990's.

The strikers say they're looking out for the "little guy" and taking a stand against the multinationals. And yet their actions could be hurting thousands of other "little guys" across the country.

Today I spoke to Stephen Alambritis from the Federation of Small Businesses who's adamant that four days of petrol delivery strikes will cost small business owners millions of pounds.

His argument is that smaller companies are far more reliant on petrol. Owning probably only a couple of vans, they will have to be more careful about making deliveries than larger rivals with bigger fleets of vehicles.

Small and medium sized businesses may have to cancel deliveries over the next four days and if products aren't getting to customers contracts could be lost and the money won't come in.

And no one needs reminding that life in this sector's already tough. A soaring oil price and a softening economy means our entrepreneurs need this strike like a hole in the head.

As such an important part of the UK economy should they get special treatment? If there is a run on fuel supplies emergency services and vital utility companies will get preference over the rest of us in the petrol queue.

Should small business owners? Why should they lose money for someone else's strike?

The Federation of Small Businesses say they sympathise with tanker drivers to a point but strike action isn't justified. And that does seem to be the view taken by most of our viewers today if the email inbox is anything to go by.

Let us know what you think...

Comments

[Gerry, N.Ireland 17 Jun 2008 11:47:18]

Having read the comments and agreeing with a lot of them the one thing that people forget is EXTORTIONATE tax that the government puts on fuel (67% plus), then the charge VAT on top of that. I dont mind paying taxes, but we have to draw the line somewere...at least Dick Turpin wore a mask when he robbed people.

How will this country ever survive long term with the bunch of rip-off merchants that we put in power?

[JILL BROOKES PENZANCE 16 Jun 2008 10:57:27]

I am working in the fishing industry in Newlyn where boats are being tied up because they cannot afford the fuel.On one trip of eight days recently and the crew ended up with a wage of £180. after paying the boats expenses.
The tankers drivers are striking out of greed not to support the rest of the working community.

[Gordy Glos 16 Jun 2008 09:05:23]

So much for the governments claim that there is no need to panic as there is plent of fuel to go around. I love in Gloucester no fuel to be had. Next time I will join the other panic buyers. The driver have not got nor will get my support. I work in an industry where striking is unacceptable and results in dismissal. I would dearly love to have a salary these guys are on but would never interfere or put other lives at risk for my own gains. Obviously these people have no morals and would sink any depths to feather their own nest. Sack them all I asay and hire people who are prepared to work for that excelent pay rate that is already on offer, then see how many of them stike again over greed.

[jerome webber, ramat gan, israel 15 Jun 2008 18:43:56]

so the tanker drivers are the latest ones to jump on the band wagon or rather gravy train with oil at over $130 a barrel. compared to other essential & skilled jobs they are well paid. what amazes me is why they & all the commercial van drivers block shells depots & vital motorways like the m6 instead of blocking the embassies of the arab states, russia , venezuela,brazil, nigeria & mexico. these are the real villains - not just shell , exxon or b.p. it costs western oil companies between $30 - $40 to extract the oil from offshore or frozen oilfields but opec states only $2-3 to extract the oil from the gulf , $4-6 from south america & about $6-8 from siberia. as long as the worlds vilest states control the oil market the prices will be high - so if your are going to protest do it in the right place outside their embassies!

[Neil Davies 15 Jun 2008 18:25:49]

I work in the Stanlow refinery, and am a shell employee. There is absolutely zero support for these contract drivers in the refinery. These are the same drivers that carried on working & crossing our picket lines, when we were on strike 15 yrs ago, we remember! They talk about the dangerous nature of their job, well theres 1200 inside the refinery that are far more in the front line than these drivers. We also accepted a 5% pay deal this year, even this doesnt give many of us any where near the figures being demanded by the drivers. Their action is an insult to the likes of health workers, fire workers etc.

[Dave, Somerset 15 Jun 2008 02:00:21]

I have no sympathy for these striking drivers.
Nurses earn half as much, work more hours, and have nowhere near a 7% payrise.

[Jim 14 Jun 2008 19:39:38]

I fully support the drivers trying to improve their living standards. Shell thought they would "outsource" them years ago, so that they could more easily control the cost of distribution. In other words not have to give them good pensions, or the salaries that big companies usually pay.
There is a lot of money "swilling "around in the oil business, and more than ever, now that the price of oil is high. All these drivers are saying is that the oil producing countries are raking it in, Shell is raking it in, the government is raking it in (all those extra taxes on petrol plus VAT)why shouldnt the drivers get their share of the cake, after all, they are obviously crucial to the system.
Shame on those who say "they are already getting more than I am", maybe we should all get the same salaries as the MPs do - £60k BASIC - instead of thinking "he's only driving a tanker", £30k is good enough for him!

[Baz, Windermere 14 Jun 2008 12:06:51]

Once again we are being held to ransome by a small group of greedy tanker drivers.

I work in catering in the lake District and I can tell you that we are lucky to earn £12k per year never mind £32.

There are drivers in this area who would give their right arm to earn £32K never mind the £36K these selfish pratts have been offered.

I for one wont be serving any of these drivers if they come to the Lakes and I know lots of other people who feel the same. YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE.

They are putting our jobs at risk for their own selfish greed.

It's time to rise up against these drivers and anybody who holds decent working people to ransome.

These drivers just don't live in the real world. As for the one who said he is driving a 'bomb', well I don't recall the last time a petrol tanker blew up driving down the motorway.

[Gary Keogh Liverpool 14 Jun 2008 01:19:07]

What planet do these people live on Leo going on about the armed forces, those that join the forces know what they are getting into,
Lisa people shouldn't strike if it wasn't for past generations striking we wouldn't have the benifits that we have now.
Khalid the reason shell out sourced was simply to keep tanker drivers pay down, why hasn't any one ask what the head of shell and hoyer will be getting in bonuses alone this year.

[Brian, Aberdeenshire 14 Jun 2008 00:27:53]

I am also a small business owner, I am not sure how bad the petrol shortages might get. But I am more concerned with the opportunity that will be taken by some to raise the price even further to take advantage. I have to publish my prices 2 years in advance and the current, inflation, fuel price rises and changes to taxation are putting my business at great risk.
On the strike I have no sympathy what so ever, the services have been outsourced for many years and so Shell is in no way responsible, the Union are trying to blackmail a corporation by quoting pre-1980s retoric. A return to the trade union language of that period will not help anyone especially not the people they purport to represent. Shell should start looking at a new supplier and should maybe offer a no strike clause as part of the contract.

[michael wilson 13 Jun 2008 17:40:09]

a slice of the answer is for us non business people to drive less and share more..not businesses - let's let them do what they can - but our social / getting to the station driving needs to be shared. let's make one day a week when we draw off the demand by sharing/biking/ training/tubing..you just see how the price will come down. consumer power. and i'm also hearing that those who have betted with the oil price on the up are now finding that the period of their bets is expiring..i think the next move on the oil price, if we can offer some resistance, is down.

[Leo, Brighton 13 Jun 2008 16:42:54]

they should think themselves lucky earning £32,000.and the deal for them to earn £41,000 by jan2009 is a brilliant pay offer.when these drivers are on the picket line,they should think about our armed forces guys serving abroad only earning£16,000 a year.these are people who deserve a pay rise.sack the drivers and let them find another job.there are plenty of people who would love to earn £32,000 a year

[Lisa, Hampshire 13 Jun 2008 14:31:44]

I am a small business owner and I am apalled that the action of others could have a detrimental effect to my business. I work extremely hard for very little pay and I should not have my efforts affected in this way.
I do not agree with striking - especially when it affects people not directly involved in the dispute. Sorry, but his is morally wrong.
We live in a free society. Frankly if people don't like their emplyers' terms and conditions they can always find employment elsewhere .. or work 60 - 70 hours a week running their own business!
Tanker drivers: vote with your feet and not your placards. If you don't like what the haulier firm is paying you get a job elsewhere - that's what other people do! Then if the pay is too low the hauliers will have to increase it to attract drivers.
Striking is THE WORST thing to do as the Government and companies involved will become more resolute as they cannot be seen to be giving in to strike action!!

[Khalid 13 Jun 2008 14:02:14]

Sir
Looking thus far as the base argument, then the common ground between the parties is that Hoyer wont pay the drivers what the drivers demand, however the drivers have rejected a 7% rise this year & 6% the year after, notwithstanding the fact that a majority of drivers working a 43 Hour week earn circa £40K.
So, lets be clear. The argument surrounding the 1992 pay basis is dismissed as out of time.
Insofar as the argument surrounding the hazardous nature, again I find that a very lame excuse, suffice to say, wanna see hazard, ask the person who cried how am I gonna [Dance With My Father-Luther Vandros]?
As far as Shell, they have outsourced the contract, and if the new employer is not paying what Shell are paying them, who's to blame?

[B UK 13 Jun 2008 13:54:47]

I agree.... get a new contractor and see how the greedy drivers cope without work!

[Steve, Cheshire 13 Jun 2008 13:16:01]

They have broken the Contract with their Employer by withdrawing their labour...sack the lot of them & let's see how they manage on Benefits or minimum wage.