Supplementary memorandum by the Freight
Transport Association (RH 26B)
THE ROAD HAULAGE INDUSTRY
Further to my letter of 29 March 2000, I promised
to let you have any information regarding pay rates for east European
Drivers. FTA has approached the following trade associations for
information:
| Country | Trade Association
|
| Bulgaria | AEBTRI
|
| Czech Republic | CESMED BOHEMIA
|
| Hungary | ATRH
|
| Poland | ZMPD
|
| Romania | UNTRR
|
| Slovakia | ATIS
|
So far we have only received data back from Hungary. The
following table compares wage costs in Hungary for an HGV driver
engaged on international operations with typical wage costs for
UK articulated vehicle drivers on domestic operations.
| | Rate per hour (£)
(excl employer
social contributions)
| Rate per hour (£)
(excl employer
social contributions)
| Daily
Subsistence
Cost (£)
|
| Hungary | £0.93
| £1.16 | £16.85
|
| UK | £6.59
| £7.25 | £17.66
|
| Assumed exchange rate | 1 Euro = 260.4 HUF
|
| 1 Euro = £0.601 Sterling
|
| 1 USD = £1.484 Sterling
|
HGV driver wage cost data is taken from FTA's Manager's Guide
to Distribution Costs and covers wage levels as at 1 January 2000.
Despite the limited data that we have been able to obtain
this, accompanied by anecdotal evidence reported to us, suggests
that there are large numbers of drivers, frequently working double-manned,
and receiving these low levels of wages. This, added to the benefits
of low VED rates and fuel prices on the Continent at least half
of UK levels provide clear commercial operating benefits when
vehicles driven by east European drivers find themselves in the
UK.
As soon as we receive data from other east European states
surveyed I will let you have these.
Geoff Dossetter
Head of External Affairs
24th May 2000
| 
