Silage Season - How much do silage drivers make per hour?

hurler97

Just wondering what are the average going rates for the tractor drivers? I know lads last summer who used to start at 7.30am and finish at 1.30am and start again at 7.30 subsequent to weather... 18 hours x7 is 126 hours a week at most which sounds like a lot of money to be made but then again I heard of a contractor who pays his drivers €700 every Friday no matter how many hours worked that week...

Sam Kade

I'd say around min wage whatever hours are worked. I know a contractor that used to pay £1/acre old money iot kept drivers focused

twin_beacon

hurler97 wrote: »

Just wondering what are the average going rates for the tractor drivers? I know lads last summer who used to start at 7.30am and finish at 1.30am and start again at 7.30 subsequent to weather... 18 hours x7 is 126 hours a week at most which sounds like a lot of money to be made but then again I heard of a contractor who pays his drivers €700 every Friday no matter how many hours worked that week...

sound like it, but the reality is usually very different!
as far as I'm aware, my local contractor has 2 fixed rates, for a full day and a "half" day (which might be a 7am - 3pm day).

Zr105

hurler97 wrote: »

Just wondering what are the average going rates for the tractor drivers? I know lads last summer who used to start at 7.30am and finish at 1.30am and start again at 7.30 subsequent to weather... 18 hours x7 is 126 hours a week at most which sounds like a lot of money to be made but then again I heard of a contractor who pays his drivers €700 every Friday no matter how many hours worked that week...

Very little... Plenty of lads workin the long day short day craic with it being a "short day 8am-6pm and long after, and plenty of the long days will miraculously become short come payday

liam7831

hurler97 wrote: »

Just wondering what are the average going rates for the tractor drivers? I know lads last summer who used to start at 7.30am and finish at 1.30am and start again at 7.30 subsequent to weather... 18 hours x7 is 126 hours a week at most which sounds like a lot of money to be made but then again I heard of a contractor who pays his drivers €700 every Friday no matter how many hours worked that week...

Think that pretty good cos to earn that after tax you would want to be on about €1100 per week.

J.O. Farmer

liam7831 wrote: »

Think that pretty good cos to earn that after tax you would want to be on about €1100 per week.

It's not so good though if you've done 2-3 weeks work in one for it though.

liam7831

J.O. Farmer wrote: »

It's not so good though if you've done 2-3 weeks work in one for it though.

I dunno, 126 hours at €10a hr is 1260 so if you were paying tax you would not end up with much more.

J.O. Farmer

liam7831 wrote: »

I dunno, 126 hours at €10a hr is 1260 so if you were paying tax you would not end up with much more.

Yeah that's my point earning €1100 a week sounds great but if you're earning it at €10 an hour it's not much more than minimum wage and so it's not an easy way to earn money.

liam7831

J.O. Farmer wrote: »

Yeah that's my point earning €1100 a week sounds great but if you're earning it at €10 an hour it's not much more than minimum wage and so it's not an easy way to earn money.

Ya i agree its not easy but its only short term and most short term jobs wont pay that kinda bread

J.O. Farmer

liam7831 wrote: »

Ya i agree its not easy but its only short term and most short term jobs wont pay that kinda bread

Most short term jobs will pay most of the €10 per hour they just won't have the hours. It's not that good except you can do 2-3 weeks work in one. Problem is you'll kill yourself for 3 weeks and then need 3 weeks to recover.

liam7831

J.O. Farmer wrote: »

Most short term jobs will pay most of the €10 per hour they just won't have the hours. It's not that good except you can do 2-3 weeks work in one. Problem is you'll kill yourself for 3 weeks and then need 3 weeks to recover.

I think we will have to agree to differ but Donedeal is full of adverts of lads looking for these jobs.

J.O. Farmer

liam7831 wrote: »

I think we will have to agree to differ but Donedeal is full of adverts of lads looking for these jobs.

Maybe someone should tell the contractors. I thought they were complaining last week that all them lads were gone travelling.

Miname

126 hrs a week. Who does this, when in Ireland is there 26 hours straight that a silage contractor can do silage let alone 126. I think these numbers a wee taste of an exaggeration. Most contractors clock up the hours and give them the quiet months off but still with a wage which suits a lot of part timers. If some young lad wants to do it then let him at it. If he's to get double and treble time then someone's going to have to end up paying and that will have to be relayed back on the farmer.

oxjkqg

10 euro an hour and the contractor was paying the tax. its not mental money per hour but its a way of working a ball of hours to make money. 10 euro an hour for cutting raking slurry digger work etc and 50 cent a bale when baling with a fusion. some days you could do 550 bales a day in a long day with everything going right, other days you might do 250 bales travelling he country in a 12 hour day.... it balances itself out

screamer

126 hours driving, I don't believe that. Even for a short time, that is a health and safety issue right there................ Big machinery with sleep deprived drivers, you'd not get away with it in any industry.

Limestone Cowboy

Miname wrote: »

126 hrs a week. Who does this, when in Ireland is there 26 hours straight that a silage contractor can do silage let alone 126. I think these numbers a wee taste of an exaggeration. Most contractors clock up the hours and give them the quiet months off but still with a wage which suits a lot of part timers. If some young lad wants to do it then let him at it. If he's to get double and treble time then someone's going to have to end up paying and that will have to be relayed back on the farmer.

Did plenty of 100 hour weeks at silage. A few 16-17 hour days wouldn't be long clocking up. Have done a few 24 hour shifts too.

twin_beacon

I remember in the mid 90s, out bailing contractor would have 2 shifts when the pressure was really on. The baler would go non stop for many days at a time. Much smaller machines, with smaller through put, a Fiat 80-90 pulling a Krone 130, and a small zettor on the wrapper!

davidk1394

screamer wrote: »

126 hours driving, I don't believe that. Even for a short time, that is a health and safety issue right there................ Big machinery with sleep deprived drivers, you'd not get away with it in any industry.

18 hour days sounds normal.. 6AM until midnight. With the way the weather is that's your typical day but it's only for 2-3 weeks max. You can have a lie in on the wet days !! If the weather's right we'll go all night

9935452

Miname wrote: »

126 hrs a week. Who does this, when in Ireland is there 26 hours straight that a silage contractor can do silage let alone 126.

Its not all silage hours,
A typical contractor will have slurry gear as well,
That keeps them going in wet weather. I know one contractor who only does slurry and would think nothing of running the tanks to 2 or 3 in the morning.
That and repairs/servicing during wet days will clock up the hours.

Muckit

Trailer laws this year. Sure can't you just see if they took it in the head tachos will have to be fitted in 50km(contractor) tractors. Will be 2 drivers a machine then.

9935452

Muckit wrote: »

Trailer laws this year. Sure can't you just see if they took it in the head tachos will have to be fitted in 50km(contractor) tractors. Will be 2 drivers a machine then.

Personally i reckon a lot of lads will be buying 40k tractors over 50k tractors in the future. It makes things simplier and easier.

Though what happens if you buy a 40k tractor which does 50k .
Who gets in trounle, the owner, the dealer?
I know a lot of 40k landinis are doing over 50k,, and SLE 7840s are doing well over 40k

MFdaveIreland

lads, ive done 110 hours in a week between silage and milking, I know of contractors quitting at 3 in the morning and lifting again at 7am. There are some crazy hours being clocked up out there. But most of the lad are working for buttons only to be sitting in a big shiny tractor to be fair.

ganmo

MFdaveIreland wrote: »

lads, ive done 110 hours in a week between silage and milking, I know of contractors quitting at 3 in the morning and lifting again at 7am. There are some crazy hours being clocked up out there. But most of the lad are working for buttons only to be sitting in a big shiny tractor to be fair.

I would be a danger to myself if i was operating on 4 hours sleep!

J.O. Farmer

MFdaveIreland wrote: »

lads, ive done 110 hours in a week between silage and milking, I know of contractors quitting at 3 in the morning and lifting again at 7am. There are some crazy hours being clocked up out there. But most of the lad are working for buttons only to be sitting in a big shiny tractor to be fair.

What is any contractor thinking letting a lad with only 3 or 4 hours sleep up on a tractor. Even if you disregard the safety of the driver and others it's very simple to hit something with the big shiny tractor or the shiny thing it's pulling if your tired. Big shiny things cost a lot of money to fix and the driver doesn't have to hurt himself either to do a lot of damage to the machinery. Mistakes happen when people are tired and rushing.

stantheman1979

I couldnt think of anything worse!! It would a nightmare being honest. Sitting in the one place in a cab for that length of time every day!! Saying that I lamb/calve at home and for another man 12-14 hrs a day for 3 months in the spring every year but at least youre moving around and can stretch youre legs.

MFdaveIreland

I dont like it all all. Latest ive went to is 130 am and back up at 6 milking. That kind of carry on fecks u up and u end up being tired for days. Those lads in the silage crews have cabs full of empty red bull and coffee cups etc. Seriously unhealthy life to have. But the amount of ladies queing up for the passenger seat come grass time changes.people priorities!! Haha

Bullocks

MFdaveIreland wrote: »

I dont like it all all. Latest ive went to is 130 am and back up at 6 milking. That kind of carry on fecks u up and u end up being tired for days. Those lads in the silage crews have cabs full of empty red bull and coffee cups etc. Seriously unhealthy life to have. But the amount of ladies queing up for the passenger seat come grass time changes.people priorities!! Haha

The brother drives for a contractor and goes through a good rally of red bull alright when they're busy . If I had drivers I'd nearly prefer them to take a 20 minute nap than drinking red bull , it would surely work better