According to a press release from the union, the seizure the vehicles was undertaken following a full day of “interrogations”. BTB-ABVV said it had learned about the case after being contacted on Sunday afternoon by some of the aforementioned 35 drivers.
One driver reportedly explained of how the inspection services and police had raided Kumas Trans’ Tessenderlo base, where their trucks were parked.
Although the lorry drivers have been placed in a nearby hotel, they are at their wits’ end according to BTB-ABVV chairman Frank Moreels, who revealed the truckers have no cash nor transport to return home:
“All the drivers who were taking their weekend rest in Tessenderlo are stranded. Their trucks were impounded and they can no longer operate. They are at their wits’ end because they have no money or vehicle to work or return to Bulgaria. They will be given the opportunity to remove their personal belongings from their vehicle on Monday.”
All the drivers who spoke to the trade union are said to have told the same story – they came to Belgium in their Bulgarian truck or their own car. They worked on Bulgarian work contracts despite their employer being more active in Belgium and having only one registered address in Bulgaria.
The authorities determined that the drivers were entitled to Belgian wages and working conditions given that they were almost exclusively working in the country. In addition to the drivers being paid according to Bulgarian wage standards and labour conditions, all of the drivers had not received their wages for two months.
“It is a typical case of social dumping, exploitation and fraud in which drivers are exploited by a rogue Belgian employer who is fiercely competing with genuine fellow-road-transport firms by dumping rates. These are rates that can only be offered because of the organisation of this social dumping and fraud,” writes the BTB-ABVV.
The union now says it will assist the stranded drivers by either trying to them find a job in Belgium, or helping them to return to their homeland.
Frank Moreels also confirmed that it shall refer the matter to the European Labor Auditor (ELA), who can ensure that the Bulgarian inspection services can make claims against the company in Bulgaria.
The case appears to be rather similar to the one we reported last week, whereby cooperation between the Bulgarian and Dutch authorities saw a rogue haulage association taken down.