French unions promise strikes after the MEPs vote

The French trade unions in the transport industry promise protests and strikes. Germany is also criticizing the results of the vote of the MEPs from the TRAN Committee, who last week supported the exclusion of transport from the directive on posting. The Spanish, on the other hand, assess the vote positively.

The trade unions of truck drivers, FO and CFDT criticize the „ultra-liberal approach to transport” at the expense of „social protection of employees” – reports French portal franceroutes.fr.

Trade unions oppose the rules that were voted down last Monday by MEPs.

The results of the vote are a step back, both in terms of the directive on posting, cabotage, as well as accommodation in cabins and driving time and rest periods”- warn the CFDT and FO representatives.

„We are shocked by these unacceptable results and we strongly oppose the deterioration of the working conditions of drivers and the liberalization of existing regulations” – they add.

The French promise a strike, Germany deeply disappointed

Drivers’ unions promise a sharp protest and strike in July. If at the plenary session of the European Parliament, rules unfavorable for the West are passed, the French will take to the streets.

The German transport industry also criticizes the results of the vote on June 4.

Voting on the Mobility Package is a missed opportunity” – reads a press release from one of Germany’s largest BGL industry associations.

According to the representatives of the organization, the effect of the new regulations is predictable: „German enterprises, which have been disadvantaged for years due to price competition based on differences in labor costs in the East, will continue to be forced out of the European market, including the Western market” – they are alarming.

Position of the Spanish carriers

In contrast, the Spanish Union of International Road Transport (ASTIC) evaluates the results of the vote positively and is pleased that MEPs have understood the unique situation of the transport industry in the context of posting.

ASTIC, along with almost thirty other European industry associations, called for lorry drivers as high-mobility employees not to be included in the posting directive.

„Their job is to move across the continent and across several national borders” – argue the Spanish trade unionists. Therefore, there is no question of a regular delegation of an employee from one member country to another.

In addition, according to ASTIC, the practical application of the directive has already shown that „it generates a huge bureaucratic burden and a great deal of regulatory chaos” which put transport companies and their employees in the position of „legal defenselessness”. The transport industry in the EU is regulated by 20 different national legislation and has almost 50 minimum wage levels.

All barriers to international mobility are in conflict with the interests of exporting companies and companies that provide transport services, especially those that are located in Spain and which are among the most important in the European Union” – emphasized Ramón Valdivia, president of ASTIC.

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