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Respect rules, respect drivers, says IRU

More than 65 HGV drivers have been on strike in Germany since 20 March, demanding unpaid wages, fair payment, and decent working conditions. The International Road Transport Union (IRU) expresses support and calls for enforcement of the rule of law and collaboration among stakeholders to prevent further abuses.

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A group of HGV drivers have been on strike at the Gräfenhausen truck park in southern Hesse, Germany, since 20 March, due to being without pay for two months. By now, there are more than 65 drivers employed by the Polish Lukmaz, Agmaz, and Imperii group of companies, joined the strike demanding not only their outstanding wages but also fair payment and decent working conditions.

These drivers, mostly from Georgia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, allege exploitation by the companies that transport goods for multinational firms across Germany and southern Europe, despite these firms having signed International Labour Organization (ILO) norms for workers’ rights in their supply chains.

The strike has been fueled by the drivers’ meagre pay of around 80 euros per day, which falls far below the German minimum wage of 12 euros per hour, even if they work the required eight hours a day, considering that they are usually on the road for 13 to 15 hours, reports wsws.org.

The drivers are determined to continue the strike until they receive the withheld wages they desperately need for their families, as they have been unable to visit their loved ones for extended periods of time due to their work conditions.

Yesterday, the International Road Transport Union (IRU) expressed its support for the third-country truck drivers on strike. The IRU has called for the application of the rule of law and collaboration among stakeholders to prevent such abuses in the future.

IRU Director of EU Advocacy Raluca Marian stated,

“This is an appalling situation. These drivers must be treated with respect and compensated for their work, as outlined contractually and within the law. All road transport operators must abide by the rule of law. Any infringements or illegal activity must be sanctioned by the relevant enforcement authorities.”

The Chairman of BGL (Germany), Prof. Dr Dirk Engelhardt, noted that despite efforts such as the EU Mobility Package 1 to improve the industry, unfair and market-distorting practices still persist in road freight transport. He emphasized that these practices not only jeopardize the livelihoods of drivers and their families but also harm law-abiding companies that offer fair conditions to their drivers. BGL, together with trade unions and IRU, will continue to fight for better enforcement of existing legislation in Germany and across Europe.

Jan Buczek, President of ZMPD (Poland), added that any action indicating unfair competition, including irregularities in the payment of due remuneration to employees, should be carefully assessed and addressed. He called for relevant enforcement authorities to clarify the situation to protect the good image of the road transport industry in the EU.

While Europe relies on professional drivers from third countries to address driver shortages, alongside efforts to open the profession to Europeans from diverse backgrounds, IRU emphasizes that all drivers, including third-country drivers employed by EU companies, should be respected and have their full rights under EU rules defended.


Photo credits @ Facebook.com/DGBFaireMobilitaet/

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