While the Brenner Corridor Platform (BCP) is committed to European cooperation and the integration of this crucial transport corridor, it has categorically denied employee representatives a say in the planning process. Most recently, they have announced a workshop focusing on the language use in railway operations, to which worker representatives were not invited. Refusing the involvement of the workers who will be operating the corridor traffic, in this case, the railway workers, is a dangerous risk that any responsible project should consider.
Despite repeated written requests for involvement and offers of talks from the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the BCP has shown no interest in including those who will be working on the railway every day in its discussions. Offering social partners only written exchanges or retrospective information is insufficient. This approach fails to provide the urgently needed transparency and social dialogue.
Given the dimensions of the Brenner Base Tunnel project, which is considered the project of the century, and its significant impact on jobs and traffic flows, it is unacceptable that railway workers are being presented with a finished product without their input. The world’s longest underground railway tunnel promises technological and operational innovations that could positively transform rail freight and passenger transport in Europe, but without the involvement of workers, the risks pile up.
In cross-border transport, challenges relevant to railway safety are paramount. In addition to the operating language, clear regulations on working, driving, and rest times, an emergency plan, and harmonised operating rules are urgently needed. The Brenner Base Tunnel offers an opportunity to implement these essential safety aspects in a pioneering way for the entire European rail transport system.
The operating language is a key element for safety and worker protection in rail operations. Train drivers must be able to communicate clearly and directly with the infrastructure manager, other railway workers and, in case of incidents, also the local emergency services. Unclear communication on the railways can have fatal consequences.
Employee representatives must have the opportunity to set the right course for Europe’s largest railway project, ensuring co-determination, safety at work, and a sustainable transport policy. The wealth of experience of railway workers is an asset that must be utilised for the railway system to function properly. Therefore, trade unions from Italy, Germany, and Austria, under the umbrella of the ETF as a recognised European social partner, must be actively involved.
The ETF demands:
● To be involved in workshops and all relevant forums of the process. ● Full compliance with existing national rules. ● A clear framework for working, driving, and rest times (compliance with and monitoring of the application of Directive 2004/57 in cross-border deployment of staff). ● Harmonised operating rules and emergency plans. ● Digital recording of working, driving, and rest times of staff on trains. ● Creation of infrastructure for staff at suitable stations for taking breaks or rest periods (recreation rooms, hygiene facilities, overnight accommodation) and for handing over trains. ● Clear framework conditions for training, general competence requirements, and language skills.