The Federation of Transport Trade Union in Bulgaria (FTTUB) started the ITF Action Week on 6 October with a successful meeting at the Ministry of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications. The union spoke about Cross Road Project for international drivers by the ITF/ETF in which FTTUB is a key partner. A meeting was then agreed on 10 October with the Executive Agency “Automotive Administration”, where FTTUB could submit the research findings of the project and call for identifying measures for improving the working conditions of Bulgarian truck drivers on the roads in western Europe. The union also submitted to the Minister ITF campaign information on container safety and explained the expected adoption of a Code of Practice on safe packing of cargo transport units by the ILO, IMO and UNECE. The FTTUB and the Ministry of Transport agreed to work in partnership on this issue.
On 10th October, as promised the chance was given to FTTUB to present the results of the ETF’s CROSS ROAD project at a high level delegation from the Ministry of transport, among which the Deputy Minister of Transport, the Deputy executive director of the Executive agency Road transport administration and the Director of the state automobile inspection.
Statement was sent both to the Transport Minister and the Executive director of the Road transport administration on the problems of the international truck drivers as well as a Statement of ETF concerning recent measures taken by Belgium and France to enforce Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 on driving and rest time, particularly with regard to rest time taken in lorries. The high rank officials agreed that the problems are many and complicated. With this regard, FTTUB proposed discussions on a regular base to be initiated so that adequate measures to be marked out.
At the late afternoon brochures prepared by the ETF Road section were disseminated at the largest truck parkings in the area of the capital. The brochures are meant to inform the truck drivers on their rights on the week rest away from home.