Last night the Council of Ministers decided on a compromise on the application of posting in road transport, notably the new rules of posting will apply to road transport only once the posting proposal part of the European Commission Mobility Package is adopted. In other words, while in a couple of years time, when posted, workers from all sectors will be able to access the entire remuneration of the country they work in, the professional drivers will only be entitled to the minimum pay of that respective country.
“This decision of the Member States comes in the context where the European roads, motorways and parking areas are packed with drivers sleeping in 2×2 meter cabin space, cooking and eating their food in or by trucks, working far from home, on misery salaries of a few hundred Euro. And it is a step towards legalising the exclusion of road transport from the scope of posting of workers. Equally, the limit of posting of 18 months is unacceptable. Posting must remain a temporary status!” said Frank Moreels, President of the European Transport Workers’ Federation.
“The Council decision puts workers interest behind business interests, offering an easy way out for those road transport companies wanting to access domestic haulage markets on dumping wages.” said Eduardo Chagas, General Secretary of the ETF.
“The ETF Road Transport Section recently agreed to engage in positive, constructive action on the Mobility Package in the weeks to come. With this Council decision, it is hard to stay positive. Our week of action starting on 20 November will show it.” added the ETF Road Section President Roberto Parrillo.
The ETF qualifies the Council decision a bad political signal given to professional drivers across Europe. The equal pay for equal work of equal value is, since last evening, a value which divides, which makes professional drivers second hand citizens of the EU. The ETF will inform on large scale all our member unions and the professional drivers via social media on the impact of this decision on their work and lives.
For more information please contact Cristina Tilling, ETF Political Secretary in charge with the sector at c.tilling@etf-europe.org or via mobile phone at 0032 478 558135.
