We often assume that access to clean and safe sanitation for everyone is a demand of the past in Europe. However, this fundamental human right in Europe’s transport sector is still often neglected. With the lack of sanitation or its poor quality, the transport industry is driving workers away from the industry, especially women. There isn’t a labour shortage in transport – there’s a shortage of good working conditions, and the state of sanitation facilities is a reminder of that.
Take Zeebrugge, Belgium, one of Europe’s busy transport hubs. “Yesterday, I took this photo at a parking lot in Zeebrugge,” a worker told ETF. “Drivers are spending their weekends here in their trucks, even though this is against European law. This week, there were around 100 drivers, and they had just four toilets like this, no showers, and only one cold water tap.” The lack of sanitation and rest facilities is not only degrading but also directly violates regulations meant to protect workers. Yet, such scenes are far too common across Europe.
The reality is no better for railway workers. Elizabeth, who has worked in the industry for 25 years, recalls her early days: *“When I started, facilities were completely inadequate for women – locker rooms and bathrooms were designed only for men. Over time, the hardest part has been working long hours on lines without access to toilets for miles, sometimes unable even to change a tampon.” While some progress has been made in facilities for women, the fundamental issue persists: basic needs like access to toilets, which are seen as normal in offices, for example, but are forgotten for mobile workers.
These conditions paint a clear picture: the transport industry doesn’t lack willing workers; it lacks the conditions to attract and retain them. How can we expect drivers, rail workers, and logistics staff to keep the world moving when denied access to dignity on the job? Poor sanitation not only discourages women from joining the workforce but also drives away men who are forced to endure substandard conditions on long-haul routes or remote worksites.
Sanitation is not just about health and hygiene; it’s about respect and equality. If european employers want to solve the labour shortage in transport, it must start by providing better working conditions – ones that allow all workers, regardless of gender, to carry out their duties with dignity. World Toilet Day serves as a reminder that sanitation isn’t a privilege; it’s a right. It’s time for decision-makers and employers in the transport sector to take responsibility and make meaningful changes.
The solution isn’t complicated. Enforcement of existing laws, investment in infrastructure, and a genuine commitment to the well-being of workers can create better jobs and, consequently, better transport. Until then, transport workers will continue to ask for what they’ve always deserved: decent work and dignity on the job.
