Logistics

This week, ETF affiliates from across Europe met in Brussels to discuss the ongoing restructuring of UPS operations in Belgium and the UK. More than half the workforce in each country faces redundancy, to be largely replaced by workers doing the same jobs, in a subcontracting chain, on more precarious terms. For trade unions, this is not restructuring. It's social dumping continuing to spread through the sector.

The recent announcement of collective layoffs at UPS has sparked widespread outrage. The logistics company plans on eliminating over half of the Belgian workforce to increasingly rely on subcontracted labour. For trade unions, this restructuring goes far beyond standard reorganisation. It is part of a deliberate strategy of social dumping.

Turkish union Tümtis has successfully negotiated a landmark outcome for its members with DHL Logistics Services.

ETF is committed to continuing fighting against the exploitation of workers in logistics and calls on policymakers and employers to ensure that workers' rights are respected. Together with its affiliates, ETF will be advocating for the rights of logistics workers during a dedicated week of action across Europe to mark this year’s International Day for Decent Work on October 7th.

Recently, Danish union 3F Transport secured a collective bargaining agreement for nemlig.com's workers. The ETF caught up with Jan Villadsen, Chairman of 3F Transport and ETF Vice-President to discuss their recent win.

Unions are ready to negotiate, but are e-commerce companies ready? This year’s best Black Friday deal would be one where e-commerce companies sit down and talk to unions about providing dignity at work for the millions of warehouse and delivery workers working around the clock this 25 November.

On World Day for Decent Work, the European Transport Workers’ Federation puts the spotlight on logistics workers: the invisible workers behind our supply chains in a rapidly growing and worryingly unregulated logistics sector.

Yesterday, the Amazon management and employee representatives of different European countries agreed on the establishment of a European Works Council. This council, with workers and employer representatives, will be informed and consulted on transnational company issues.

This Black Friday, as a European trade union movement, we demanded a better deal for workers, casting a light on the abuses in e-commerce, organising workers to fight back, and pushing the #Fight4FairLogistics!

As unions, we committed to working together to develop a European strategy to fight against the spread of unfair labour practices and business models in logistics and e-commerce across all transport sectors.