MEPs called for better implementation of the mobility package, which safeguards the mobility and social rights of striking lorry drivers from third countries, during the plenary session on Tuesday 18 April. They expressed their support for the striking drivers in Gräfenhausen, near Darmstadt, Germany, who were dislodged by a militia sent by their employer a week earlier.
These lorry drivers, who are mainly from Ukraine, Georgia and Uzbekistan, have stopped work because they have not been paid their wages.
Dennis Radtke (EPP, German) said there was “not a legislative deficit, but an implementation deficit” in the mobility package (see EUROPE 12524/19). “We ask the European Commission to talk to the German government”, he said. “We must not forget that this competition, this downward pressure on prices, which happens exclusively at the expense of lorry drivers, must be stopped”, he added.
“The Commission is not playing a more important role as guardian of the Treaties and is not carrying out sufficient controls”, said Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, German), denouncing a situation of slavery.
Terry Reintke (Greens/EFA, German) and Özlem Demirel (The Left, German) spoke about the difficult living and health conditions of these lorry drivers.
The European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, assured that “the Commission remains deeply committed to fair mobility”. He recalled that the measures in the mobility package “aim at guaranteeing the social rights of truck drivers from third countries who are employed and work in the EU, including their right to the minimum wage of the Member States in which the checkpoints are located”.
“A Member State must suspend or withdraw the authorisation to operate road transport services if there are compelling grounds for doubting the good repute of an operator”, he explained.
He then mentioned the fact that the European Labour Authority (ELA) had carried out five concerted and joint inspections, four of which were in the area of road transport. However, controls and sanctions depend on national authorities. “National governments need to be aware that there is a need for more, tougher controls and more sanctions that hurt”, he insisted.
He also referred to the recommendation to the EU Council on strengthening social dialogue, which, among other things, aims to support collective bargaining at national level. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)