An inspection by the inspectorate SZW reveals that truck drivers in the Netherlands are regularly exploited. The drivers are underpaid, have to drive for too long at a time and often live and sleep in their cabs for several days.
The Inspectorate SZW has been concerned about the working conditions of truck drivers for some time, it said in a press release. Last Sunday, it therefore checked, in cooperation with the National Police and the Inspectorate for the Environment and Transport (ILT), ten large car parks in the Netherlands. This mainly involved visiting car parks where trucks are known to park for long periods of time.
The drivers standing in the car parks during the inspection would often have to live and sleep in their cabs for several days, with no sanitary facilities. Moreover, the drivers were sometimes away from home for months. For example, a driver from Ukraine stated that he had been away from home for three weeks and was paid only 400 euros per month. A driver from Romania had been away from home for three months and received only about 200 euros a month. Another driver checked stated that he drove 75 hours a week. The observed violations and signs of labour exploitation are under criminal investigation.
'Employers should be ashamed'
Minister Asscher (SZW) thinks it is important that abuses like this are dealt with harshly. "As an employer and client, you should be ashamed if you do this to your own drivers. That is why it is good that the Inspectorate SZW, just like the inspectorates in other European countries, is tracking down and cracking down on abuses like this."
Extra checks on car parks
In the coming period, the Inspectorate SZW will carry out more checks on car parks. These checks should also give more insight into the problem of truck drivers who have to wait a long time for a new assignment.
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