Sweatshops on Wheels

Big haulage companies exploit drivers from low-wage countries as a business model, often with severe consequences for those behind the wheel.

September 2018

sweatshops-on-wheels-1.png
Big haulage companies exploit drivers from low-wage countries as a business model, often with severe consequences for those behind the wheel.

In a process known as social dumping, companies employ migrant workers paying them at a level far below the accepted rate for drivers in the countries they’re working. The European Union has so far allowed this to take place, condoning, in fact, some of the worst practices in the road transport industry.

The Investigate Europe team visited some of Europe’s parking lots and can confirm that haulage drivers are paid in wages much lower than the minimum in the countries they work. And the situation is even worse for those coming from non-EU countries.

We found:
  • Drivers who say they are cheated out of their full pay through technicalities and petty behaviour.
  • Resting time regulation violated through pressure.
  • Resting conditions that were substandard and often slum-like.
  • Stories of drivers dying of exhaustion in parking lots.
  • Threats to unions.
  • Cheating in health and safety exams, which increases risk of accidents.
  • Drivers working long hours with little rest.

We spoke to drivers with no coverage for healthcare, no paid holidays, restricted days off and many were suffering from stress and exhaustion, and found evidence – via work contracts – that links some of Europe’s biggest car makers to drivers employed under these conditions.

Read more in the publications below

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Publications

Nomads of the highway
Nomads of the highway

Rheinpfalz, Germany

22 December 2018

Investigate-Europe-Recherche: Das schmutzige Geschäft mit Lkw-Fahrern aus Osteuropa
Investigate-Europe-Recherche: Das schmutzige Geschäft mit Lkw-Fahrern aus Osteuropa

Der Tagesspiegel, Germany

7 December 2018

Minst mulig lønn til sjåføren. Det er forretningsmodellen i internasjonal transport, mener fagforeningsaktivister
Minst mulig lønn til sjåføren. Det er forretningsmodellen i internasjonal transport, mener fagforeningsaktivister

Fri Fagbevegelse, Norway

5 November 2018

Camera ascunsă. O companie a statului norvegian pune în pericol șoferii români
Camera ascunsă. O companie a statului norvegian pune în pericol șoferii români

Newsweek Poland, Poland

1 November 2018

I camionisti migranti che guidano senza esami
I camionisti migranti che guidano senza esami

Il Fatto Quotidiano, Italy

1 November 2018

Deadlock in Brussels over Trucking Wages
Deadlock in Brussels over Trucking Wages

The Black Sea, Romania

1 November 2018

Øst står mot vest mens transportkjemper tar gevinsten
Øst står mot vest mens transportkjemper tar gevinsten

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

19 October 2018

Den norske trailersjåføren er en truet art
Den norske trailersjåføren er en truet art

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

16 October 2018

Fagbevegelsen stiller kunder til ansvar for sosial dumping
Fagbevegelsen stiller kunder til ansvar for sosial dumping

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

13 October 2018

Øst-europeere blir for krevende. Nå hentes trailersjåfører fra enda fattigere land utenfor EU
Øst-europeere blir for krevende. Nå hentes trailersjåfører fra enda fattigere land utenfor EU

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

12 October 2018

Bring-selskap ga sjåfører rette svar - før prøven
Bring-selskap ga sjåfører rette svar - før prøven

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

11 October 2018

Exposed: Norwegian-owned firm making truck drivers cheat safety test
Exposed: Norwegian-owned firm making truck drivers cheat safety test

The Black Sea, Romania

11 October 2018

Bring-sjåfører tjener 5500 kroner i måneden, men får ikke lov til å si det
Bring-sjåfører tjener 5500 kroner i måneden, men får ikke lov til å si det

Adresseavisen, Norway

10 October 2018

Auf dem Highway ist die Hölle los
Auf dem Highway ist die Hölle los

Falter, Austria

9 October 2018

Bring-sjåfører har 33,90 kroner i timen, men får ikke lov til å si det
Bring-sjåfører har 33,90 kroner i timen, men får ikke lov til å si det

Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway

9 October 2018

Za volantem polského kamionu: stres, únava, frustrace
Za volantem polského kamionu: stres, únava, frustrace

Investigace.cz, Czech Republic

8 October 2018

Investigate-Europe-Recherche: Das schmutzige Geschäft mit Lkw-Fahrern aus Osteuropa
Investigate-Europe-Recherche: Das schmutzige Geschäft mit Lkw-Fahrern aus Osteuropa

Der Tagesspiegel, Germany

7 October 2018

Le quotidien intenable des routiers, nouveaux forçats de l’industrie automobile européenne
Le quotidien intenable des routiers, nouveaux forçats de l’industrie automobile européenne

Basta!, France, Basta!

7 October 2018

Camionistas sem direitos pelas estradas da Europa
Camionistas sem direitos pelas estradas da Europa

Diário de Notícias, Portugal

6 October 2018

Recherche von Investigate-Europe: Zehntausende Lkw-Fahrer werden nicht überprüft
Recherche von Investigate-Europe: Zehntausende Lkw-Fahrer werden nicht überprüft

Der Tagesspiegel, Germany

6 October 2018

Romanian Trucker, Polish Wage, Dutch Workplace
Romanian Trucker, Polish Wage, Dutch Workplace

The Black Sea, Romania

3 October 2018

Truckers come from further and further away: Polish drivers have become too expensive
Truckers come from further and further away: Polish drivers have become too expensive

Knack, Belgium

2 October 2018

Vrachtwagens in de race naar beneden
Vrachtwagens in de race naar beneden

De Groene Amsterdammer, Netherlands

2 October 2018

Piętnaście godzin za kierownicą tira, czyli jak powstało i upada polskie imperium ciężarówek
Piętnaście godzin za kierownicą tira, czyli jak powstało i upada polskie imperium ciężarówek

Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland

28 September 2018