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ETF against EP amendment meant to cut rest time for coach drivers

27 March 2008

The European Parliament’s (EP) vote on common rules for road transport operators has triggered fierce criticism from the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF). The EP Transport and Tourism Committee passed yesterday an amendment meant to cut coach drivers’ rest periods.

In a statement released in February, the ETF warned the European institutions over changes to minimum weekly rest periods for drivers undertaking occasional international tours. According to EU legislation in force as of 2006, a break must be taken at the end of six consecutive working days at the latest. This rule is strongly opposed by employers under the International Road Transport Union (IRU) that would like to see the reinstatement of the 12-day derogation by which, in the past, they were entitled to ask coach drivers to work for 12 days in a row.

The news from the EP was received with astonishment by transport trade unions at a time when drivers’ representatives and their counterparts are discussing the implications of their disagreement in the framework of the EU Social Dialogue.

Moreover, the ETF lashes out at the EP for bowing to pressure from employers by giving the 12-day exemption a push in a dossier on rules for road operators. This amendment is now likely to be strategically introduced into a more specific report dealing with road market access for passenger transport, through which, if adopted at the EP plenary session, the 12-day rule could become effective again.

For the ETF Road transport section, drivers’ weekly rest must be upheld to

• improve road safety, affecting both bus drivers and road users
• safeguard drivers’ health and safety
• ensure drivers’ work-life balance

ETF Political Secretary for Road transport, Beatrice Hertogs, said: “We believe that any decision by the EU institutions is misplaced when Social Partners are trying to reach an agreement”.


For more information, please contact:
Beatrice Hertogs
ETF Political Secretary for the Road transport section
Tel.: 0032/2.285.46.64
E-mail: b.hertogs@etf-europe.org
www.etf-europe.org

Related documents:

ETF Press Release on PE amendment to rest time for coach drivers (53kb PDF)

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