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Final rejection of 86-hour workweek by European Parliament

16 June 2010

Today, Wednesday 16 June 2010, the European Parliament (EP) confirmed in Strasbourg the rejection of the proposal of the European Commission to introduce an 86-hour workweek for the self-employed professional drivers. Since the beginning of this week, a delegation of the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) was present in Strasbourg to stress the ETF position and to urge the members of the EP to vote in favour of the rejection. For more than 18 months, the ETF and its affiliates have campaigned for the recognition of the dignity of the drivers’ profession by the EP and calls the final outcome of the vote a success for all European citizens and professional drivers.

If the EP had adopted the revised European directive on working time for professional drivers (Directive 2002/15/EC) it would have increased the working time for self-employed drivers from 48 to a maximum of 86 hours per week. “An 86-hour workweek would have been a false gift for self-employed drivers,” the ETF General Secretary, Eduardo Chagas said. “The professional drivers’ skills are key to public safety on European roads and it’s about time to recognise its value.”

ETF considers vote as victory for professional drivers and European road safety
The ETF witnessed the vote at the European Parliament session in Strasbourg with a trade union delegation led by Roberto Parrillo, President of the ETF Road Transport Section. “This is a considerable victory for all professional drivers and an important step towards safer roads for all European citizens,” Roberto Parrillo said. The ETF expresses its hope that the European Commission has now finally understood the European Parliament’s message and will definitely withdraw its proposal.

For further information, please contact the ETF Political Secretary for Road Transport – Cristina Tilling (c.tilling@etf-europe.org, phone: +32 (0)478 55 81 35).

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