Problems on the road

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Contexto de página: Página principal > Revista 'Transporte Internacional' > Issue 34 - January 2009 > Problems on the road

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Road transport workers' unions recently met to discuss tactics and share learning in the Asia-Pacific Region. These are their conclusions

With the ongoing attacks on organised labour, more unions recognise the need for support and assistance from the ITF. As unions increase their efforts to organise in the private sector, the exchange of information at regional meetings may not give an easy answer, but does reinforce the need to continue with the struggle.

The need for support from transport unions in other sectors has resulted in the Papua New Guinea dockers supporting the establishment of a truck driver branch to recruit and organise the road transport workers. In Nepal the struggle for democracy and improved conditions for workers is at the forefront of union activity, while in Vietnam the unions confront the current political processes that are reshaping transport.

• Edgar L Baconga, president, Rural Transit of Mindanao Employees Union (RTEU-ALU) of the Philippines

What problems do road transport workers face?

The impact of the industry is not all positive. It has provided public mobility and the creation of jobs, but 80 per cent of the workers are unorganised, and most are exploited.

Sixty per cent of drivers and conductors who are renting the units, and some on a commission basis, do not receive the statutory minimum wage, despite working more than eight hours. In addition, drivers are not given social protection.

The majority of the labour force is not assured of continuous work. Operators can lay them off at any time because of the absence of a contract.

Workers are not given enough time to rest. Drivers and conductors are very much exposed to extreme fatigue. While the mechanics on the other hand do not have safety gadgets while fixing the units.

With the spiralling increase of oil products, the income of drivers and conductors is meagre. The percentage of passengers has dropped dramatically.

In other provinces of Mindanao, buses are vulnerable to robberies and ambushes. Police records show that in most cases drivers and conductors are killed.

What is the union doing?

We are building alliances. Although still in early stages, organised labour is reaching out to taxi cabs, trucks and buses in rural areas for organising. Hopefully transport groups can be merged into federations so that the sector’s voice can be heard.

We are striving for a broad-based union agenda. Many transport groups are changing unions. Some have reached the conclusion that only unions can save them from extinction. In fact, the ALU-TUCP trade union centre is now assisting workers on illegal terminations and through the organised groups the exploitative practices of some operators are exposed to the media.

The RTEU-ALU is continually conducting seminars and radio programs on the importance of unions and on the issue of fatigue.

• Bidur Karki, general secretary, Independent Transport Workers’ Association of Nepal

What problems do road transport workers face?

The main problems are:

– informalisation and casualisation of labour

– job insecurity and contract labour

– capital-united, labour-fragmented

– increasing intervention of the World Bank/IMF in favour of capital

– financial crisis, increasing unemployment.

Transport workers also face specific problems:

– the bad public image of the transport workers at accidents

– no permanent job

– no social security and other benefits from state and employers

– no identity card and recruitment letter

– problems from traffic police and local administration

– long working hours.

What is the union doing?

It is difficult to fully implement plans because of political instability. However, our main campaigns include:

– organisational development and strengthening campaigns

– education

– social security and financial management

– office management

– developing international relations.

• James Pijape, Transport Drivers & Allied Workers (Papua New Guinea) branch secretary

What problems do road transport workers face?

Drivers usually receive worse pay and conditions compared with other transport sectors. They are by far the most exploited workforce we have in Papua New Guinea.

Truck drivers are not employed in permanent positions. They are classified as casual employees. Therefore they have no fixed hourly/weekly rates. Companies can calculate their wages, based on the number of trips they make and the distance they cover. If they do not make any trips, they do not have any money.

Papua New Guinea has a complex and unfair system of tax. While there is no increase to the minimum wage and prices are rocketing, taxes imposed on workers are hefty.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic is no longer a health issue, but now a major social issue in Papua New Guinea. Fighting the disease has been, and is still, a very difficult task. Drivers are very vulnerable to HIV, because of the fact that they drive across various cultural borders, leaving their families.

Strike actions are legal, but there are procedures to follow. Arbitration is one of the mechanisms established in the labour department through which to settle industrial grievances. However, employers can use delaying tactics to frustrate our members, with the aim of destroying the credibility of the unions. Arbitration processes take years. Negotiations for two trucking companies are before the department and are taking almost three years.

It seems to be common practice to sack older and experienced drivers who are fervent supporters of the union. Younger workers are recruited to replace outgoing drivers, and the branch gradually loses its members in this way.

What is the union doing?

Recently the union won an arbitration award covering wages and employment conditions for members employed by two transport companies owned by the Swire group, which we will use in negotiating industrial agreements with other transport companies and for unions.

We are supporting our drivers to try and improve their pay and conditions. We are starting to demand an equal fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.

We are campaigning on HIV/AIDS, and aim to educate truck drivers who are vulnerable to this. We are looking at our communications work, as we believe this is one of the most important parts of union activity.

Above all, we are focusing our efforts on building union power, putting time and resources towards recruiting members. We will need a concerted campaign to achieve better membership strength.

• Pham Dinh Nguu, vice-president, Vietnam National Trade Union of Transport Workers (VNTW)

What problems do union members face?

In some areas the weather conditions are very severe, and working conditions can become very dangerous. Road transport workers can easily become the victim of traffic accidents when they are carrying out their duties.

Vietnam is a developing country. The transport infrastructure is not synchronised. There are speed limits on the roads, but operators are usually under pressure to breach regulations on hours and rest time. Drivers break the speed limit, are punished by the police and face problems as a result of this.

Cross-border driving takes drivers away from union protection for long periods.

Other drivers in Vietnam do not comply with traffic laws. This, together with the high intensity working of drivers, causes traffic accidents.

The income of road transport workers is low, while Vietnam faces high inflation, adding to the workers’ difficulties. Rising oil costs have lowered the income of the workers even further.

There is hardly any access to the law and the state policies to protect workers.

What is the union doing?

The VNTW has implemented measures to help improve the living standards of the workers. It has informed the workers of laws and policies so they can fully understand their rights and interests for their self-defence.

The trade union takes part in the privatisation process to ensure the rights and interests of the members.

The VNTW directs its affiliates to coordinate with management in the process of privatisation and to have adequate policies to re-educate the workers to meet new business needs and to minimise the unemployment rate. At present the unemployment rate of members is approximately 1.3 per cent.

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Issue 34 - January 2009

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