Although Truck Driver Day has been organized by Febetra since 2021, the ABVV took a similar initiative in 2019. This year the socialist union has not signed up for the DVC (unlike the liberal union), but will play a role in its own way.
Several delegations will welcome drivers at intersections or in front of companies, but the BTB-ABVV believes that this is not the most important thing. “What has become a publicity campaign cannot disguise the fact that the real problems of the sector are not being addressed,” says Tom Peeters, deputy federal secretary of the BTB, who points to the lack of decent parking spaces, too low wages, the long working hours and the lack of respect for drivers. The socialist union is taking the opportunity to once again raise its idea of minimum rates for transport, the so-called Safe Rates. According to her, these rates would guarantee a correct wage for drivers and combat social dumping.
“The low wages are the result of too low rates in road transport. Too low rates that are pushed down even further by clients. Large companies that outsource transport, but do not take any responsibility when something goes wrong in their supply chain,” says Tom Peeters.
