International

‘We’re in it up to our necks. If we don’t take action now, there’ll soon be no transport sector left in the Netherlands.’ With this call at the action meeting of truck drivers in Assen, one of the drivers put into words how he and his colleagues feel about the situation in road transport. SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong has long given support to the drivers in their fight and was present at the meeting to discuss negotiations on a collective labour agreement for the sector. ‘This concerns much more than a battle over wages,’ says De Jong. ‘The Dutch transport sector will only have a future if we can ensure that unfair competition through exploitation and wage dumping is stopped. That’s why we need action not only in the Netherlands for a decent collective labour agreement but above all in Brussels, where further liberalisation of road transport muct be halted as soon as possible.’

Euro-MPs today sent an angry letter to European Commissioner Siim Kallas regarding problems in road freight transport. Dennis de Jong, who took the initiative to organise the writing and sending of the letter, said: ‘Our urgent letter follows a year of actions from truck drivers. Last year Kallas promised us that he would take seriously the drivers’ problems, such as exploitation of foreign truckers and that he would be making proposals for action. A year later we have to confirm that nothing has happened. That’s not only much too long for the drivers and our group of MEPs, an increasing number of eU member states are calling on the Commission to tackle the problems caused by liberalisation, and quickly.’