“It involves haulage companies establishing their legal base in lower-wage areas of the EU, such as Lithuania or Poland, then recruiting drivers from even poorer countries outside the EU, such as Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Turkey and the Philippines. The drivers, enticed by promises of quick access to EU visas and generous salaries of around €2,000 a month, pay agents up to €1,000 for their jobs. They are then brought in minibuses from the east to drive lorries almost entirely in higher-wage countries in western Europe. The good salaries mostly fail to materialise, according to the union report.”
They even go on to get fake documenation proving what we all know. Getting a HGV licence in Eastern Europe is frankly stupidly easy.
I remember talking to one who said he took his exam on a tractor.
Another good point one of the EE drivers asked my the Guardian makes.
"France, Germany and Austria were known to be places where you might be stopped and fined for excessive driving hours, Yuri said, but not so much the UK, which he believed “closes its eyes”.
Although Yuri says the UK closes it’s eyes you do not see these drivers in the UK due to UK border checks when driving in Europe you will see plenty of EE lorries with Ukrainian and other countries flags in the windows. At truck stops have spoke to people from plenty of countries who are not in the EU Ukrainian being the most common but also Serbians and the odd Russian all driving EU lorries. Just part of helping big business and lowering the living and working standards in western EU countries.
Amazon said it was unable to investigate allegations without more details about the case. “We work with a variety of haulier partners to get packages around our logistics network and these anonymous allegations in no way reflect the high standards we hold our partners to. All partners are required to comply with applicable laws and Amazon’s supplier code of conduct, which focuses on fair wages, benefits, appropriate working hours and compensation. We expect our partners to provide a great work experience and take immediate action if we find a partner is not complying with that expectation.”
It is so obvious HUGE firms like Amazon get these dodgy sub contractors in to do the work because it is just cheaper.
I personally think there needs to be some rules to prevent this.
For example, sub contractor trucks should be inspected by Amazon or any other big haulier if these subbies are using their trailers. Amazon should ensure that these units are safe to be on the road.
A 5 minute inspection is something Amazon could resonably do. Just to ensure these sub contractors are keeping their vehicles safe.
Also there needs to be a system in place a bit like Checkatrade that vets trucking firms. The fault is not just on the big firms we should have a system in place to distinguish good trucking firms from bad.
But we dont. All we get is FORS which no one even gives a crap about.
With the state of some of the lorries and drivers on Amazon work I don’t think Amazon have any sort of code of conduct or compliance rules. It’s obvious about what firms are breaking the law doing Amazon work. Cabotage was a common occurrence too but seems to have stopped due to brexit.
No its not. Firstly its from the Guardian whos editor has 2 jobs in a morning.
Get shafted by Diane Abbot.
Say “yes JC, of course JC”.
Secondly, they are years late with this story. Ever since the EU let anyone from central and eastern Europe work anywhere, this has been going on. Was happening in other low paid industries first, then migrated into driving. Plenty of factories employing people without the right to work via EU companies.
Thirdly, I know they don’t want to know this, but its actually down to the EU to sort it. The people are employed by EU based companies under fake IDs and dodgy contracts, therefore its down to those countries and maybe the EU itself to clamp down on those employers. They won’t.
As for Amazon, well its the Socialist “all are equal, but some are more equal than others” paper so they have to put in a cheap dig because they have a non story. Allows their readers to tut loudly while waiting impatiently for the Amazon van to turn up.
Regarding checks - you have to provide insurance and such details to get on their system, but there’s plenty of ways to make it look UK based like a shell company in the UK owned by someone from say Lithuania employing someone from the Ukraine.
I highly doubt they hace time to check every truck coming in. Thats DVSA’s job.
Also as for turning a blind eye. Good luck with that, it just helps if driving at night since most DVSA sites are shut.
adam277:
"France, Germany and Austria were known to be places where you might be stopped and fined for excessive driving hours, Yuri said, but not so much the UK, which he believed “closes its eyes”.
Very true. While DVSA do check it’s usually at fixed checkpoints meaning anyone running seriously bent just avoids. In Germany B.A.G (Germany equivalent to DVSA) are everywhere all time it seems. Can’t beat that sinking feeling when you’ve been running as bent as banana and a B.A.G starts driving towards you in the parking area.
adam277:
"France, Germany and Austria were known to be places where you might be stopped and fined for excessive driving hours, Yuri said, but not so much the UK, which he believed “closes its eyes”.
Very true. While DVSA do check it’s usually at fixed checkpoints meaning anyone running seriously bent just avoids. In Germany B.A.G (Germany equivalent to DVSA) are everywhere all time it seems. Can’t beat that sinking feeling when you’ve been running as bent as banana and a B.A.G starts driving towards you in the parking area.
Wouldn’t want to be running in an English lorry out there at the moment, pulled into a rastplatz on Friday night west of Stuttgart no sign of the police on approach, as I slowed two coppers stepped out and stopped me. After exchanging greetings they shone the torch on the number plate said “from Ireland?” I replied “yes” their response “that is ok you can go” drove off sharpish .
DVSA have started to get a lot more mobile now, you’ll see them around industrial estates and MSA’s a lot more now, chances are if you’re near a weighbridge and it’s shut then they are out and about in the local area
Amazon said it was unable to investigate allegations without more details about the case. “We work with a variety of haulier partners to get packages around our logistics network and these anonymous allegations in no way reflect the high standards we hold our partners to. All partners are required to comply with applicable laws and Amazon’s supplier code of conduct, which focuses on fair wages, benefits, appropriate working hours and compensation. We expect our partners to provide a great work experience and take immediate action if we find a partner is not complying with that expectation.”
It is so obvious HUGE firms like Amazon get these dodgy sub contractors in to do the work because it is just cheaper.
I personally think there needs to be some rules to prevent this.
For example, sub contractor trucks should be inspected by Amazon or any other big haulier if these subbies are using their trailers. Amazon should ensure that these units are safe to be on the road.
A 5 minute inspection is something Amazon could resonably do. Just to ensure these sub contractors are keeping their vehicles safe.
Also there needs to be a system in place a bit like Checkatrade that vets trucking firms. The fault is not just on the big firms we should have a system in place to distinguish good trucking firms from bad.
But we dont. All we get is FORS which no one even gives a crap about.
Amazon are getting wise to the fact that very dodgy EE hauliers are sub-letting their work to even dodgier EE hauliers, and they can`t stop it, as it only comes to light when something goes wrong or missing
I had a very interesting chat last week with a “UK player” who are looking for UK hauliers to cover the EE work for Amazon in the near future, once Jeff`s internal FBI have busted the mess
No its not. Firstly its from the Guardian whos editor has 2 jobs in a morning.
Get shafted by Diane Abbot.
Say “yes JC, of course JC”.
Secondly, they are years late with this story. Ever since the EU let anyone from central and eastern Europe work anywhere, this has been going on. Was happening in other low paid industries first, then migrated into driving. Plenty of factories employing people without the right to work via EU companies.
Thirdly, I know they don’t want to know this, but its actually down to the EU to sort it. The people are employed by EU based companies under fake IDs and dodgy contracts, therefore its down to those countries and maybe the EU itself to clamp down on those employers. They won’t.
As for Amazon, well its the Socialist “all are equal, but some are more equal than others” paper so they have to put in a cheap dig because they have a non story. Allows their readers to tut loudly while waiting impatiently for the Amazon van to turn up.
Regarding checks - you have to provide insurance and such details to get on their system, but there’s plenty of ways to make it look UK based like a shell company in the UK owned by someone from say Lithuania employing someone from the Ukraine.
I highly doubt they hace time to check every truck coming in. Thats DVSA’s job.
Also as for turning a blind eye. Good luck with that, it just helps if driving at night since most DVSA sites are shut.
.
