The Road to Transparent and Fair Remuneration and Working Conditions in the Transport Sector (TransFair)

Duration: 01/2020 - 12/2021
Status: completed
Research area: Industrial relations and co-determination
Key project staff: Bettina Haidinger, Ulrike Papouschek, Sandra Stern, Cornelia Prentner
Funded by: European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion
Cooperation: Projektpartner: Solidarnosć (Poland) Nsds-sindikat (Slowenien) KU Leuven/HIVA (Belgien) Multicultural Centre (MKC, Tschechien) OeGB vida (Österreich) BTB-abvv (Belgien) Assoziierte Partner: Arbeiterkammer Wien (Österreich) Federale Overheidsdienst Werkgelegenheid, Arbeid en Sociaal Overieg (Belgien) European Transport Workers Federation (ETF, EU) Faire Mobilität (Deutschland) Labour Inspectorate of the Republic Slovenia (LIRS/IRSD, Slowenien) Zveza svobodnih sindikatov Slovenije (zsss, Slowenien) CATUS (Serbien) Odborový svaz dopravy (OSD, Tschechien)

Fair remuneration and decent working conditions in road transport and its enforcement are one of the top priorities in European debates about equal rights for workers on the move in Europe. Difficult working conditions, complex sectoral regulations and – up until now – the unsolved question of applying posting regulations to cross-border road transport within Europe challenge inspectorates to control compliance, and social partners to safeguard fair competition and working conditions in road haulage.

TransFair, coordinated by Bettina Haidinger (FORBA), takes on a sectoral approach, focusing on research, cooperation of stakeholders, notably transport unions and labour inspectorates, and on an improved information to drivers in the European road transport sector. Moreover, it will contribute to the ongoing legislative process of implementing the mobility package as well as to debates about setting up a European Labour Authority and its scope of tasks in the transport sector.

The planned action involves three actions: 1) Quantitative and qualitative research about employment practices and company structures in European road transport; 2) Joint transnational union actions intensifying cooperation as well as developing user-friendly information and support to drivers on international journeys; (3) Exchange of information and good practices of cooperation among labour inspectorates and other competent authorities in the road transport sector including a systematic and up-to-date discussion about relevant social and sector-specific regulation.

The consortium includes two research institutes, one non-profit organisation and four unions from Austria, Belgium, Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. One EU level social partner, worker advocacy institutions, including one from Germany, unions, including one from Serbia and national labour inspectorates are involved as associate organisations.