U-bus routes serving factories to be maintained! In recent weeks, the OGBL has asked the new Minister of Mobility to convene an emergency meeting to discuss the announced elimination of some 13 U-bus routes serving factories, including the Goodyear plant, which employs over 3,500 workers. Unfortunately, to date, this request has gone unanswered. Despite the Minister’s refusal to meet with the country’s largest trade union, the OGBL recently learned that the 13 routes in question will be maintained. The OGBL obviously welcomes the maintenance of these lines, but will continue to monitor the situation. In particular, the OGBL will not accept the withdrawal of any lines without first finding an alternative for the workers concerned. Finally, the OGBL regrets the lack of communication from the Ministry of Mobility in recent weeks. In this context, the OGBL recommends that the Minister reconsider her policy towards the country’s largest union – social dialogue in Luxembourg is not a one-way street and is based above all on communication. Press release issued by the OGBL’s Road Transport & Navigation/ACAL Syndicate, the Chemistry Syndicate and the Metal Processing Syndicate, December 5, 2023
The Minister of Mobility must act immediately! The Road Transport and Industry Syndicates of the OGBL have contacted the Ministry of Mobility in order to obtain answers to a large number of questions and demands of the employees affected by the announced abolition of lines serving factories in the north of the country as of December 10, 2023. The OGBL had already requested an emergency meeting on November 14 – but to date has received no response! In less than two weeks, the affected lines will be withdrawn with no alternatives planned for the workers at the impacted factories, including Goodyear. The OGBL notes that the Minister of Mobility is currently showing no willingness to engage in social dialogue and is simply ignoring the needs of the employees! If the Ministry does not come up with concrete proposals for dates by the end of the week, the OGBL will take trade union action. Press release of the Road Transport & Navigation/ACAL, Chemistry and Metal Processing Syndicates of the OGBL, 30 November 2023
No to the elimination of bus routes serving factories! The OGBL has just learned that 13 U-bus lines serving a large number of factories, including the Goodyear plant in Colmar-Berg, are to be abolished as of December 10, depriving thousands of workers of public transport to their place of work and also jeopardizing the jobs of the Sales-Lentz bus drivers who operate these lines. The OGBL would like to point out that at the last meeting between the Minister for Mobility, François Bausch, and the OGBL syndicates responsible for road transport and industry, it was agreed that no routes serving factories would be withdrawn without a viable alternative being found. However, to the best of the OGBL’s knowledge, no alternative is currently planned for the people affected, including the 3,500 Goodyear employees. The OGBL therefore considers the total elimination of the lines in question to be a violation of the agreement reached with François Bausch at the last meeting. The OGBL calls on the Minister of Mobility to respect his commitment and to maintain the lines serving the factories! The OGBL has also requested an urgent meeting with the Minister to find a solution acceptable to the workers concerned. If an agreement is not reached as soon as possible, the OGBL is prepared to take industrial action. Press release of the Road Transport & Navigation/ACAL Syndicate, Chemistry Syndicate and Metal Processing Syndicate of the OGBL, November 14, 2023
Preparations underway for renegotiation of collective bargaining agreement On Saturday, September 16, OGBL representatives from the Transport & Logistics sector met to discuss the renegotiation of the sector’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and to prepare for the October bargaining session. Priorities for CBA renegotiation were discussed. The CBA has not been renegotiated since 2011 and no longer reflects the current situation. Expectations are therefore high. Substantial wage increases, pay scale reform, better working conditions and more days off are just some of the issues raised. The list of demands will be finalized before the first bargaining session on October 4. Press release of the OGBL Road Transport & Navigation/ACAL Syndicate September 22, 2023
Agreement in principle approved by OGBL delegates On July 14, the OGBL delegates from the private bus sector met to discuss the outcome of the collective bargaining negotiations in the sector and approved the agreement in principle recently reached in the negotiations with the employers. Thanks to the commitment of the OGBL delegates and the Negotiating Committee, significant improvements were achieved in these negotiations, including 13th month, payable monthly as a salary supplement after 12 months of service. introduction of meal vouchers worth 10.80 euros per shift of 6 hours or more. 4 additional days of vacation. a maximum of 4 hours of unpaid rest if it is provided in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 561/2006 and a maximum of 3 hours of unpaid rest if it is provided in accordance with the Grand-Ducal Regulation of October 19, 2018 known as the “50 kilometers” and includes a break of at least 45 minutes continuous or divided into a break of at least 15 minutes followed by a break of at least 30 minutes. compensation for the 6th day of work for bus drivers (D & D1 permits): bonus of 80 euros per day worked in excess of the normal number of days worked, if not compensated by a day off within a 4-month reference period. direct payment of the above-mentioned bonus in the event of accumulation of more than 5 additional working days. a maximum of 6 hours of work between 2 weekly rest periods for minibus drivers (B license). overtime exceeding 10% of the monthly working time is paid directly and cannot be carried over during the 4-month reference period. Despite the fact that not all the improvements demanded by the OGBL and its delegates during the negotiations could be obtained, the introduction of the 13th month and the clear limitation of the 6-day week for D & D1 licenses are historic gains for the sector. The 6-day week in particular has been a major issue for the sector, and OGBL representatives were finally able to secure a solution after extensive discussions and negotiations. Once the agreement in principle has been validated, a working group made up of representatives from the OGBL, LCGB and FLEAA will meet regularly to finalize the texts. To answer any questions you may have, the OGBL will soon produce a more detailed publication on the details of the agreement in principle. Published July 18, 2023
First meeting with the Groupement Transport to renegotiate the collective agreement Today, July 12, the OGBL, as the majority union in the freight transport sector, met with the Groupement Transport, the sector’s employers’ association, and the LCGB for a first meeting to renegotiate the sector’s collective agreement. The Transport & Logistics collective agreement has not been renewed for more than 12 years. As a result, the wages and conditions set out in the agreement are out of date and certainly do not reflect the reality of the employees. At the same time, the sector is currently experiencing an enormous shortage of truck drivers and social dumping remains a reality in the sector in Luxembourg. In this context, the OGBL Road Transport & Navigation/ACAL Syndicate is committed to using all the means at its disposal to improve this situation. In September, OGBL delegates from the sector will meet to formulate a list of demands for the collective agreement and to set up a negotiating commission. The next meeting with the Groupement de Transport will take place in October. With the support of the workers and delegates of this vital sector, let’s fight for the valorization of the road transport professions and the improvement of working conditions!