Companies themselves are responsible for the driver shortage! At their open day on April 29, representatives of the employers’ organization Groupement Transport drew attention to the current shortage of personnel in the freight transport sector: the average age of truck drivers is high, many of them will be retiring in the coming years, and far too few young people are prepared to enter the profession. Luxembourg is currently short of some 10,000 drivers. The companies themselves are largely responsible for this situation! Well-known Luxembourg companies have also systematically opened branches in Eastern Europe to take advantage of wage dumping and less favorable labor conditions. In addition, the use of subcontractors is becoming increasingly common as a means of circumventing a company’s direct responsibility towards its drivers. But the way many companies treat their drivers also means that many of these drivers no longer want to do the job: they often turn to the OGBL’s Road Transport & Shipping/ACAL Syndicate because their wages are not being paid to the full amount, or because their overtime is not being paid. The drivers concerned then have to fight – with the help of their union – in the courts to get them paid! A further aggravating factor is the flagrant lack of democratic spirit in the sector. Many companies do everything in their power to avoid staff delegations organized at union level. Often, information on social elections is not communicated to drivers, so that they cannot even stand for election, and “neutral” (non-union) pro-employer candidates are put forward instead. And if drivers still wish to organize openly within the OGBL, in many companies they are often put under pressure to restrain or end their commitment. At present, many sectors are suffering from a shortage of available manpower – a situation particularly pronounced in the freight transport sector. However, this problem cannot be solved by an “open day”, but only by decent wages and good working conditions. These conditions can only be achieved with a good collective bargaining agreement! If the Groupement Transport and companies in the sector are serious about remedying the driver shortage, practices such as social dumping and the systematic subcontracting of activities must cease, and the collective bargaining agreement must be renegotiated instead. In any case, the OGBL wishes to emphasize its willingness to negotiate better wages and working conditions through social dialogue, and thus make the profession of driver more attractive once again. Press release from the OGBL Road Transport & Shipping/ACAL Syndicate, May 5, 2023
Better working and salary conditions for staff are a prerequisite for the consistent expansion of public passenger transport Recently, four structures of the OGBL and the Landesverband – Public Service OGBL/Landesverband Syndicate, Road Transport and Navigation-ACAL Syndicate, Railways FNCTTFEL-Landesverband Syndicate and the Public Service Department – held a meeting with the Minister of Mobility and his civil servants. The union representatives had requested this meeting based on information that within the framework of the reorganization of public passenger transport in the south of the country, there would be a reduction of the lines operated by TICE. The trade union delegation criticized in this context the creeping tendency to replace publicly operated lines by lines operated by private bus companies, as well as the fact that the observed staff shortage, the constant overtime and the resulting absences due to illness (especially burnout) are mainly addressed by a deterioration of working conditions, by hiring new bus drivers in a less well paid status (municipal employees instead of municipal civil servants, private law instead of public). For OGBL and Landesverband, this is exactly the wrong way to proceed: career prospects, salary and working conditions must be improved in order to make the profession of bus driver more attractive again. This is also in line with the government’s goals. During the meeting, the representatives of the Ministry explained the government’s plans to further expand public passenger transport, to increase complementarity between the various services and also to introduce more cross-border lines in the south of the country. The representatives of the Ministry underlined that by 2035 it is expected that instead of 75,000 passengers today, 160,000 passengers per day will have to be transported. Also, a study has shown that a very large number of cross-border workers work in the south of the country, while until now cross-border passenger transport has been mainly focused on the city of Luxembourg. It is therefore necessary to improve the complementarity of the various services, between the fast tram, to an increased frequency in rail transport, as well as to the additional cross-border lines, and thus to increase the overall capacity. These efforts cannot be achieved without sufficient and satisfied staff. Regarding the TICE, the representatives of the Ministry gave the all-clear to some extent: it is not yet clear whether there will really be a reduction in the number of lines operated by the TICE, as the negotiations with the Municipal Syndicate in this regard are still ongoing. The current convention is still in place until 2024. Although the content of this convention is not yet known, it is clear that there will not be less service overall, given the capacity increases that will have to be provided. The representatives of the Ministry have underlined that in any case there would be no dismissals at TICE. It is not up to the Ministry of Mobility to decide under which status new drivers should be hired at TICE, but the ball is clearly in the local authorities’ court. The minister did not want to make any statement about the operator of the future tram line between Luxembourg and Esch-Belval; this decision would have to be made by his successor. Other topics discussed during the meeting included the situation at the training center CFC (Centre de formation des conducteurs), which should be reorganized for the OGBL and receive additional regional branches, as well as the annoying and still largely unresolved question of access to toilets, especially for the RGTR bus drivers, but also for the drivers of the TICE. Even at a central hub such as Belval, this is currently not yet guaranteed. This is also part of attractive working conditions for drivers. The representatives of the Ministry have assured to continue to influence the local authorities in this sense, especially since 50% of the costs are now covered by the state. Communicated by the Syndicates Public Service OGBL/Landesverband, Road Transport-ACAL, Railways FNCTTFEL-Landesverband and the Public Service Department of the OGBL, on April 21, 2023.
CBA Negotiations at Chemgas Barging successfully concluded The OGBL, the only trade union represented in the staff delegation of Chemgas Barging Sàrl, and its delegates negotiated and signed on February 23 a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with management, which comes into effect retroactively on January 1, 2023, for a period of two years. This new CBA, which covers the crews of Chemgas Barging Sàrl’s vessels, includes the following improvements for employees: a salary increase of at least 4.4% for all professional categories the introduction of a supplement for continuous trips. an increase in the meal allowance to 7.50 euros/day. the introduction of an expense allowance for travel meals. Chemgas Barging Ltd. currently employs a total of about 200 people. Press release by the OGBL’s Transport on Road & Navigation/ACAL Syndicate February 24, 2023
Cuts without alternatives, the future of bus lines at risk On February 1, 2023, a delegation from the OGBL, made up of representatives of industry and transport syndicates, met for the second time with the Minister of Mobility, François Bausch, in connection with the elimination of routes serving industrial sites at shift changeover times. At the first meeting at the Ministry in December 2022, it was agreed that the reorganization of the routes should improve the quality of public transport by better adapting it to the needs of users, in particular shift workers. The Ministry undertook to find solutions and not to discontinue lines serving industrial sites until an alternative means of transport is available, for example through the implementation of a mobility plan at company level. Finally, further studies were to be carried out at the Ministry level before a final decision was taken. At the follow-up meeting on February 1, the Minister presented the status of the reorganization of the lines and the decisions taken so far. While the OGBL welcomes the decision to maintain some heavily used bus routes, it objects to the Minister’s decision to eliminate 6 bus routes serving industrial sites without offering alternative transportation to employees. The companies concerned have already been informed of this decision. According to the Ministry, these routes can no longer be justified. The routes in question are 16U Rodershausen – Colmar/Usines; 17U Clervaux – Hosingen – Stolzembourg/SEO; 21U Echternach – Colmar/Usines; 92U Bigonville – Colmar/Usines; 93U Martelange – Colmar/Usines; 94U Boulaide – Colmar/Usines. Has every effort been made to find alternatives for the employees? NO! More innovative mobility concepts (shuttles, minibuses, “on demand” mobility) must be studied by the Ministry to compensate for the disappearance of the lines. The OGBL, together with its staff delegations, calls on the companies concerned to assume their responsibilities and contact the Ministry of Mobility to set up mobility plans for their employees. The laxity of employers in organizing the transportation of their employees must stop! The OGBL will ensure that an evaluation of the efforts made by employers and the Ministry is presented at the next meeting. We need mobility solutions for everyone! The future of the lines is still uncertain! Even if the other lines continue to serve industrial sites for the time being, their fate remains uncertain! Whether or not they will be maintained will depend on studies currently being conducted by the Ministry, as well as possible alternatives. The studies will not be completed until May. The lines will remain in operation until May 2023. What happens next? The OGBL has requested a meeting as soon as the results of the studies are known. The OGBL will continue to monitor every detail of the proposed reform. For the OGBL, the reform of the network must guarantee a quality public transport that meets the needs of all users, including shift workers! In this context, the OGBL demands clear commitments from the Ministry and the companies! Press release of the Chemistry Syndicate, the Metal Processing Syndicate and the Road Transport & Navigation/ACAL Syndicate of the OGBL, February 1, 2023
The European Commission wants to liberalize the rules for occasional bus services! The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), to which the OGBL and its syndicate Transport sur Route & Navigation/ACAL belong, recently drew attention to a reform initiated by the European Commission concerning occasional bus services. In fact, the European Commission wants to further liberalize the sector, to the detriment of drivers, passengers and other road users! In particular, they want to introduce the following reforms Less restrictions on the 12-day derogation: removing the obligation to take two weekly breaks after each 12-day period; extending the derogation to occasional domestic services; removing the single service condition. Splitting of daily breaks: introducing the possibility of splitting the mandatory 45-minute break into three 15-minute parts. Introduction of the possibility of postponing the daily break by up to 2 hours. If implemented, this reform will lead to a massive deterioration in the working conditions of casual workers. The ETF will therefore continue to fight these proposals at European level. As a first step, the ETF has launched a survey addressed to the drivers concerned, in which you can take part by clicking on this link until 27 January: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfSHbsH8jvW2XkwqVl2LU2U0j2xRMaiPSCNioTvmbRYR4jNyA/viewform Next, the ETF and its member syndicates – including the OGBL – will start putting pressure on European and national institutions to prevent the implementation of such a reform to the detriment of drivers! Press release of the OGBL Road transport & Navigation/ACAL Syndicate, January 20, 2023
Vers une amélioration des transports en commun pour les travailleurs postés? Une délégation de l’OGBL, composée de représentants des syndicats de l’industrie et des transports, a été reçue le 13 décembre 2022 par le ministre de la Mobilité, François Bausch, suite à la décision du ministère de supprimer toutes les lignes desservant les sites industriels aux heures de changement de poste. Lors de cette réunion, l’OGBL et plusieurs de ses délégués du personnel provenant d’entreprises directement impactées par cette décision, comme CEBI à Steinsel et Goodyear à Colmar-Berg, ont insisté sur les conséquences de cette décision pour les salariés concernés, qui se retrouveront le cas échéant sans véritable alternative pour aller travailler. Les bus en question, spécialement organisés pour desservir les sites industriels, constituent en effet le seul moyen de se rendre sur leur lieu de travail pour nombre de salariés. Le ministre a motivé sa décision par une réorganisation générale du réseau de lignes desservant les sites industriels en raison d’une faible fréquentation de celles-ci. D’après le ministre, la réorganisation doit permettre une meilleure qualité des transports en commun, comprenant des solutions mieux adaptées aux besoins des utilisateurs. Pour l’OGBL, cette réorganisation des transports en commun ne peut toutefois se faire que si les salariés disposent de la garantie qu’aucun d’entre eux ne se retrouvera sans solution à partir du 12 février 2023. Sur base de l’intervention de l’OGBL, le ministre s’est engagé à ne pas supprimer de lignes avant qu’une alternative ait été trouvée dans le cadre du dialogue social. Mise en place de plans de mobilité Dans un premier temps, le ministre a identifié quatre pôles prioritaires ayant des besoins de mobilité spécifiques: Goodyear à Colmar-Berg ainsi que les zones d’activités à Bissen, Bettembourg et Steinsel. Par la mise en place de plans de mobilité spécifiques adaptés aux besoins des entreprises, la qualité du transport pour les salariés devrait ainsi être adaptée et améliorée. Un sondage sera organisé au sein des entreprises concernées pour mieux refléter les besoins. Les autres sites industriels à travers le pays ne sont pas oubliés pour autant. Le ministre a ainsi rappelé que des plans de mobilité pourront être mis en place par la suite en collaboration avec les employeurs, également sur d’autres sites qui ne sont pas encore desservis pour le moment. Responsabiliser les employeurs ! Par le passé, les employeurs ont trop souvent négligé les problèmes de mobilité auxquels leurs salariés peuvent être confrontés et n’ont jamais mis les transports en commun en avant. L’OGBL et le ministre se sont ainsi mis d’accord sur la nécessité de responsabiliser les employeurs en vue de l’organisation et du financement des transports en commun destinés aux sites industriels. Une prochaine réunion avec le ministre aura lieu le 1er février 2023 afin d’assurer le suivi de ce dossier. Communiqué par les syndicats Chimie, Transformation sur métaux et Transport sur Route & Navigation/ACAL de l’OGBL, le 13 décembre 2022