'Low pay, fuel fines, cramped cabs: drivers at haulier used by major retailers speak out', 7 May 2023

Drivers for one of Europe’s biggest delivery firms, which works for Amazon, Ikea and DHL, claim they are being left with no option but to sleep in their trucks for months and are earning well below the minimum wage in most of the countries they visit, according to an Observer investigation.

[D]rivers at the Lithuanian haulier Girteka, which says it employs 19,000 people across Europe, said they had spent weeks at a time sleeping in cramped cabs, often sharing a bunk with a co-driver.

They claimed the company did not adequately cover the cost of access to toilets and showers at rest stops, or to parking spots unless they were carrying a particularly valuable load. Drivers also said they had experienced fines for high use of diesel, including when fuel had been stolen or when they had been running the engine to heat their cabs during cold nights on the road.

One driver has described how he collapsed with kidney failure and heart problems on Christmas Eve in 2020... Instead of arranging transport to bring him home, Yurii Kryvonos claims he was left to co-drive his truck for three days, with a trainee...

Girteka is legally able to pay the minimum wage for Lithuania where it is based... despite drivers spending most of their time elsewhere...

An FNV organiser, Edwin Atema, said: “Yurii is just one of thousands and thousands of drivers who suffer… working for this company and others like it.” He said that this state of affairs was “systemic across Europe”...

In a statement, Girteka said the local labour dispute committee had looked into Kryvonos’s case and found in favour of the company. Girteka said it “abides by the laws, rules, provisions, norms, and standards in every field and every country that we operate in” and that it follows the laws on fair pay.

“We strive to follow best practices of the road freight transport industry, including placing more focus on driver’s working conditions and wellbeing,” it said. “And while we are by no means perfect, we are open and willing to move forward with any inquiries or discussions...”

...Ikea’s supply chain operations division said it was in contact with Girteka and was “currently investigating” the issues raised by the Observer. It said it would “take any necessary actions” after assessing the situation. “It is essential that all workers transporting and handling Ikea goods have good and fair working conditions,” it said in a statement.

It added: “As a global company we are committed to integrity and upholding human rights. Based on this fundamental principle, our supplier code of conduct contractually obligates all our service partners to comply with business principles, which include remuneration and working conditions.” The code of conduct stipulates transport workers have time off and are paid responsibly.

DHL said: “If there are observations of concern we will start a robust investigation and should evidence of infringements or violations of our supplier code of conduct come to light, we will terminate the cooperation with the supplier concerned.”

Amazon said it expected all of its delivery partners to comply with applicable laws and its code of conduct, which included fair wages, appropriate working hours and compensation. It said in a statement: “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.”

So why do drivers stick with conditions they aren’t happy with? Many have paid thousands of euros to secure the job and so must try to earn that back, and more, before they can go home...

The low wages mean that many newer drivers tend to be from central Asia... And while they may be earning poverty wages on the road, many drivers are able to earn more than they could in their home countries...

[Allegations are further detailed in the full article, based on personal reports from drivers and along with more Girteka responses]