“XPO: Delivering Injustice”, 07 October 2020

The report is the first to examine the logistics company's treatment of thousands of workers worldwide…

“Deaths. Discrimination. Wage theft. Sexual Harassment. Health and safety violations. COVID-19 exposure. The list of allegations that XPO has to answer goes on and on…” said Stephen Cotton, General Secretary at International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

Summary of key findings

Failed COVID-19 response

… Across the globe, employees cite inadequate access to PPE and a lack of basic cleaning and social distancing measures.

• In the United Kingdom, workers were "terrified" after 64 workers contracted COVID-19 … and the company refused to quarantine the facility…
• In … France, an XPO warehouse worker died of COVID-19, leaving behind a husband and two children … the company paid the deceased worker’s husband 15,000 euros in what he believes was an attempt to keep him quiet.

Wage theft and exploitation through the misclassification of workers

Misclassification of truck drivers at XPO is rampant in the U.S. and Europe.

• In California … XPO … classifies them as subcontractors … They do not have access to paid sick leave, health insurance or other basic assurances…
• In Europe, the company exploits workers and skirts minimum wage laws through a subcontracting scheme…

Health and safety violations create dangerous work environments

In the U.S., at least three XPO workers have died at work in shocking incidents. In Europe there have been numerous complaints about horrifying working conditions for warehouse workers and drivers.

Rampant pregnancy discrimination, gender discrimination and sexual harassment

XPO enables a toxic workplace culture globally of gender and pregnancy discrimination and sexual harassment.

• A 2018 New York Times exposé told the stories of multiple women who miscarried and were subjected to horrific pregnancy discrimination … One of the women was told to get an abortion by her supervisor…

Widespread anti-union tactics

XPO Logistics maintains an aggressive anti-union stance in the U.S., while workers in Spain with union affiliation have been discriminated against and workers in Switzerland denied legal rights to collectively bargain

A blueprint to stop rampant worker abuse

The report authors outline actions XPO can take to provide safe working environments for employees and set new safety standards for the logistics industry as it navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. They are calling on XPO to:

• Respond to invitations to meet with the XPO Global Union Family to discuss, negotiate and establish labor protocols to protect workers’ rights…
• Set up a global health and safety forum with unions to form joint working groups to support workers during the COVID-19 crisis and other serious health and safety issues;
• Ensure adequate protections, including adjustment of work schedules, with no loss of earnings for vulnerable and at-risk workers;
• Engage in good faith with the local unions on the ground in every country in which it operates and end its anti-union culture.