Canada, like Europe, is facing growing risks of exploiting foreign workers in the trucking industry, which could have significant consequences for working conditions, road safety, and business competitiveness. This highlights the need for stricter regulations and protection for workers.
Since the expansion of the European Union in 2004, the road transport sector in Western Europe has experienced an increase in exploitative practices, reports Le Monde. Truck drivers, often from non-EU countries like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, are hired by companies based in Lithuania or Poland. These drivers work under precarious conditions, sometimes for six months straight, earning wages significantly below local standards.
While the EU has implemented rules to regulate the trucking sector, enforcement remains challenging. Currently, inspectors can only check compliance over a four-week period, but starting in January 2025, they will be able to review records over eight weeks. This should theoretically allow for better oversight, ensuring that drivers return home regularly and that their working conditions improve.
Organizations like Road Transport Due Diligence (RTDD) have been vocal about these systemic abuses. Edwin Atema, a former truck driver and founder of RTDD, asserts that the situation has worsened over the past twenty years. Today, many drivers work in conditions akin to modern slavery, with wage deductions for minor infractions and no paid leave.
In 2023, strikes in Germany highlighted these issues in the freight transport sector. Drivers, mainly from Central Asia and Eastern Europe, protested wage arrears and abusive working conditions. These protests underscored the urgent need for stricter oversight of road transport companies.
Foreign Workers in Canadian Trucking
The situation in Canada mirrors these troubling trends. In Ontario, the labor shortage in the road transport sector is pushing companies to recruit foreign workers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). While this program is designed to address labor shortages, it also opens the door to exploitation. Employers sometimes charge foreign workers up to $50,000 for their work permits before subjecting them to wages below industry standards and poor working conditions.
The rise of the “Driver Inc” phenomenon in Canada exacerbates this issue. These drivers, often foreign workers, are forced to incorporate themselves to bypass employers’ social obligations. Although this status is legal, it is frequently used to avoid paying social benefits such as employment insurance and retirement contributions. These self-employed drivers are thus vulnerable to exploitation, much like their European counterparts.
In both Canada and Europe, unions and associations are calling for stricter regulations to oversee the status of foreign workers. They emphasize the need to protect the rights of these workers and ensure the sustainability of the transport sector by preventing abuses that undermine competitiveness and working conditions in the trucking industry.
Risk of Deteriorating Working Conditions in Transport
Social dumping is one of the primary risks for Canada’s road transport sector, where companies hire foreign workers at low wages under conditions below Canadian standards. If not properly controlled, this could lead to a general decline in wages and working conditions across the trucking industry.
The exploitation of foreign truck drivers could intensify, with drivers subjected to low wages and excessive working hours, similar to the abusive conditions seen in Europe. Prolonged working conditions also pose significant risks to road safety, as fatigued drivers are more likely to cause accidents. As in Europe, some truck drivers in Canada could find themselves spending months on the road without returning home, exacerbating safety concerns.
The use of Drivers Inc in Canada presents another serious problem. By circumventing fiscal and social obligations, these practices deprive governments of critical revenue needed to fund social programs like employment insurance and retirement. Additionally, this creates unfair competition, penalizing companies that comply with labor standards and threatening the stability of the freight transport sector.
To prevent Canada from following Europe’s path, it is crucial to strengthen regulations in the trucking sector and ensure better protection for foreign workers. Strict enforcement of labor laws is also essential to protect these vulnerable workers and safeguard the sustainability of the road transport industry. Although Canada has not yet reached the level of exploitation seen in Europe, current trends indicate a real risk of moving in that direction. It is imperative to protect the integrity of the Canadian transport sector to prevent a deterioration in working conditions and to ensure fair practices while keeping roads safe for everyone.
