"Harassment and retaliation: The latest scourge for Filipino truck drivers in Europe,"

... As Europe’s shortage of truck drivers reaches what trade unions have called “crisis levels,” drivers like [Jojo] Gulle continue to bear the brunt...

Gulle suspects that his employer, Trucksbanden Koning BV/TBK Transport PL (TBK Transport), orchestrated the theft [of his personal documents] in retaliation for Gulle’s cooperation with trade unions lobbying for just working conditions and wages for drivers...

On Gulle’s allegations, TBK owner Zeriosa Julian said, “How would I know where his documents are? We provided him assistance to replace those documents. Beyond that, there is nothing more I can do for him.”...

Gulle furnished Rappler with a copy of a list detailing 15 complaints against TBK Transport. The various violations of Dutch labor laws range from low payment and delayed payment of wages, no health and insurance, lack of transparency in deductions made on driver’s salaries by not issuing payslips...

The Dutch Federation of Trade Union (FNV), which represents truck drivers, confirmed that the organization is filing a class action suit against TBK for non-compliance with wage regulations. FNV is demanding backpay of wages owed to drivers, as well as payment of wages in accordance with Dutch labor laws.

Julian, the owner of TBK, slammed the allegations in the FNV class action suit as “lies” and “bullsh*t” based on “fake information.”...

“This company (TBK) is expanding rapidly and is putting all their trucks on the road. They are hiring drivers from India, Sri Lanka, and even from countries within the European Union to fill in the gap,” said [Edwin] Atema who was a former truck driver himself...

Poland has become the backdoor to Europe for drivers coming from the Philippines. Apart from being known for its lax issuance of work and residence permits to foreign workers, Poland allows transport companies to register their companies in the country and operate within the European Union...

This allows companies to pay drivers low monthly minimum wages of about $780 but earn from operating in the most affluent countries like Germany and the Netherlands. Drivers in these countries earn up to double or triple that amount for doing the same job.

[Subscription required.]