Eleven truck drivers from Zimbabwe, employed by a Czech-based company, have been on strike at German rest stops for a week, with some cases of intimidation and threats reported. The drivers, who were recruited in Zimbabwe, are being paid a lower wage than agreed upon, with some even having to pay for their own flights and visas.
In France, a driver reported that representatives of the company Autobatterien attempted to cut off the heating in his truck, while in Italy, another driver was threatened. In one incident, a driver in Germany was approached by three men with fake documents, who attempted to enter his cabin, prompting a police call.
The drivers, who are being paid as little as 875 euros a month, are being employed by Global Transporte, a company with ties to Hegelmann Group, a logistics firm based in Bruchsal, Germany. Hegelmann Group, which employs around 5,000 drivers across Europe, has been accused of exploiting its drivers.
The situation highlights the extent to which the transportation industry has expanded its networks to recruit and exploit drivers, often from developing countries, at the lowest possible wages. The drivers, who are being forced to live in their trucks, are a testament to the human cost of this industry’s practices.