drivers

KPTU-TruckSol member killed during strike action

Mark_D — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:50:45 +0000

KPTU-TruckSol member killed during strike action

KPTU-TruckSol member run over, two more injured, after police forcibly break sit-down protest.

A Korean trade union member was killed on Monday after he was run over when police forcibly pushed workers engaged in a sit-down protest at a logistics centre in Southern Gyeongsan Province, Korea.

The KPTU-TruckSol member was taking part in a strike protest at a CU Logistics Centre, part of a strike action by TruckSol CU members which has been underway since April 5.

Two other TruckSol members were injured in the collision with a 2.5 tonne box truck replacement transport vehicle, which police present at the scene had allowed to depart. The union member was run over, and by the time he arrived at a local hospital his heart had stopped.

“This is an absolutely tragic death which simply should never have happened. Our movement has lost a trade unionist who was in the middle of peacefully and lawfully demanding that the rights of the workers he represents must be upheld,” said ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton.

ITF Regional Secretary for the Asia-Pacific, Scott McDine, said: “Our deepest condolences go out to our brother’s family, colleagues and friends, and to all the members of KPTU-TruckSol, who are understandably shocked, deeply saddened and angry at what has happened. It is vital that there is a serious investigation into precisely what has happened, and that anyone bearing responsibility is held to account.”

The strike action was against dire working conditions for truck drivers and a refusal to meet a request for collective bargaining by BGF Retail – which instead sought to worsen conditions further while also initiating damages suits against striking workers.

KPTU-TruckSol members delivering goods for convenience store chain, CU, work at the bottom of a three-tier contracting chain, with BGF Retail (the CU convenience store operator) at the top, followed by BGF Logis (logistics subsidiary), subcontracted trucking companies, and owner drivers at the bottom.

Drivers must cover all the costs of operations, which requires them to make two runs a day – one run would mean operating at a loss – and work upwards of 13 hours, to make around KRW 3 million (USD2,000) per month. Drivers regularly work night shifts without allowances and work an average of 25-26 days a month with minimal breaks.

Drivers cannot rest when they are sick because they are responsible for the costs of hiring a replacement driver, while they also endure extreme weather conditions and regularly engage in loading and unloading tasks, leading to severe occupational safety and health (OSH) related issues.

Flemming Overgaard, President of 3F Transport, Denmark, and ITF Road Transport Section Chair, said: “Words cannot express how deeply saddening and troubling our brother's death is.

"While this should never have happened, I believe that our fellow union member would have wanted all of us to continue the fight he was leading – to stand in solidarity with KPTU-TruckSol, the fight for Safe Rates and the fair working conditions KPTU-TruckSol members deserve. This is a fight that we will support until KPTU-TruckSol drivers win what should be theirs by right."

Mark_D 22 Apr 2026

safe rates

road transport

drivers

Global report reveals road transport in crisis: unsafe pay systems driving deaths, exploitation and corruption

Rosalyn Smith — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:51:35 +0000

Global report reveals road transport in crisis: unsafe pay systems driving deaths, exploitation and corruption

A report from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) exposes dangerous working conditions and deadly consequences for road transport workers across five continents.

The study, Commercial pressures, working conditions, and safety risks in the road transport industry, featuring interviews with over 170 workers in India, Kenya, Brazil, South Korea, and Australia, reveals how low pay, piece rate pay systems, extreme hours, unsafe vehicles and roads, and exploitative industry structures are fuelling a global road safety crisis.

In most countries, workers are still trapped in deadly cycles of exploitation. Figures show a large majority of workers in Kenya experience fatigue (81.5% of those surveyed) and stress (64%) on the job, while close to half (49.2%) have experienced falling asleep at the wheel. In South Korea, truck drivers account for a staggering 53.2% of highway fatalities, while in Australia, articulated trucks are three times more likely to be involved in fatal crashes than passenger cars.

“This research lays bare a global crisis in road transport. When drivers are forced to choose between safety and survival, everyone on the road is at risk,” said Noel Coard, ITF Inland Transport Section Secretary. “It’s no coincidence that where Safe Rates are implemented, lives are saved and standards rise. Governments must stop ignoring the evidence: Safe Rates are not optional, they are urgent.”

The ITF is demanding immediate action to implement Safe Rates systems globally, including policy frameworks that ensure truck drivers are paid fairly and operate safely, with obligations on all industry stakeholders and a seat at the table for trade unions.

“We were constantly pushed to do more, to overload, to miss breaks and to not record jobs in our logbooks… I don't know how I was functioning.” Australian driver

Key findings from the report include:

In India, commercial vehicles account for 23% of all road deaths despite making up just 4.4% of vehicles on the roads. Truck drivers work up to 24 hours a day, earn as little as USD67/month, and face systemic corruption – paying up to EUR 5.1 million annually in bribes to avoid harassment by enforcement officers.
In Kenya, road fatalities jumped 17% between 2019 to 2023, driven in part by low pay and algorithmic pressure in ride-hailing apps. Forty-nine percent of ride-hailing workers surveyed admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, while 81.5% experienced fatigue.
In Brazil, self-employed truckers face starvation rates, cargo theft, and deteriorating health. Drivers sleep on the streets without restrooms or security while waiting to unload, risking assault and robbery. Poor road conditions, cargo theft, and no access to healthcare are major risks. Brazil’s Safe Rates law exists but is plagued by weak enforcement.

“Since the Safe Rates system was sunsetted… we’re sleeping in trucks for six days straight. Fatigue is building up. It’s unbearable.” Korean truck driver

“Safe Rates save lives”

Evidence from Australia and South Korea proves that these systems reduce road deaths, improve driver wellbeing, and strengthen industry standards.

The Safe Rates system in New South Wales saved over 200 lives, but pressure from transport buyers and gig platforms continues to undermine safety nationwide. New national regulations under the Closing Loopholes Act No. 2 amendment to the Fair Work Act are a positive step – will expectations that conditions and safety will improve if they are adequately resourced and enforced.

In South Korea, the 2020–2022 Safe Rates system dramatically improved pay, reduced overloading and fatigue, and slashed dangerous driving practices. Its removal led to a 34% income drop, longer hours, and a return of deadly cost-cutting.

ITF’s General Secretary, Stephen Cotton, said “This report is a wake-up call. Behind every road crash statistic is a worker pushed beyond human limits – by greed, by broken laws, and by supply chains built on exploitation. Safe Rates save lives. Governments and industry must act now.”

ITF demands immediate action:

Enforce Safe Rates worldwide: Ensure workers are paid fairly for safe hours, with costs of maintenance and safety factored into pricing.
Repeal punitive laws like India’s BNS 106(2) that blame workers for systemic failures.
Include unions at the table: Workers must help shape the standards that govern their livelihoods.
End impunity for transport buyers and companies that push down prices and ramp up risks.
Invest in road safety: Infrastructure, rest areas, vehicle maintenance, and healthcare access must be priorities.

“You are unsafe with your truck. You’re urinating on a pole. You are subject to a fine and no pay for unloading.” Brazilian truck driver.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The ITF is a global federation representing 16.5 million transport workers in 150 countries.
Full report and multimedia content available at [link]
Interviews with spokespeople and workers available on request.

For media enquiries, contact: Rosalyn Smith, Media Manager, on media@itf.org.uk or +447522 229623

Rosalyn Smith 18 Jun 2025

Unions rally globally for fair pay, good jobs and safe roads

Rosalyn Smith — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:34:55 +0000

Unions rally globally for fair pay, good jobs and safe roads

A week of action demanding fair pay and decent working conditions for drivers to tackle fatigue launches today spearheaded by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and affiliated road transport unions.

The 2025 ITF Safe Rates Action Week (19-25 June) launches today, backed by dozens of unions and campaigns worldwide. Timed to coincide with the European Transport Workers’ Federation’s Day of Action against Driver Fatigue on 21 June, the week will focus on mobilising workers. It also calls on governments, businesses, and civil society to confront the commercial pressures threatening lives on the roads and adopt ‘Safe Rates’ that guarantee fair pay and decent working conditions to keep drivers and the public safe.

“Pressure from low pay, poor working conditions, and lack of rest is killing drivers,” said Flemming Overgaard, ITF Road Transport Section Chair. “The data shows it, and drivers are living it. In Europe, 60% of truck drivers and 66% of bus and coach drivers report regularly driving while fatigued. Governments and companies can change this situation and save lives by setting fair and safe standards for pay and conditions and working together to enforce them.”

“For too many professional drivers, every day is the longest day. Fatigue is systematically built into their working conditions. This is a safety crisis created by unfair pay, poor enforcement, unreasonable pressure, and supply chains that prioritise the lowest price over a sustainable road transport industry,” said Livia Spera, ETF General Secretary.

A dangerous industry pushed to the brink

New ITF-commissioned research, Commercial Pressures, Working Conditions, and Safety Risks in the Road Transport Industry, reveals the shocking conditions faced by drivers globally:

In India, commercial vehicles account for 23% of all road deaths despite making up just 4.4% of vehicles on the roads. Truck drivers report working 16-20 hours a day, making monthly salaries as low as USD67, and facing informality, poor vehicle conditions and widespread corruption.
In Kenya, road fatalities jumped 17% between 2019 to 2023, driven in part by low pay and algorithmic pressure in ride-hailing apps. Forty-nine percent of ride-hailing workers surveyed admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, while 81.5% experienced fatigue.
In Brazil, self-employed truck drivers report being unable to earn enough money to cover the cost of their vehicles. Explaining the impact one worker said, the driver “is sleepy, tired… he does not eat right, gets stressed, nervous, accidents happen.”

These findings underline the root cause of fatigue and road crashes lies not with individual drivers, but with an industry structure in which a few powerful companies profit by squeezing pay and imposing unsafe schedules, while workers and the public pay with their lives.

The study also shows that the Safe Rates systems that sets fair standards for pay and conditions can lead to real improvements:

In South Korea, after the Safe Rates system was introduced, the number of drivers regularly falling asleep at the wheel fell by 25.8%. Speeding and overloading also decreased significantly.
In New South Wales, Australia, the Safe Rates system saved at least 205 lives that would have been lost in articulated truck crashes over recent years. New legal amendments promise to expand these positive outcomes on a national scale.

A week of global action

The ITF Safe Rates Action Week kicks off with a launch event in Berlin on 19 June, followed by an event, The Danger is Rolling Towards Us, co-hosted by the German union ver.di and the ETF at the Euro-Park Rasthof in Herbolzheim on 20 June.

Outreach to drivers will take place throughout the week in corridors and border areas in Europe, Latin America, Africa and the Arab world. Protest, action, tripartite stakeholder forums and other events are planned in several countries including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, Kenya, India, Indonesia, Nepal, South Korea and Uganda demanding legal reforms and industry accountability.

The ITF is calling on all road transport workers, unions and supporters around the world to join the campaign, with resources and materials available at a new Safe Rates campaign website.

“The way forward is clear: Safe Rates save lives,” said Stephen Cotton, ITF General Secretary. “When drivers are paid fairly, they don’t have to speed, skip rest, or risk their lives to make ends meet. Governments and industry stakeholders must act now to set and enforce fair standards in road transport together. We call on companies who depend on road transport to work with the ITF to make road transport fair, safe, sustainable and inclusive.”

#SafeRatesSaveLives

Notes

What are Safe Rates? 

Guaranteeing Safe Rates mean drivers are paid fairly for all the time they work, allowing them to make enough money to drive safely and support their families. If drivers own their own vehicles, Safe Rates are calculated to ensure that they can cover the cost of purchasing, maintaining, and operating them. Safe Rates can be guaranteed through multi-stakeholder agreements, or legal regulatory systems which:

Set standards for pay and conditions that are fair and equal for all drivers
Hold all industry stakeholders accountable, including the companies at the top of road transport supply chains
Include strong provisions on monitoring and enforcement
Involve unions in the process of setting, monitoring, and enforcing standards.

Rosalyn Smith 18 Jun 2025

Delivery Hero’s hidden risks: why investors must act now

Rosalyn Smith — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:07:08 +0000

Delivery Hero’s hidden risks: why investors must act now

As Delivery Hero heads into its 18 June AGM today, investors face a pressing question: is the company’s business model sustainable, or is it a ticking ESG time bomb?

With operations in 70 countries, under an umbrella of 298 companies, and nearly 850,000 riders in its value chain, Delivery Hero is one of the world’s largest food delivery groups by revenue and active users.

But behind the convenience of app-based meal delivery lies an industry increasingly defined by legal uncertainty, algorithmic control, and worker exploitation. That is no longer just a social issue, it’s an investor risk. Questions must be urgently addressed to understand how the current business model affects workers and whether this model is actually sustainable.

Misclassification is a ticking time bomb

For years, unions have been flagging that online platforms regularly misclassify workers as “independent contractors” to deny them rights and benefits, despite controlling the work that they are doing. Why does this matter to investors? Because the company’s business model depends on classifying riders as self-employed contractors, a strategy that cuts costs but exposes Delivery Hero to mounting legal, regulatory, and reputational risk.

Delivery Hero admits in its own 2024 Corporate Report that "a key challenge of the delivery industry is the legal status of riders." It lists this as its top strategic risk. And with good reason: the group has already lost misclassification cases in Spain and Italy, and more litigation is likely.

Investors in Europe should also take note: the newly passed EU Platform Work Directive and the upcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) create a legal landscape in which worker classification – and how companies treat those in their supply chain if there are already clear indications of labour rights risks – will become core compliance and reporting requirements. And for the first time on the 4 June, countries at the International Labour Organization voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strong international Convention on platform work, during its first year of discussions.

The algorithm is boss

Across Delivery Hero brands – from Glovo in Spain to Baedal Minjok in South Korea – platform workers report being penalised or deactivated by algorithms without clear explanation or appeal. Riders who reject dangerous jobs in bad weather risk being downgraded or cut off entirely. Their livelihoods can disappear in a click. Any human rights due diligence approach needs to include a ban on unfair deactivations – with written explanations, human review, and access to appeal.

This isn’t just a labour issue, it’s a transparency problem and a governance red flag. Algorithmic management needs proper oversight. If Delivery Hero can’t demonstrate fair and explainable use of data and AI, it risks backlash not only from regulators but also from consumers and ESG benchmarks.

Transparency, consultation, and bargaining rights should be in place before algorithms are deployed. Given that these platforms collect massive amounts of personal data, the workers generating it should have full data rights – including access, correction, portability of personal data, and protection from misuse or profiling.

Are workers safe, and what is the company doing to protect riders?

In 2024, Delivery Hero set a shockingly low target: reduce rider accident rates by just 7% compared to 2023. For a company whose frontline workforce numbers nearly a million people, this is not a serious safety goal – it’s hard for unions not to be deeply cynical about such a KPI. On one hand, it concerns the daily risk of injury, disability, or death for riders constantly exposed to traffic, pollution, extreme heat, and dangerous weather. On the other, it unlocks fat bonus packages for top executives.

Framing such a marginal improvement as progress is not just unambitious, i reveals a staggering disconnect between the lived realities of riders and the priorities of those in the boardroom. Investors must demand far more credible and ambitious targets.

Turkish and Argentine unions have already documented rising accident rates. Riders in Uganda have flagged up how the self-employed model leaves them without sick or holiday pay, while most of the money they do make goes on expenses like maintenance, equipment and fuel. These are the ‘hidden costs’ of platform work.

Transparency starts with recognition

Brand is key in this fast-moving consumer market. But the reality is that Delivery Hero has a fragmented brand structure – Glovo, Foodora, PedidosYa, Talabat, and more – that hides the true scale and structure of its workforce.

This opacity shields the group from accountability and complicates oversight. Customers may not be aware that all of these brands are in fact owned by the same group. The same is true of the riders and delivery drivers who may not know who is ultimately benefitting from their work.

Across all of its 11 Delivery Hero brands, riders are united behind one message: deliver #Rights4Riders everywhere the company operates. From South Korea to Spain, they are calling for safe conditions, a living wage, fair algorithms, and the right to organise. Delivery Hero must meet them at the table.

The bottom line - Investors cannot look away

If Delivery Hero wants to maintain its leadership in a sector facing global regulatory pressure, it needs to change. And shareholders – pension funds, asset managers and other institutional investors – have the power and responsibility to push it there. If investors are serious about ESG and meeting their own human rights due diligence commitments, now is the time to act. That means:

Demanding full disclosure of rider classification and labour conditions across all brands.
Demanding full social protections for all riders regardless of their classification and across all brands.
Requiring transparent algorithms with safeguards against unfair deactivation.
Calling for union engagement and collective bargaining in every market.
Insisting on meaningful safety targets and real investment in risk prevention.

Investors must also push for stronger KPIs that tie executive remuneration to real-world outcomes, not just marginal improvements. The company has said it wants to "Raise the Bar." It's time to prove it.

Rider’s demands

Riders around the world have united behind four clear, non-negotiable demands that Delivery Hero must meet to guarantee safe, fair and dignified work for everyone on its platforms.

Fair pay: Pay us a living wage – including pay for every minute we work, including waiting time.
Safer work: Take responsibility for workplace injuries and protecting us from violence and harassment.
Algorithmic transparency: Consult and negotiate with us on how algorithms assign work, evaluate performance and set pay.
Right’s at work: Respect our fundamental rights to join a union and collectively bargain.

Rosalyn Smith 18 Jun 2025

Fixing driver shortages: new global plan launched by employers and unions

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Fixing driver shortages: new global plan launched by employers and unions

21 June 2023, Geneva, London – IRU, the world road transport employers' organisation, representing more than 3.5 million road transport operators, and ITF, the International Transport Workers’ Federation, representing 18.5 million transport workers, have today launched a three-point plan to help fix driver shortages.

The new approach aims to ease driver shortages and transport labour market imbalances, ensure decent working conditions and standards for drivers working outside of their home country, and simplify and enforce rules for workers and employers.

IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said, “Driver shortages are quickly getting out of control. Balancing global labour supply and demand via simple measures to ease legal immigration and stop exploitation of non-resident drivers is one way to fix the problem, support decent work and keep vital road transport services moving.”

ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton said, “Governments, transport employers, and the multinational customers of transport must work together with trade unions to build decent work to end driver shortages. Road transport will only be able to attract and retain drivers if it is built on cooperation between all stakeholders and rightsholders to ensure decent work, fundamental labour rights and genuine social protections.”

The plan outlines action for the UN, national governments and the industry:

UN and international organisations – develop a global framework with clear guidelines to protect non-resident drivers; improve driver conditions and increase social cohesion; and harmonise qualification standards and cross-border recognition.
National governments – amend and enforce labour immigration procedures to protect non-resident drivers, reduce bureaucracy to allow easier legal immigration for current and potential drivers; boost recognition of third-country qualifications via bilateral agreements; invest in and increase enforcement of road transport laws and regulations; and subsidise domestic training and integration programmes.
Road transport operators – develop operational integration programmes for non-resident drivers to receive the same conditions as their domestic workforce; and support training, skills management and certification processes.

The plan aims to better balance national labour pools – between those with a surplus and those with a deficit of driver talent – without exporting problems from one country to another. It should not override existing national initiatives, or harm safety standards or worker conditions.

The chronic global shortage of professional truck, bus, coach and taxi drivers is accelerating, impacting millions of road transport workers, employers and services. Around 11 percent of driver positions were unfilled in 2022. With up to one third of drivers retiring within the next three years in many countries, unfilled driver positions could more than double by 2026.

Governments, unions and operators are driving multiple actions, but it is not enough. Other solutions include subsidising license and training costs, building more safe and secure parking areas with better facilities, encouraging more women and young people into the profession, and improving the treatment of drivers and understanding of the profession.

Media contacts:ITF: Luke Menzies, media@itf.org.ukIRU: John Kidd, press@iru.org

Anonymous (not verified) 21 Jun 2023

ITF supports truck protest in Australian cities

andy_k-g — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 17:01:26 +0000

ITF supports truck protest in Australian cities

An ITF delegation has been in Australia to support a massive demonstration by truck drivers.

Trucks converged at points in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide as part of the action by the Transport Workers’ Union.

https://twitter.com/TWUAus/status/1112614630537347072

Drivers are demanding greater safety and fairness in the industry. Last month alone, 27 people died in truck crashes in Australia, including nine truck drivers.

The workers want an end to the deadly, economic pressure they are under to work long hours, drive too fast and skip mandatory rest breaks.

https://www.facebook.com/TWUAus/videos/2168047913279939/?__xts__%5B0%5D…

Driver Tony Matthews said: “It’s not hard to work out that if drivers aren’t paid an appropriate rate, they can’t maintain their trucks or take their rest breaks. That’s why we need urgent change to make sure all drivers are safe on the roads.”

ITF head of inland transport Noel Coard spoke at the protest in Sydney: “In Australia, and all over the world, multinationals like Aldi must take responsibility for transport workers in their supply chains. We need safe rates of pay, for the good of truck drivers and all road user”.

https://twitter.com/7NewsSydney/status/1112252626987421697

andy_k-g 03 Apr 2019

drivers

KPTU-TruckSol member killed during strike action

KPTU-TruckSol member run over, two more injured, after police forcibly break sit-down protest.

Global report reveals road transport in crisis: unsafe pay systems driving deaths, exploitation and corruption

A report from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) exposes dangerous working conditions and deadly consequences for road transport workers across five continents.

Unions rally globally for fair pay, good jobs and safe roads

A week of action demanding fair pay and decent working conditions for drivers to tackle fatigue launches today spearheaded by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and affiliated road transport unions.

Delivery Hero’s hidden risks: why investors must act now

As Delivery Hero heads into its 18 June AGM today, investors face a pressing question: is the company’s business model sustainable, or is it a ticking ESG time bomb?

Fixing driver shortages: new global plan launched by employers and unions

ITF supports truck protest in Australian cities

ITF welcomes safe rates ruling in Australia

Safe rates planning in Argentina