Bol.com delivery drivers on strike

By Emma Rapaport on October 7, 2014 - 15:26
Bol.com
Image: bol.comImage: bol.com

Fifty freelance couriers contracted by PostNL, DHL and UPS have taken action against Bol.com, alleging poor working conditions and financial exploitation. Bol.com’s offer of free delivery has become a target for the FNV trade union who claims that it is the couriers who pay the price for cheap parcel delivery. 

Union members protested outside Bol.com headquarters on Monday, bearing signs with the words “Bol.com: organising slave labor”. The couriers have also posted a list of demands to the management of Bol.com.

The Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO) joined up with FNV to examine the impact of measures clients take in the transportation sector to prevent and mitigate social abuse, showing that regular visits to the workplace, and consultations between delivery staff and unions are necessary aspects of a courier/client relationship.

“Due to the lack of controls by government, it is relatively easy for a companies to self-regulate and control quality requirements, leading to the exploitation of the driver,” said researcher Fleur Scheele to Logistiek.nl. “Until now, clients have made no active attempts to influence the social policies of transporters and violations go undetected. "

Director of FNV Egon Green says that PostNL, with its eighty percent market share, places tremendous pressure on the working conditions on employees, calling for the end of the practice of employing freelance and independent contractors under poor working conditions.

FNV is in front of multiple actions against postal and delivery companies, calling for the salary increase of 22,000 workers last week.

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