Seven out of ten foreign drivers get illegally low wages

truckTruck.Photo: pixabay.com

Seven out of ten foreign drivers who have been checked in Norway over the last two years are receiving illegally low wages. This shows fresh numbers from the Labour Inspection Authority.

When foreign drivers drive domestic transport, they must receive the minimum wage of 167 kroner and 50 øre per hour. A majority do not get what they are entitled to, according to the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority’s checks, NRK reports.

“Seven out of ten of foreign inspected drivers during the period 2016-2017 had illegal payment terms,” ​​says Morten Lien, Senior Engineer at the Labor Inspection.

Until now, the Labour Inspectorate has carried out 184 inspections of foreign drivers on the so-called cabotage trips. The survey has been completed based on 115 of them, of which 74 per cent had received illegally low wages.

“Some drivers are driving for less than 50 kroner an hour and small subsistance allowance,” says Lien. But the salary may vary from 10 kroner too little to more than 100 kroner below the minimum wage, he says.

“When Norwegian drivers may get 200 kroner an hour, Norwegian carriers struggle to compete with those who get around five pounds per hour,” says Lien.

Norwegian truck owners are worried about the numbers.

– That so many of the inspected drivers are paid below the minimum wage is obviously serious. This goes effects Norwegian jobs, Norwegian business and, above all, it creates a new subclass that works for sub- standard pay in order for us to get cheaper transport, “says Managing Director of the Norwegian Freight Association,  Geir A. Mo.

 

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today

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