Industrial Relations in Europe 2012 - European Commission - Europa

partners in this sector. At the final conference of the project, which took place in December 2012,
the social partners issued joint recommendations (a) to support their members in taking measures
that help to increase security and the feeling of security of staff and passengers vi-à-vis third-party
violence, (b) to contribute to improving working conditions in rail passenger transport, and (c) to
initiate strategies aimed at preventing and handling third-party violence at work via practical
measures in its communication, prevention, intervention and aftercare.
The sectoral social partners in public transport addressed also the problems of physical insecurity
and the feeling of insecurity in their sector (caused by, for example, threats from passengers). In
2003 they decided on a joint approach to this issue and jointly agreed on recommendations to tackle
these problems. In 2011 the social partners examined the progress made in the sector since 2003
and published their observations in a report which stated that the implementation process of the
recommendations can be judged as positive. Nevertheless, the document indicates that there still
room for improvement.
Working conditions
The sectoral social dialogue committee in road transport was consulted in 2010 on the
Commission's plans to improve the digital tachograph system. The sectoral social partners IRU and
ETF agreed on a Joint Statement on the review of the tachograph regulation, which the
Commission took into consideration when preparing its proposal to amend Council Regulation
(EEC) No 3821/85 on recording equipment in road transport. In their joint opinion, the social
partners stress the importance of the digital tachograph for ensuring the respect of drivers’ working
conditions, the improvement of road safety and fair competition between transport operators. The
IRU and ETF welcomed the review of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3821/85 as a means to
improve its performance and strengthen its ability to meet the above-mentioned objectives. For both
sides of industry, it is essential that the device be made effectively resistant to fraudulent
manipulation so that it provides reliable and trustworthy data on driver activities, which is crucial
for its functions. While maintaining and improving its functions, the IRU and ETF want the device
to be more efficient to operate and better integrated within the working environment.
As a follow-up to their common criteria for rest facilities drawn up in 2006 and taking into account
the Council Resolution of 8-9 November 2010 on preventing and combating road freight crime and
providing secure truck parking areas, IRU and ETF adopted a Joint statement on parking along
Europe's road transport network on 5 July 2011. In this, they call for proper parking provision and
facilitation of access in order to meet political, social and read safety imperatives. Considering that
the lack of adequate parking and rest facilities impact on the quality of rest of professional drivers,
leading to an increased risk of fatigue and ultimately impacting in a negative way on road safety,
IRU and ETF call for the European Commission to adopt a coordinating role in improving the
provision of accessible, secure, and free parking areas and rest facilities for professional drivers.
The social partners also call on governments to ensure that parking areas do not become magnets
for crime and to build or upgrade significantly more secure parking areas to enable industry to
remain compliant with EU regulations and improve road safety and working conditions for drivers
and operators.
The social partners in the private security industry, the Confederation of European Security
Services (CoESS) and UNI Europa, signed a joint opinion on the revision of the public procurement
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