Above all, the CLC criticises that the government has still not reached an agreement with neighbouring countries on a convention.
Such an agreement would allow bus and lorry drivers to remain insured in Luxembourg, even if they carry out more than 25% of their activity in their country of residence.
The large majority of a transport company’s clients are often based abroad, and it is regular practice for them to send their drivers across the Grand Duchy’s borders for more than 25% of their working time. And it is indeed often the case, that the drivers spend that time in their respective country of residence.
In a recent speech, Minister of Social Security Romain Schneider stated that only 2% to 3% of employees in the road transport industry would be affected by this measure. If these figures are so low, it is because companies have been forced to “fiddle”, according to Nicolas Henckes, the CLC’s director.
Henckes explains that what allows the companies to avoid having “high figures” is their own effort to organise themselves in a way that, for instance, “German drivers drive in France and French drivers drive in Germany”.
According to the CLC, 66% of the 7,300 lorry drivers employed in Luxembourg come from the three neighbouring countries, as do a quarter of the 3,750 bus drivers employed in the Grand Duchy.
If affiliation to the local social security system is abolished, employers will lack one of their most convincing arguments to attract new workers.
Henckes points out that Luxembourg road transport industry already has “enormous difficulties” finding drivers. This change will reduce the net salary of these drivers even more because of the transfer to foreign systems, a factor which “will certainly not improve the situation”.
The CLC criticises that the current European regulation, which dictates this course of action, does not take into account the particular situation of a small country such as Luxembourg.
It would be regrettable if the Luxembourg government did not defend the interests of Luxembourg-based companies, Henckes adds. The CLC calls on the Minister for Social Security to act, stressing that he “finally has to get in touch with the other countries and start negotiations as soon as possible”.
Social insurance for cross-border workers in the road transport industry must be treated with the same urgency as the teleworking agreements, the CLC concludes.
