“No, Thank You, Mr. Johnson!”: Polish Truck Drivers Reject UK’s Plea for Help Amid Crisis
As the UK grapples with a severe shortage of truck drivers, the repercussions are being felt across the nation. Grocery stores are witnessing empty shelves, petrol stations are running dry, and panic is spreading among the populace. The crisis has reached a point where a medical union has warned that doctors may soon be unable to visit patients due to the lack of fuel, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
The roots of this crisis lie in the dual impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. The pandemic has disrupted driving tests and training, while Brexit has led to the exodus of at least 20,000 truck drivers, predominantly from Eastern Europe. These drivers, who once formed the backbone of the UK’s logistics sector, are now reluctant to return.
In a bid to mitigate the crisis, the British government has mobilized 150 troops to refuel gas stations, with another 150 on standby. Additionally, London announced the issuance of urgent visas for foreign drivers, valid until December 24, primarily to assist in refueling efforts.
However, this offer has been met with skepticism and outright rejection from Polish truck drivers. “No, thank you, Mr. Johnson! I don’t want to work on the Island. Even for more money,” declared Jakub Paika, a Polish driver who left Britain due to Brexit. Paika’s sentiment is echoed by many of his compatriots who view the offer as insufficient and unappealing.
“No driver will return in just three months,” Paika emphasized, highlighting the impracticality of the short-term offer. Despite the potential for higher earnings in the UK, Paika and others believe the financial incentive does not outweigh the challenges and dangers associated with the job. These include the logistical difficulties of relocating, separation from family, and the risk of refugees attempting to stow away on trucks crossing the English Channel.
Jacek Rembikowski, another Polish driver who worked in the UK for seven years, also rejected the offer. “It was not clear what the working conditions would be for truck drivers and whether we would be able to stay there after Britain leaves the EU. And I already wanted to return home,” Rembikowski explained. He, like many others, has no intention of returning to the UK.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has attempted to downplay the crisis by suggesting that the driver shortage is not unique to the UK. However, experts and industry leaders disagree. Christoph Bender, head of the German oil companies’ union, assured that Germany currently has no difficulties with fuel supply. Energy expert Manuel Frondel of the RWI research institute attributed the UK’s crisis to its reliance on poorly paid Eastern European labor, which was disrupted by Brexit.
In response to the crisis, some UK food chains are offering salaries exceeding €60,000 a year to attract drivers. Yet, the European labor market has already absorbed many of the drivers who left the UK, and they are now employed in other EU countries. Frank Huster, head of the Federal Forwarding and Logistics Union, pointed out that drivers working in the EU cannot easily terminate their contracts to take up short-term work in the UK.
As the UK government scrambles for solutions, the reluctance of Eastern European drivers to return highlights the long-term challenges posed by Brexit and the pandemic. The road to recovery will require more than short-term fixes and higher wages; it will necessitate a comprehensive overhaul of the logistics sector and its working conditions.
