London, UK: The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has joined other transport organisations in warning that knee-jerk reactions to the Omicron variant by world leaders are putting transport workers and the global supply chain at greater risk of collapse.
Cross-border transport workers, including truck driversm must be able to continue to do their jobs, and cross borders without overly restrictive travel rules, to keep already ailing supply chains moving, according to the IRU, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).
They have jointly urged governments not to reimpose border restrictions that further limit the freedom of movement of international transport workers and learn from the lessons of the last two years.
The transport bodies argue that now is the time for heads of state to listen to industry leaders and workers, by taking decisive and coordinated action together to ease strain on the supply chain, and support an exhausted global transport workforce during the busy holiday season.
Umberto de Pretto, secretary general, IRU, said: “Once again, Covid history is repeating itself with governments unilaterally changing hundreds of rules affecting cross border transport workers within a matter of hours. Truck drivers are again caught in the middle and paying a heavy price in simply doing their job to keep global supply chains functioning. They, and all of us who rely on their service, deserve much better.”
A crisis meeting with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) to discuss the recommendations, and the impact that travel bans and other restrictions in response to the Omicron variant will have on transport workers and the global supply chain is scheduled for Monday 6 December.
