SWITZERLAND [NEWS SERVICE] ⋅ The Astag commercial vehicle association sharply criticizes the Federal Office of Public Health: it has “zero respect” for truck drivers. Because of the gastro lockdown, there are no more toilets for them.
(wap) All appeals to the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) to issue exceptional provisions for truck drivers have gone unheard, criticized the Swiss Commercial Vehicle Association Astag in a message on Monday. The result: “Numerous toilet facilities and showers that are accessible to professional drivers in normal times could no longer be used.”
It is the transport personnel who ensure basic supplies for the population in the current difficult situation. The fact that the federal government uses posters to call for hand washing and hygiene and at the same time denies the chauffeurs the opportunity to wash is a scandal for Astag: “Zero respect,” the association comments on the BAG’s position in the message.
This is now “urged with the utmost emphasis to act immediately in cooperation with the responsible authorities,” write the trucker. And: “This does not require any new posters, but immediate exemption provisions, structural facilities and proper personnel planning for cleaning the facilities.” Otherwise the authorities would expose themselves to the allegation of endangering basic services in Switzerland.
BAG does not see its responsibility
The BAG rejects the responsibility in a written reaction to CH Media: “The BAG is very aware of the problems for the transport industry and for the chauffeurs”, so the letter. But: “It is not up to the BAG to issue exceptions.” The cantons are responsible for individual approvals for truck restaurants. At critical points, restaurants could also be converted into take-aways. Here the transporters would have to work with Gastrosuisse. There are also no restrictions for showers and toilets.
The chauffeur union Les Routiers Suisses LRS, as the employee representative of the chauffeurs, had sounded the alarm before Christmas and pointed out unsustainable working conditions for drivers in an open letter to Federal Councilor Alain Berset. The deputy head of the Communicable Diseases Department at the FOPH, Patrick Mathys, then assured Radio SRF 1: “If there is a corresponding input, we will certainly check it.” With the announcement from Monday, Astag stands as employer representative behind the demands of LRS. They have the full support of Astag in the matter, says the message.
Astag cites the official rest areas of the Federal Roads Office (Astra) as a commendable exception: they reacted immediately in cooperation with the chauffeur association “Les Routiers Suisses” (LRS) and Astag.
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