Last month, the European Labour Authority (ELA) released a new study analysing the experiences of TNCs posted in the EU, focusing on Poland, Portugal, and Slovenia as case study countries.
The research maps contracting chains, recruitment patterns, and enforcement challenges, providing insights to help ELA and stakeholders better target operational activities. Findings show there are common challenges across labour sectors, including issues of underpayment, excessive working hours, and limited access to annual leave. Some sector-specific issues were also observed, particularly in the road transport and care sectors, where workers face accommodation difficulties and additional employment uncertainties.
Furthermore, there are uncertainties and lack of clarity surrounding visa and work permits, leading to job insecurity and legal vulnerability. Also, there are challenges around enforcement and the role of cooperation. The findings further highlight general issues with non-genuine posting and monitoring of letterbox companies.
While many irregularities reported are not specific to posted third-country nationals they are particularly vulnerable due to barriers in accessing information and lower likelihood of reporting problems to authorities. The study stresses that better coordination among enforcement authorities and social partners is essential to protecting workers’ rights.
La Strada International was present at the launch and LSI’s board director Eefje de Volder spoke on the exploitation of posted workers and information needs. Since 2020, La Strada International has been engaged in various projects related to the posting of workers in Europe; including the projects Postcare I and II, InfoRights and a new project to start soon, called Mobile. In the framework of the InfoRights project, LSI is currently supporting the development of a chatbot for workers and employers.