Foreign riders union: "They work as slaves"

- It's not the drivers we have to go on, it's the system. The drivers work as slaves, says Tommy Jonsson at the Swedish Transport Workers' Union.

The Swedish Transport Workers' Association testifies to alcohol and crime among drivers. One of the reasons behind this is poor working conditions, such as long shifts and months away from home.

- We see a lot of alcohol, they live in a truck for eight months - then it's easy to bring the bottle, unfortunately. They live like slaves, says Tommy Jonsson about the drivers' situation.

Another is different conditions, depending on where the workforce comes from.

Swedish and Romanian trade unions have met in Örebro, to discuss working conditions and to inform Romanian drivers. According to Tommy Jonsson and the Transport Workers' Union, it happens that Swedish companies take in foreign workers, who later have to work on conditions other than their own staff.

- It must be the same condition for everyone, because we need the foreign workforce, says Jonsson.