Canadian truckers will “lose paying jobs” because of “unfair” competition from “drivers inc.” », Warns the boss of the Quebec trucking giant TFI International.
The president and CEO, Alain Bédard, even admitted to wondering about the future of the Canadian activities of the Montreal company, during a conference call on Friday, aimed at discussing the company’s results.
“This is the question we are asking ourselves,” replied the leader. Do we want to have $200 million in assets in an industry where we compete with guys who are not fair, who don’t pay benefits to their employees? »
The “driver inc. ” refers to a misclassification of workers as self-employed, meaning the company does not pay benefits or provide basic labor protections, even if the trucker works for a single employer.
This situation is denounced by many industry players, including the Quebec Trucking Association and the Robert Group.
The inability of smaller companies to compete with “drivers inc.” » could offer opportunities for small acquisitions for TFI, but overall, the regulatory context is unfavorable for the company, believes Mr. Bédard.
“Our overall business size is going to shrink (in the longer term) and people are going to lose paying jobs because of drivers inc. “, he warns.
This is not the first time that the manager has denounced “unfair” competition from drivers inc. He expressed his impatience with the governments’ response.
“After years and years, elected officials continue to make promises, but they do not deliver the goods. »