Uncertainty over EU workers’ future employment rights is a “major concern” given that 10% of the UK’s driver workforce is from the EU, the FTA has warned.

In a new report, The driver shortage: issues and trends, the FTA highlights the UK’s reliance on the 31,542 EU
drivers in the sector; a figure up 25% from last year’s
25,109, and up 65% on 2014’s 19,062.

The association’s deputy chief executive James Hookham urged the government “to ensure its Brexit negotiations afford special status to logistics and allow
for this employment to continue so that the industry is not hit by another driver shortage crisis”.

David Coombes, MD of Logistics Job Shop and Skills for Logistics, agreed that securing the rights of EU workers should be the government’s priority when it comes to Brexit.

“This uncertainty should be the first point of negotiation and the first thing they decide on,” he said.

In the lead up to the EU referendum, a report by recruiters Adecco and Nova Contracting said that the UK couldn’t afford to lose the 144,000 workers emp-loyed across the UK transport industry (including warehousing), especially given the sector-wide skills shortage it already faces.

Adam Hawkins, MD of Adecco UK, said: “Under a scenario where free movement of labour no longer applies and EU workers are subjected to the same visa requirements that are in place for non-EEA (European Economic Area) workers, 88% of EU workers in the UK would fail to qualify.”

This, he added, could create a “serious challenge” to businesses across the UK.

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