Lorry drivers launch lightning strike against Lidl in Mullingar

Drivers delivering for the supermarket giant Lidl have today begun a lightning strike outside the firm’s distribution depot in Mullingar.

At around 2pm, drivers who were onsite to load up deliveries for Lidl stores around the country refused to allow their trucks be reloaded, in protest over the delivery schedules.

According to drivers who spoke to The Westmeath Examiner today, the delivery runs are too tight time-wise, leaving drivers constantly in fear of breaching the laws regulating driver hours.

The drivers are not employed by Lidl directly, but by haulage firms that have delivery contracts with Lidl.

At the time of writing, talks are understood to be getting under way between Lidl and at least some of the approximately seven haulage firms involved in a bid to resolve the dispute.

The drivers say that under Ireland’s strict laws regulating truck drivers, they are allowed work two 15-hour shifts and three 13-hour shifts a week.

“However, for the 13-hour days, Lidl is setting out routes that take over 12 hours; and for the 15-hour shift days, routes that take over 14 hours,” one lorry driver stated.

He added that in some instances, where lorry drivers have run out of time, they have had to pull over on the side of the road and sleep in the cabs, because they are out of driving time.

“You don’t mind doing that on international runs – but you don’t want to have to pull in and sleep in your cab in Tullamore for the night,” he stated.

Lidl has issued this comment:

Lidl wishes to make it very clear that the drivers are not striking against Lidl.

Lidl does not employ drivers directly and all drivers are working for subcontractors hired by Lidl.

Lidl has planned a meeting on Monday with the relevant haulage companies in an attempt to understand the concerns their employees have with them.