Vlantana Norway is most likely to have systematically underpaid its drivers for a long time, according to The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority in a new report based on two unannounced visits this summer. Mowi, who is on Vlantana Norway’s customer list, carried out audits against the parent company Vlantana UAB, without revealing any breach.
“They are hired exclusively on 50 per cent contracts and receive wages thereafter, but according The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, they are doing a job that corresponds to a full-time position. In addition, a significant number of Vlantana Norway drivers drive at night, without receiving extra paid. The result is, in practice, that the drivers are running at a wage rate that makes up half of what is required by law,” wrote Lastebil.no, pointing to examples of how Vlantana Norway deceived their customers.
Lastebil.no recently uncovered conditions related to bad pay and working conditions for drivers employed in Vlantana Norway. It has presented a number of pieces of evidence they believe supports the allegations.
Mowi is preparing measures
Schenker was one of the companies that used Vlantana Norway, but on Wednesday they terminated the agreement after discovering that documentation obtained in previous revisions of Vlantana Norway was incorrect.
Mowi is also on the customer list for Vlantana Norway. According to Lastebil.no, the salmon farmer did not carry out audit against Vlantana Norway, but did so for its Lithuanian parent company Vlantana UAB, without having revealed a breach.
Director of Communications Ola Helge Hjetland said Mowi is planning and preparing his own measures against Vlantana Norway. Hjetland did not want to comment on any consequences at this time.
“Serious, but not serious”
Lastebil.no has tried to contact Vlantana Norway CEO Terje Larssen and chairman Vladas Stoncius Jr. several times for further comments, without getting answers. Previously, Stoncius Jr. claimed that individual, customized contracts are signed with each driver in the company, depending on how much the employee wants to work. When Vlantana Norway submitted employment contracts for 238 drivers to The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority, all showed the drivers worked 50 per cent.
CEO Terje Larssen was hired less than a month ago. Speaking to the publication Romerikes Blad, Larssen said they are working their way through the report and investigating what The Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority has pointed out.
“It is serious, but not critical, given how long we have been able to initiate measures against the orders we have been given. We will also start these before the deadline expires March 25 next year,” said Larssen.
