BRT owners towards the shutdown with demonstrations at territorial level, starting from Lombardy. Protest actions, which will be organized in the next few days, to draw the attention of public opinion, institutions and politics to what, according to Assotir, the association that has been engaged in a tug-of-war with the courier for months expressed, «It’s a Pandora’s box to be opened that doesn’t just concern BRT – he thundered Anna Vita Manigrassopresident of Assotir during a press conference – but other realities in the courier sector where the master’s domain of the client it is very extensive and appears to be in a dominant position to small and very small supplier companies».
Claudio Donati, secretary of Assotir explicitly asked for political intervention. «We ask – he said – that the institutions and politics take charge of this situation which today concerns BRT, but which it could also affect other realities in the future». Donati also announced the request for a hearing in Parliament, the involvement of some parliamentarians and a letter to GeoPost (La Poste Group), the express transport giant present in 49 countries around the world which controls over 75% of BRT.
What led to the breakdown of the negotiation table, started a few months ago between the delivery giant and Assotir and Unatras, was BRT’s refusal to recognize the formation of the “historic” suppliers as a consortium and to continue with the “dismissal” of the approximately 3,000 micro-businesses, historic suppliers for the last mile of the large courier with around 30 thousand vehicles, sending the cancellation of existing contracts with notice ranging from 30 to 90 days. Over half of BRT providers are single-client. «These are businesses – explained Donati – born on the input of the express courier which has also prevented their growth in various forms». In short, an army of family-run micro-businesses that are having their contracts canceled and that will not be able to comply with the instructions of the top management to continue to be suppliers of the company for which they have worked a lifetime. «According to our findings – continues Donati – only 5% of supplier companies could continue to work for BRTcomplying with their requests.”
Consortia denied and tariffs blocked
The story has its origins in the judicial administration to which BRT was subjected, accused in 2023 by the judges of capolarato, which was followed by the indication of a restructuring plan that the new leaders are working on. In this context, the need to reduce the number of suppliers was highlighted, looking for companies with more structured dimensions. «We proposed to gather into consortia – Donati said – the suitable entities, with the requirements requested by ethics and transparency, but the company (BRT, ed) told us no. The consortium seemed the right way to us to grow and structure these realities, who otherwise are destined to die. An unacceptable story. These are hauliers who made the success of BRT, clean companies, which have now become a problem regardless of merit.” There is also another front, namely the tariffs applied. «We know that the new BRT providers – adds Donati – they have rates up to 40 percent higher. Historical partners are paid less, establishing a subjection that leads them to remain small. Indeed, with contracts that oblige them to increase their salaries when they receive an increase in rates. In this way, small and medium-sized businesses are mere executors of the transport giants.”
