UPS package drivers in Karlsruhe: under pressure and without wages!

UPS package drivers in Karlsruhe: under pressure and without wages!

In Karlsruhe, the packet drivers of UPS are under strong pressure and draw attention to serious grievances. Report by bnn.de The employees of subcontractors feel abandoned in parcel delivery. In particular, it is criticized that the conditions for the employees are sometimes dangerous and many of them have not received any wages at times. It is believed that UPS's management in Karlsruhe was informed about these grievances.

The problems are not only limited to the company itself, but also show themselves in the delivery problems in the Murgtal. Residents report weeks of delays in postal delivery, which leads to massive inconvenience. A resident from Gernsbach-Staufenberg, Volker Traub, complains that he has not received any letters for over four weeks.

technical challenges and environmental worries

In addition, there have been problems with a defective bollard system in Bruchsal for years. A new technology from Mannheim is now to help to repair the bollards on the bucket market and at the access at the old castle. The dry may also indicate a hot summer without rain, which could possibly endanger the water levels in the Enz and Nagold rivers. Klaus Parey, chairman of the fishing club, observes both the water levels and the water temperatures and has developed suggestions to prevent water heating in summer.

The critical working conditions in parcel delivery are a topic discussed nationwide. In April 2025, Federal Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil announced that new occupational safety requirements are due to improve the safety of the employees. One of the planned changes is that parcels over 20 kilos can only be delivered by two people. A current study by Anneliese Kärcher and Manfred Walser at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences shows that a "direct positioning requirement" would be legally possible, which is also supported by individual politicians.

market situation of the package services

The market for parcel posts is booming; The shipment volume has doubled in the past ten years, and a total of 4.5 billion packages were promoted in 2021. A significant part of the deliverers is employed by subcontractors, while only DHL carries out the delivery predominantly with their own workforce. Six large corporations dominate in the industry, while 88% of the 14,400 companies have fewer than 20 employees. This structure leads to a strong price pressure and rigid requirements for the subcontractors.

A ban on work contracts could promote compliance with minimum standards, but it carries the risk that work will be relocated to temporary agency work. A direct positioning requirement would create transparency and could ensure the correct termination of taxes and social security contributions. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether such measures can actually lead to the intended improvements in working conditions boeckler.de.