Firstly, concerns over the health of the drivers were raised by emergency medical workers over the weekend, highlighting the physical and psychological toll of the hunger strike. Edwin Atema, the joint representative and local spokesman for the striking truckers, described the situation as "very serious" for the drivers.

Secondly, a visit from Torsten Safarik, President of the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (Bafa), injected renewed hope among the drivers. Safarik recognized the drivers as victims of human rights violations, with a specific focus on violations by the Polish freight forwarder. He emphasized that these violations encompassed issues such as transparent working conditions, the right to strike, and fair wages that allow for a decent standard of living.

Crucially, Safarik also stated that an investigation would be conducted to determine whether German companies had violated the recently enacted Supply Chain Act. This law, which came into effect in 2023, mandates that companies meet human rights standards in their supply chains, including providing truck drivers with sufficient breaks and fair compensation.

"We came here today to look at the waybills, with the consent of the drivers," Safarik explained, noting that if goods from German companies subject to the Supply Chain Act were found on the trucks, these companies would be contacted for comments.

Trade unionist Edwin Atema stressed the significance of such signals to the industry, affirming that there is a perspective for resolving the drivers' demands. Negotiations between relevant stakeholders are ongoing, and there is a possibility that German companies may step in to address some of the drivers' demands.

Moreover, Bafa plans to convene a crisis summit in Borna, Saxony, on October 16, inviting representatives from the transport industry and trade unions to discuss long-term changes in working conditions. The goal is to prevent situations like the one in Gräfenhausen from recurring.

The drivers, hailing from Georgia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Ukraine, have been waiting for their unpaid wages for several months, totaling more than 500,000 euros owed by their Polish haulage company. They have endured challenging conditions at the rest stop during their protest, with makeshift sleeping arrangements and limited access to basic facilities.

While negotiations with the forwarding company have ceased, two companies that were customers of the forwarding company stepped in to pay the drivers and take over the load in August and September. This development highlights the complex nature of the dispute.

This latest episode follows a previous strike by around 60 drivers from the same forwarding company in Gräfenhausen back in March, which resulted in the drivers successfully pushing through their demands after six weeks.

The situation continues to evolve, with ongoing investigations and negotiations. Further updates are expected as progress is made in addressing the issues raised by the striking truck drivers and their connection to the Supply Chain Act.