TMB bus drivers have secured a landmark legal victory declaring their current rest break system illegal.

Barcelona’s Social Court number 14 has ruled in favour of the CGT union, which argued the public transport company’s shift patterns violated workers’ rights and endangered both driver health and public safety.

The court decision, dated June 2024 but only recently made public, establishes that all affected TMB workers must receive minimum weekly rest periods of 48 uninterrupted hours.

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Furthermore, the ruling reinforces the requirement for 12-hour daily breaks between shifts. The judgment affects seven worker groups including drivers, information agents, and workshop and warehouse staff.

TMB Bus Drivers Face Critical Rest Period Shortages

According to the CGT union, the current system becomes particularly harsh during peak demand periods like summer. Some workers reportedly had only four rest days throughout entire months due to accumulated weekend shifts and a shift model that failed to respect minimum break requirements. The union described this overload as not merely illegal but “a direct risk to road safety and the physical and mental health of driving staff.”

Meanwhile, TMB has appealed the ruling to Catalonia’s High Court of Justice, meaning the decision isn’t yet final. Company sources emphasise that the 12-hour daily break requirement is already being met and other measures are under negotiation. They state discussions are “well advanced” and will continue within the framework of the new bus agreement negotiations that have just begun.

The court rejected the union’s claim for compensation for past breaches, noting workers had chosen this model and no specific individual damage had been proven. Consequently, affected employees won’t receive financial compensation for previously violated rest periods. This legal development comes as Barcelona continues to modernise its transport offerings, including recent trials of driverless buses on city streets.

Transport labour conditions remain a pressing issue across Barcelona’s infrastructure projects. The ruling highlights ongoing tensions between operational demands and worker welfare in public transport, particularly as the city advances major developments like the long-awaited airport train connection.

Ultimately, the judgment confirms TMB’s current shift distribution system violates Spain’s Workers’ Statute. The company must now renegotiate models to guarantee genuine 48-hour weekly rest and secure the 12-hour daily break between shifts, ensuring both legal compliance and safer transport operations for Barcelona’s residents and visitors.

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