An indefinite national strike will start on Monday of hauliers affiliated to the Platform for the Defence of the Freight Transport Sector. This platform, which doesn't have representation on the National Committee for Road Transport (CNTC), has sent a long list of demands to the ministries of transport, employment and social economy. These include the prohibition of contracting road freight services below operating costs. There are references to the "very serious" situation in the sector and "unacceptable" working conditions.
The platform justifies the strike on the grounds that the government continues to negotiate with carriers on the CNTC rather than responding to the "SOS calls" from the grassroots sector. This sector, the group says, is the one that really owns and drives the trucks.
The large companies do not support the strike called by the platform and have warned, as has the government, of possible shortages due to the strike. The interior ministry has said that, if necessary, the security forces will be drafted in to ensure normal operations.
The Spanish Confederation of Freight Transport represents 65,000 companies and 260,000 vehicles, 80% of the entire Spanish fleet. It believes that this is not the time to be striking and has asked the government to reinforce the security forces in order to avoid any problems on the roads.
The CCOO union is of the view that problems for the sector will not be resolved by strikes "like the one called by a platform of self-employed drivers". Negotiation is needed, the union adding that a decree for the sustainability of the transport of goods by road, which was agreed by the transport ministry and the CNTC, also "doesn't solve the problems of the sector".
The Balearic Transport Federation has said that it has no intention of supporting the strike.
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