Bus drivers in Mallorca will strike on Monday (October 28), the Balearic Government having set a 60% minimum service level for TIB buses. Palma EMT buses are expected to operate at 50%, but with 60% service for school routes at peak times and 100% on hospital routes.
The strike is over lack of agreement in respect of arrangements for early and voluntary retirement. A nationwide action affecting transport drivers, the freight sector called its strike off on Thursday. For bus drivers however, the two main unions - CCOO and UGT - were unable to reach agreement with the Spanish Confederation of Bus Transport (Confebús).
Unless there is an agreement, further strikes are likely. The president of EMT, Palma mobility councillor Toni Deudero, says that unions have called for several days of strike action in November and December. The next would be November 11. Black Friday (November 29) is among other dates. TIB services may well follow the same strike schedule.
The strike doesn't affect other public transport - the trains and the metro.
The TIB website - https://www.tib.org/ - and the EMT website - https://www.emtpalma.cat/ - have more information.
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Why on earth are they allowed to retire early when there is a clear shortage of bus drivers and buses. In the UK , many bus drivers retired at 65, but now work part time after being encouraged by the previous Conservative government to consider returning after being offered attractive pay and no further National Insurance contributions as a package if they worked 10 hours minimum per week. The result is that we have happy and active men and women drivers keeping active and serving their communities and providing a bus every 10 minutes in many cases. A win for everyone rather than complaining and going on strike all the time.