Two ministers on Thursday said that Spain’s government is prepared to negotiate with truck drivers and believes a three-day strike called by an industry association in the run-up to Christmas can be avoided.
“I am convinced that through dialogue and agreement we will be able to overcome this crisis and avoid the strike that has been announced,’’ Transport Minister, Raquel Sanchez, said at an event where she announced a 400 million euro ($462.56 million) investment in decarbonizing road transport.
While recognizing that the government was aware of problems faced by the sector, including soaring fuel prices, she said that some issues were outside her control.
“Many of their demands go beyond the competence of the ministry but are instead to do with private relations with companies,’’ she said.
In spite of her conciliatory tone, Sanchez also stressed the need to boost rail transport, a move that is unlikely to be well received by haulers.
“We must make it possible to conduct a greater proportion of freight transport, which is currently carried by road and rail.’’
Meanwhile, the Economy Minister, Nadia Calvino said the government was sensitive to the needs of the sector, which she described as strategically essential, and suggested negotiations should avert the need for industrial action.
“There is still time to try to find a solution because it is obviously not desirable to have a strike on those dates,’’ she told state broadcaster TVE earlier.
The national truck driving association, earlier on Wednesday, announced that its members would strike from Dec. 20 to Dec. 22, citing abandonment by the government and exploitative behaviour by clients.
The association attributed the strike to negotiations over a package of requests presented in 2020.
This, the association said, include prohibiting drivers from loading and unloading merchandise, building safe rest areas and state support in the face of rising fuel prices, which did not bear fruit. (Reuters/NAN)
