The indefinite strike of self-employed carriers and small and medium-sized companies threatens to become entrenched and finally cause shortagesin view of the problems that are already being generated in the supply chain of some products and Government’s refusal to negotiate with its organizers.
The Platform for the Defense of the National and International Road Freight Transport Sector, convener of the protest, has reiterated this Friday, the fifth day of the strike, that will not call it off until the minister of the branch receives it, Raquel Sánchez, who refuses to do so, considering it a minority organization within the sector.
Furthermore, he defines it as a group of ultras that tries to subject the country to blackmail and ensures that its only valid interlocutor with the sector is the National Committee for Road Transport (CNTC), of which the Platform is not a part, and with which it has promised this week to take urgent measures in the face of the escalation in prices of fuels, aggravated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Along the same lines, the President of the Government, Pedro Sanchezhas expressed this Friday his “absolute empathy” before the demands of the carriersto whom he has offered dialogue, but has called for calm in the face of the violent actions of “a minority” against which the Executive will guarantee public order.
In factthe Ministry of the Interior has mobilized 23,600 Police and Civil Guard personnel to guarantee the operation of essential services, critical infrastructure and that there is no shortage of essential goods.
Meeting with the National Transport Committee on Monday
However, the Ministers of Economic Affairs, Finance and Transport, Nadia Calviño, María Jesús Montero and Raquel Sánchez, will meet on Monday with the National Committee for Road Transport (CNTC) to study the situation of the sector. This was announced this Friday late in the day by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, where the meeting with the sectoral body that acts as an interlocutor with the Government will take place.
These are large fleet operators and shippers that represent 15% of the companies in the sector, while the other 85% is made up of self-employed workers and SMEsaccording to the Platform for the Defense of the Transport Sector, organizer of the strikes.
Members of that platform They say they do not feel represented in the CNTC.
Protests in every city
Carriers will accompany this with demonstrations in various citiesus mobilizations, motivated by his “critical situation”to be working for a long time below operating costa problem that has worsened as a result of the rise in fuel prices.
The Platform has announced that it will demonstrate this Saturday “in each city” with its trucksso that “the minister can count who is the majority and who is the minority”.
Fenadismer, which is part of the CNTC, where it is the second association with the largest representation, has recognized that those who are carrying out this strike are thousands of carriers, both its members and those who are not.
This organization has regretted that the lack of specification of the measures to be adopted by the Government “It does nothing but transmit greater insecurity to the thousands of carriers who are currently in an extreme situation to be able to continue working in conditions of minimal profitability”, which will contribute to lengthening the protest in the coming days.
supply issues
The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, assured this Friday that “all truckers who want to work will be able to do so“, in addition to making it clear that public services continue to function and that goods and merchandise “are arriving and in no way can there be a shortage situation.”
According to Nadia Calviño, the transport conflict “is not a strike”, but “a boycott” and has underlined that supply is guaranteed although there may be “specific situations”.
However, the food chain already estimates the impact of the strike in its first week at losses of 600 million euros, according to the employers of the consumer sector, who warn of the ravages of the mobilizations in Andalusia, Galicia, the northern part of the country, Extremadura and Levante.
In the different markets of the country, although unevenly, there have been falls in the arrivals of fresh products, especially fruit and vegetables.
In the case of Mercamadridthe main food center in Spain, the decrease in the arrival of fruit and vegetables throughout the week has been 50% and it is still unable to re-ship product, so the supply is being more affected in other provinces than in the Community of Madrid.
The dairy industry is one of the most affected and Lactalis calls the situation “very serious”, especially in Galicia, while fishermen warn of the loss of hundreds of tons of fish, given the impossibility of marketing their catches.
The strike is causing big problems also in the meat industry in the operation of the food chain and incidents are being reported “constantly” that prevent the entry and exit of vehicles from companies and logistics centers.