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Truck drivers go on strike in fuel protest (Read 3934 times)
Nigel
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Truck drivers go on strike in fuel protest
Jun 10th, 2008 at 8:26am
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Spanish truck drivers have gone on an indefinite strike over rocketing fuel prices, smashing the windscreens of vehicles crossing picket lines.

They were joined by truck drivers in neighbouring Portugal who also went on strike, while there were also protests across the border in France over the impact of the surge in oil prices to record highs of over $139 per barrel.

Spaniards fearing fuel shortages queued to fill up at petrol stations.

Queues also built up outside some hypermarkets after truckers warned supermarkets would run out of goods within days.

Long lines of trucks formed at Spanish-French border crossings and television stations showed pictures of abandoned lorries with broken windscreens, lights ripped out and tyres punctured after they tried to defy the strike.

The government reported incidents at crossings in Catalonia and in the Basque Country as Spanish truckers protested alongside French drivers also demanding government action to counter a more than 20 percent rise in fuel prices this year.

Some 15 truckers stopped lorries from travelling to Spain in the French border town of Perthus but allowed smaller vehicles and buses to proceed.

Around 200 lorries also deliberately slowed traffic into the French city of Bordeaux, in a protest to demand that the government allows truckers to buy tax-free diesel at a discounted price of 0.98 euros per litre.

The Spanish strikers blockaded distribution centres and ports in their call for the government to establish a minimum haulage fee.

Spanish truckers and fishermen are caught in a double bind - hit by soaring fuel price costs as Spain's economy sinks into its worst economic downturn in 15 years and demand for their services shrinks.

Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has offered truckers credit lines and other measures but says they will have to adapt to fierce competition in Spain's contracting market.

Strike leaders have dismissed government proposals and want price guarantees to stop large firms undercutting smaller operators.

"Truckers can't work, we are losing money and someone has to find a solution," said Jaime Diaz, president of Spain's national road transport confederation.


  
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Debbie
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Re: Truck drivers go on strike in fuel protest
Reply #1 - Jun 11th, 2008 at 2:19pm
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Has this made any difference to the Tortosa area?
We are due to fly into Barcelona tomorrow and was wondering what we have got to look forward to!

Debbie
  
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Tony
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Re: Truck drivers go on strike in fuel protest
Reply #2 - Jun 11th, 2008 at 2:35pm
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Hi Debbie
Yes it is affecting things over here so be prepared to have to search for essentials.
The garages are running out of diesel, although there is still some petrol available. The supermarket shelves are also being depleted by people panic-buying -  there are limited, if no supplies of fish, meat, fruit and vegetables available in the main supermarkets in Tortosa.  Whether you will be able to pick things up on the way through I don't know.
Tony 
  
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tinkerbell
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Re: Truck drivers go on strike in fuel protest
Reply #3 - Jun 11th, 2008 at 4:03pm
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    Hello Debbie .
   Well don't know if tony is living in the same Tortosa .as we are ....but went and done my weekly shop yesterday with no probelms .meat veg all the things i usually get ,the only things i noticed was the fish and seafood section was poor ....also my husband travels to work in the car had no problem with filling it up yesterday in remolins.the garage on the toll road had a few queues .but the town's seem to be ok .today went to the tortosa market again no problem with getting anything .......maybe in a couple of weeks things will get worse   if it carry's on ,but found no probs at moment enjoy your stay .  Smiley
  
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Tony
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Re: Truck drivers go on strike in fuel protest
Reply #4 - Jun 11th, 2008 at 5:30pm
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To follow up on Tinkerbell's reply Mercadona had not fish, meat, fruit or veg at 6.30pm yesterday and Caprabo had very little fish, veg or meat.  Basically the only meat in Sabeco this morning was lomo, sausage and morcella and there was no veg or fish except that in the frozen cabinets, and the water stocks were very low with clients being restricted on how much they could buy.  The garage at the Corona roundabout had covers over the diesel this morning and the one on the left past the millenium bridge going towards the motorway was roped off yesterday afternoon.  Sorry to disagree Tinkerbell but they are panic buying - Caprabo's car park which is normally verging on empty was very busy yesterday evening.  Perhaps the market is better if they are using local produce, but with a wife who is disabled and nowhere to park nearby unless very lucky we tend to use the supermarkets with car parks.  And they are also panic-buying petrol - yesterday at Carrefour there were queues which we have never encountered before with drivers putting silly little quantities into their tanks.
  
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billybob
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Re: Truck drivers go on strike in fuel protest
Reply #5 - Jun 11th, 2008 at 8:03pm
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soz .to disagree, but had no probs in carrefour Wink   myself yesterday...got what i wanted no probs .
  
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Ebrovoice
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Re: Truck drivers go on strike in fuel protest
Reply #6 - Jun 11th, 2008 at 11:32pm
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WE noticed small white vans delivering what looked like halves of pigs to local butchers in Ferreries about 1 o´clock today. We also noticed chicken and egg wagons doing dodges down the backstreet of villages to avoid Tortosa town. So some produce is getting out.

Maybe this is the time to be more neighbourly and exchange your surplus for some produce you need.

Folk wonder how long this will go on for? How long can the truck drivers families live with no wage coming in? I hear if they don´t work, they don´t get paid. No union wage to back them up.

Also be aware of anyone living alone, elderly or vulnerable and see if you can help them out or share a meal.

I ask people to shop with care. Buy what you need or have run out of. Do not shop like World War 3 is about to hit.

Fuel shortage and I have not heard of anyone considering or asking to "Car Share". This morning I noticed there seemed to be twice as many cars up at Verga de la Cinta hospital, where I was expecting less.
  
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