Lorry driver dispute in Spain is far from over

Lorry driver dispute in Spain is far from over
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By h.b. - Jun 15, 2008 - 6:22 PM

Lorry drivers held up at La Jonquera border between Spain and France last week - Photo EFE

An estimated 30,000 lorries are gathering in Madrid tonight.

An estimated 30,000 lorries have departed from different points of Spain today to meet and demonstrate in Madrid ‘for the amount of time necessary’. The demonstrators, who continue to be unhappy at the increased costs of diesel, say they will continue a series of protests if the Government refuses to meet with them on Monday.

The lorry drivers are members of the Platform for the Defence of Transport and set off at 5pm on Sunday evening from 42 Spanish provinces. President Manuel Núñez said they intended to stay in Madrid until they reach ‘the principles of an agreement’ with the Ministry for Development, in their demand for minimum obligatory tariffs and that their diesel costs rise no more for the next six months. The new protest puts in doubt the Government’s claims that things would be back to normal by Monday.

President of the Independent Union of Self Employed Drivers UITA, José Fernández, estimated that 30,000 lorries will arrive in Madrid later tonight. It comes after the lorry drivers claim the Government has not responded to them after they asked for more talks, and set a deadline for a response of 2pm Sunday.
A lorry driver is in a serious condition after his vehicle was thought to be hit by a stone thrown by a picket from an overhead bridge, which led the driver to lose control of his lorry, which then overturned. The vehicle was part of a convoy being protected by the Guardia Civil on Sunday afternoon on the motorway between Santander and Torrelavega.

Meanwhile the effects of the lorry drivers strike action last week has been seen in the prices of foodstuffs in the wholesale markets across the country. Lettuce and pepper prices have almost doubled in seven days, and tuna and hake are up in price by 52% and 28%. There is also a shortage of onions in many areas, leading to large price increases.

Fire destroyed 37 heavy lorries and plant at a company in Ibiza on Sunday afternoon. Articulated lorries, cement mixers, cranes and excavators were affected and police have opened a full investigation.

In the Alameda Industrial Estate in Málaga, three loaded lorries caught fire in the early hours of Saturday for reasons that are still being investigated by the National Police. There were no injuries.

Attorney General, Cándido Conde-Pumpido, has meanwhile confirmed that the Prosecutors’ Office is investigating the incidents seen last week to see if any crimes were committed by the strikers and pickets. If so, the judiciary would act firmly, he said.

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