One month after the transport sector called a 'Christmas strike' forDecember 20, 21, and 22, and following several meetings between employers and the Ministry of Transport, the strike has finally beencalled off andtrucks will be on the road next week. Sources close to the negotiations confirm to 20minutos that an agreement in principle has been reached between both parties and the lockout of freight transport has been canceled.
Although there were only three days left before freight transport companies were due to halt their activities throughout Spain,a last-minute agreement between the government and the National Road Transport Committee(CNTC), made up of various transport associations and confederations, has put a stop to the measure.
On Friday morning, calling off the strike seemed impossible, given the statement released by the employers' associationcalling for unity of action within the sector to support the strike called for "dignity and money" because, they claimed, their future was at stake and they had already reached "the limit."
The latest meetings between the CNTC and the Ministry did not seem to have borne fruit, and some employers claimed thatthe government was not making progress in the negotiations, especially since Raquel Sánchez took office as Minister of Transport. They accused her of "ignoring" the sector and rendering the commitments made by her predecessor, José Luis Ábalos, meaningless.
However, despite statements on Thursday night indicating that the strike would go ahead, sources present at the negotiations claim that during theemergencymeetingcalled by the Ministry on Friday,which lasted several hours, several proposals from employers and the government were formalized and the national strike was halted.
What had led the transport sector to call a 'Christmas strike'? These were their demands.
According to a press release from the National Road Transport Committee, the government has agreedto ban drivers from participating in loading and unloading operations, which they describe as "a long-standing demand from the sector to improve working conditions for its employees."
"We have also managed to halve the waiting times after whichthe carrier is entitled to compensation, as well as the treatment to be given to drivers at loading and unloading centers. Likewise, a commitment has been secured to incorporate into the law a clause mandating the stabilization of diesel prices in transport contracts, with no possibility of agreeing otherwise," the statement explains.
According to the employers' association, commitments have also been obtained from the Ministry, such asnot introducing tolls for heavy transport without their consent. Furthermore, with regard to the possible increase in truck load capacity, "any changes will be made gradually and only in certain transport specialties, always with the participation of the CNTC, a measure adopted in the interests of sustainability and efficiency and as a manifestation of the transport sector's commitment to improving the environment," they explain.
With these measures and commitments,the strike that threatened totake place in the days leading up to Christmas will not go ahead, a situation that could have affected many sectors that depend on sales during this period.
Via 20minutos
