Prime minister António Costa has said there is a “clear sentiment of social disgust and incomprehension” over the looming open-ended truckers’ strike, scheduled to begin on Monday (in seven days time).
His words came during the habitual weekly meeting Costa had with President Marcelo, held – due to the summer holidays of both – in Loulé’s municipal library last Friday.
Costa stressed ‘the sense of incomprehension’, say reports, explaining that the issues that have led truckers to this point that could have irreparable effects on the economy (click here) hinge on pay demands for 2021 and 2022.
A deal for the coming year was reached after truckers three-day strike just before Easter, thus Costa says he cannot see the reason for this current ‘hard line’.
Predictably, truckers representatives have hit out at the criticism, saying they are too are “disgusted”.
Costa’s position “has not helped negotiations (with employers association ANTRAM) in any way”, said the man seen as the instigator of the unrest, lawyer and now vice-president of the SNMMP syndicate of drivers of dangerous materials Pedro Pardal Henriques.
Talking to TSF radio over the weekend, Henriques said Costa’s words showed that political power is on the side of economic power: “against everyone and everything”.
“The prime minister is not considering the problems these workers have suffered the illegalities committed against them over the years, nor the gigantic fiscal fraud that exists, and the working hours that drivers are being forced to work exceeding all legal limits. He is also not considering the contracts signed to call off a strike, duping drivers”, he said.
This morning all the syndicates involved were due to meet ANTRAM bosses and government representatives at the Ministry of Infrastructures.
ANTRAM made it over the weekend that it would not be attending.
“The meeting is a farce destined once again to dupe the press and the Portuguese people into believing the syndicate of drivers of dangerous materials wants to negotiate”, said the association’s spokesperson André Matias de Almeida.
But this morning, reports suggested meetings between the government and drivers syndicates would be going ahead in the morning, with meetings with ANTRAM scheduled for the afternoon.
Tabloid Correio da Manhã meantime claims the SNMMP is considering seeking a court embargo if government plans to circumnavigate the crippling effects of the strike (click here) – particularly when it comes to deliveries of fuel and gas – see minimum services ‘stretched’ beyond 30% of normal capacity.
