Yet another syndicate has joined the ‘truckers strike’ due to start on August 12. And despite government assurances that ‘minimum services’ will be guaranteed, businesses – particularly connected to tourism – are starting to panic.
Hoteliers association AHRESP considers the open-ended strike will have a “violent” domino-effect.
“We cannot serve guests if we’re not looked after ourselves”, was the message, following publication of the list of fuel stations that will remain open despite the lockdown on deliveries of all kinds.
As AHRESP’s president Cristina Siza Vieira explained, no business could cope with the influx of August guests if it wasn’t fully supported by regular deliveries – from foodstuffs to laundered bed linen etc. She warned the effects of the strike could have a knock-on impact on everything, including people’s health and safety.
“We have to be careful”, she explained. “We are a family destination, for children and seniors as well as a population that is compromised because they are foreigners that do not speak the language. We have to be present for all the special needs of this wider population” during a month where visitor numbers can reach over three million.
In the Algarve, tourism bosses are already railing against what they see as a ‘reduced number of fuel stations’ that will be remaining open (see list below).
And into the melée has stormed STRUN, the acronym for workers of ‘Transportes Rodoviários e Urbanos do Norte’ (buses and urban vehicles of the north).
STRUN has said it will accompany the strike called by the independent syndicate of drivers (SIMM) and and the syndicate of drivers of dangerous materials (SNMMP) – both of which have threatened to “stop the country” (click here).
STRUN however has given a time limit to its strike action: August 12 to 20.
The others have vowed to keep going until their demands have been met.
List of fuel stations that will remain open in the Algarve:
Albufeira: Repsol (Sítio Bolota) and Intermarché (Vale Serves Ferreiras)
Aljezur: Galp (Bombeiros)
Faro: Jumbo (Av. Cidade Hayward); Cepsa (Faro Airport) and Galp (Patacão).
Lagoa: Jumbo (EN 125)
Lagos: Intermarché (Ameijeira Verde) and Galp (EN 120).
Loulé: BP (Av. Ceuta) and Galp (A22).
Olhão: EN 125 Bracanes
Portimão: Jumbo (EN 125) and Galp (Av V6).
Silves: Galp (EN 125), Galp (EN 124) and Intermarché (Rua João de Deus).
Tavira: Cepsa (EN397 near Cachopo), Galp (EN125, near São Pedro) and Prio (Rua Almirante Cândido dos Reis)
VRSA: Intermarché (Largo de Estação).
