A TRANSPORT strike, sparked by inflated petrol prices has caused road chaos throughout Spain, resulting in fuel shortages and provoking concerns that shops will run out of major products if the strike lasts.
Picket lines prevented cars from circulating normally on main roads across the country, leading to tailbacks of up to 20kms and hundreds of angry drivers who were prevented from getting to their places of work on time. Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia suffered worst, although Andalucia was also affected, as 90 per cent of transport workers have supported the action.
Meanwhile, government representatives held talks with members of the organisation which called the strike, ‘Fenadismer’ (National Federation of Transport Associations of Spain) although, during the early stages of the protests, the negotiations proved to be less than productive.
Transport workers are among the worst hit by the rocketing price of crude oil, since it has had a knock-on effect on petrol prices. Lorry drivers say that rising fuel costs could endanger thousands of jobs and they are demanding that the government enforce an obligatory minimum price.
Tailbacks and congested roads were not the only problem, as 40 per cent of petrol stations in Cataluña and 15 per cent in Madrid, as well as hundreds of others across Spain, ran out of petrol on the first day of the strike.
Shops and markets were also overflowing with shoppers, worried that provisions would run out. Shopkeepers and cashiers claimed that amounts being spent were considerably higher than usual.
The strike action has even been the cause of one fatality when a picket in Granada was struck by a van. He died at the scene. |
