Another fuel distribution strike on the cards for next week

Portugal’s filling stations again may be starved of fuels as the lorry drivers’ union remains at loggerheads with the national merchandise transport association over demands made for the drivers of dangerous materials – diesel and petrol being the most important.

Union leader say that a strike could start as soon as next week unless two key demands are met – the recognition of a specific professional class for the drivers of dangerous materials and that drivers’ pay is double the national minimum wage.

There has been bickering about proposals and paperwork but the bottom line is that the nation may grind to a halt unless these grown-ups behave like grown-ups and sort out their differences across the negotiating table.

There is another meeting between the unions and the transport association at which they will attempt to proceed with the negotiations.

The nation will be hoping for some kind of agreement and does not want a repeat of the Easter strike when 3,000 filling stations ran out of fuel.