The national syndicate of drivers of dangerous materials – the relatively new union that brought the country to the brink of fuel-starved paralysis over Easter – was reported today to have delivered a new “pre-warning” of strike action.
ECO online however says the reports are precipitous.
The ‘pre-warning’ is ready to go, and has a date (midnight May 17), but it is unlikely to be officially presented before the next round of talks with ANTRAM, the national association of merchandise transporters on public roads.
ANTRAM is due to get round the table with truckers next Tuesday (May 7).
But unless a breakthrough comes, the transportation of petrol, diesel, gas and other ‘dangerous materials’ will stop at midnight on Friday next week.
As with the first strike, the time limit will be open-ended.
Says ECO, ANTRAM is up against it. The national syndicate of drivers of dangerous materials formed as a result of truckers’ fury in general over ANTRAM’s labour laws.
ANTRAM isn’t just facing this particular set of truckers, either. The independent syndicate of drivers – which represents another branch of transport personnel – is equally unhappy.
As is nearly always the case, issues involve money (too little of it) and conditions (not considerate enough, particularly when it comes to long hours on the road).
ECO concludes that as much as ANTRAM accepts that talks “could extend to the end of the year”, the unions involved “don’t seem to be prepared to wait that long to see something happen”.
In other words, says the online news service, the “next few days will be decisive”.
