In Spain, the government has agreed on a €1.05 billion ($1.16 billion) aid package to support the transportation sector on Friday, but thousands of truck drivers continue to strike.
For the past 12 days, a group of self-employed and small trucking companies has been on strike, seriously affecting the supply chain throughout Spain.
Moreover, the government also declared that the fuel price, which has reached record levels in Spain, would be subsidized by €0.20 per liter for the transportation industry.
Overall, the government estimates that the cost of operating semis will decrease by roughly €700 per month.
The new rules will go into force on April 1.
“From the government, we are working tirelessly both in Spain and in the European Union, to mitigate the effects of the conflict,” Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Twitter, praising the “great agreement” achieved with leaders from the transportation sector.
Furthermore, the authorities have recently stated that the platform behind the bulk of truckers refusing to work is not a legitimate negotiator and is fueled by the far-right.
The platform says the strike will persist in response to the new deal.
“No one has talked to us. The administration continues to sit down with the wrong people, offering us crumbs and recommendations to end the conflict, which will never happen just by giving us a discount on diesel,” Manuel Hernandez, the platform’s leader, told the Spanish network.
The strike is troubling the Spanish businesses to operate smoothly.
The automobile industry is facing a lot of trouble. Carmakers like Danone, Volkswagen, and Mercedes have temporarily paused production due to a lack of raw materials.
The food industry is also dealing with a similar issue, with empty shelves in supermarkets and local shops and shortages of milk, fresh produce, and fresh fish.
Meanwhile, construction has come to a halt at many sites due to materials like cement and sand shortages caused by the supply.
In Spain, along with truckers, fishers also went on strike, although they were able to reach a separate agreement with the government earlier this week. However, many vessels remain docked at the port because of high energy prices and undeliverable catch.
Fishers have also been on strike in Spain, but they reached a separate agreement with the government earlier this week. However, many boats remain docked at shore due to high energy prices and undelivered catch.
