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Spain: Truckers get gas price cut, but some still strike

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Spain: Truckers get gas price cut, but some still strike
Trucks gather to protest against the high price of fuel outskirts of Madrid, Spain, Thursday, March 24, 2022. Industries like trucking or fishing are staging protests to push politicians to ease their financial pain. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has exacerbated a monthslong energy crunch in Europe, which is dependent on Russian oil and natural gas. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

MADRID — Spain’s government and the country’s main trucking federations have reached an agreement on financial help for an industry that is hurting from high gas prices, but self-employed truckers said Friday they would continue a 12-day strike.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has helped drive gas prices higher in Europe, making it more expensive for truckers to fuel their vehicles.

After 12 hours of negotiations that ended after midnight, the Socialist-led government announced it is discounting 0.20 euros ($0.22) per liter of gas for truckers as part of a package of measures worth more than 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion). A liter of gas for truckers currently costs around 1.80 euros ($2).

Spanish Transport Minister Raquel Sánchez said the discount would translate into savings of around 700 euros ($771) a month per truck. The government said it would also provide 450 million euros ($495 million) in direct financial aid to road haulage businesses, as well as special credit terms.

The Platform for the Defense of the Road Transport Sector, which is not affiliated with Spain’s larger national trucking associations or road haulage companies and does not sit at the sector’s negotiating table with the government, called on its members to continue their strike and to attend a street protest in Madrid on Friday.

The group said it would not budge from its demands, which go beyond gas prices. It claims that large distribution companies engage in unfair competition, forcing down the prices for freight, and is seeking better working conditions for truckers, including retirement at age 60.

“After 12 days we’re not going to throw in the towel. It’s now or never,” the Platform said on its Facebook page.

The strike has disrupted supply chains and brought scattered shortages at stores of fresh products, such as vegetables, milk and fish. Thousands of police have escorted truck convoys and arrested picketers trying to stop working truckers.

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The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. The Trucker Media Group is subscriber of The Associated Press has been granted the license to use this content on TheTrucker.com and The Trucker newspaper in accordance with its Content License Agreement with The Associated Press.
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