Started at midnight on Monday, the strike by drivers of hazardous materials is already being felt all over the country. As fuel station depots have been depleted, Reports of gas stations where it is no longer possible to refuel begin to multiply.
According to what was reported by Rádio Renascença, the stoppage will have meant that half of the country's gas stations have already had empty tanks . In addition to these, airports are also being affected.
According to ANA, Faro airport has already reached emergency reserves and Lisbon airport is also being affected by the lack of fuel supply. A quick search through social networks proves that several filling stations have closed, as happened with the Prio on the A16 in Sintra.
why the strike
With 100% participation, the strike was marked by the National Union of Drivers of Dangerous Materials (SNMMP) and serves, according to this entity, to demand recognition of this specific professional category, salary increases and the cessation of aid payments. cost “illegally”.Subscribe to our newsletter here
However, already during this Tuesday the Government approved the civil requisition of drivers for hazardous materials. The objective is to ensure compliance with the minimum services imposed and which until now have not been respected.
However, it is not expected that the civil requisition enacted today will be sufficient to prevent stockouts at gas stations since the minimum services aim, above all, to ensure the supply of airports, ports, hospitals and fire departments.
Dry filling stations? Yes or No?
Although Prio estimates that by the end of today about half of its stations will be out of stock, on the side of ANAREC (National Association of Fuel Dealers) the forecast is that, for now, the supply network it's still far from dry.
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In the words of Francisco Albuquerque, president of ANAREC, it is "impossible at this time to anticipate the impacts that the strike will have on fuel stations, as the Government has already made a civil requisition to halt the strike", stating that thanks to the reserves at the filling stations themselves, stockouts do not happen overnight.
However, ANTRAM (National Association of Public Road Transport of Goods), which until now did not consider the possibility of negotiating with the SNMMP, came to affirm that it will do so if the minimum services are fulfilled and the strike is over.