The Association of Fuel Transport Companies (ATC) will make a I stop this Friday March 24, what can generate fuel shortages at service stations on Sunday and Monday reported El País and confirmed The Observer with the association’s spokesman, Robert Batista.
The conflict is due to the fact that the union is demanding an adjustment in the payment of the freight that Ancap sets for them for the transfer of fuel to the service stations. That, according to Batista, has not been adjusted for seven years. “The last adjustment was in January 2016“, confirmed Batista to The Observer.
According to the spokesperson, all inputs and costs such as salaries, repairs, fuelhas increased 60% since then and that has not been reflected in the adjustment.
The association is in “permanent dialogue” with authorities from the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining, in order for the adjustment to take place and the conflict to be resolved. On Monday they will meet in assembly and if there was no progress in the negotiation, they will take more measures for the following week. “There may be more strikes next week, which is the week before the Tourism week”Batista stated.
ATC brings together workers from 180 trucks that supply from the Tablada, Treinta y Tres, Durazno, Juan Lacaze and Paysandú plants to the stations. Approximately 60% are from Montevideo.
For his part, the president of the Uruguayan Nafta Sellers Union (Unvenu), Daniel Añon, said that he was not yet aware of the measure but that if it were carried out it would generate shortages in small stations. “If they don’t work tomorrow and they work part-time on Saturday because the plant is only open for that time, there could be problems on Sunday. Without a doubt“he said to The Observer. “The big ones are not going to suffer, the one in Ejido and La Rambla for example, but those that do not have storage, yes.”
