Canarian carriers will stop from the 28th if they are not exempted from the use of the tachograph
The associates of Asemtra and independent carriers met this Thursday at the headquarters of CANARIAS7 to take a position on the strike. /
The truck drivers from the islands will go on indefinite strike two weeks after their colleagues from the peninsula to differentiate their demands. Some are common, such as the fuel bonus, others are their own
Canary carriers will go on indefinite strike starting Monday, November 28, two weeks after the national call, if the Government of the Canary Islands does not exonerate them from the use of the tachograph. This has been decided by the Association of Merchandise Transport Employers, Asemtra, an organization integrated within the Federation of Transport Employers (FET), which intends with an independent call to differentiate itself from the national strike, since, although they share common problems such as the rise of fuel and costs, there are exclusive claims on the islands, according to close sources.
The carriers made this decision in a meeting held in the auditorium of the CANARIAS7 headquarters, in which, in addition to truckers associated with Asemtra and the FET, other independents attended.
"On the 14th we will not stop, but that does not mean that we will not take measures," indicate Asemtra sources, who point out that the fight to exonerate the Canary Islands from the use of the tachograph, as is already happening in the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla, will be their "flag" to demand that the Government listen to them. "If before the 28th there is no response, on the 28th we will stop indefinitely," warn Asemtra sources, who indicate that, although there are "more problems," the use of the tachograph is "what most worries the sector."
As these sources point out, the European Union contemplates the exemption from the use of the tachograph to archipelagic territories, with an area of less than 2,300 square kilometers, since the tool was not designed for small, remote territories with no connection to the continent. In fact, the exemption of Ceuta and Melilla was based on the fact that they were territories similar to the islands.
Carriers complain that its implementation generates "significant dysfunctions" that do not affect road safety or compliance with regulations. “The islands have nothing to do with the mainland. We do not have rest areas or anything if you go over your hours and the use of the tachograph only causes problems and fines, "they indicate.
Since its implementation, the Canarian carriers have tried to eliminate it, leaving it only as an element of control of the workers' day but leaving aside the rest of the formal requirements. So far, the claims have not received a response.
"The reasons that lead Asemtra to adopt this extreme measure are derived from the lack of receptivity on the part of the Public Administrations to manage and solve the specific problems of the activity in the archipelago," said the secretary general of the Federation of Entrepreneurs yesterday Transport (FET), José Ángel Hernández, who also holds this position in Asemtra.
Another of the claims has to do with the inspections to which refrigerated vehicles, such as fruit trucks, are subject. A recent state regulation requires refrigerated trucks to undergo an extraordinary review in an infrastructure called "cold tunnel", which is a kind of ITV, but the problem is that there is none in the Canary Islands. “This review is being required of Canarian companies without them having the possibility of carrying it out, with the consequence of stopping the vehicle otherwise,” the FET points out. Companies are being forced to travel to the peninsula to carry out this inspection with the consequent expense.
In this sense, the application of a moratorium for refrigerated transport companies in the Canary Islands is requested until a control facility is implemented in our territory.
Regarding fuel prices, the FET recalls that the state discount of 20 cents per liter of fuel and the 99% tax discount on fuel tax from the Government of the Canary Islands expire on December 31 without have news about its possible extension. The transport companies demand this extension and that the announcement be made as soon as possible since contracts are being closed for 2023 with this important economic uncertainty.
The difficulties in finding drivers were highlighted in the assembly. As indicated, the economic costs, which can amount to 3,000 euros, and the investment in time required for a person to obtain the necessary authorizations to be a professional driver are causing many to give up training, with which there is no manpower .
In this sense, the FET requests the implementation of a bonus system for obtaining a driving license and the CAP accompanied by a dual training plan with internships in companies.
The “excessive” controls of the State Security Forces and Corps on Canarian carriers is another of the great complaints. According to these sources, the different security forces establish control campaigns unilaterally and without coordination that cause the establishment of controls by up to three different bodies in the same place at the same time, especially in ports and industrial estates. This causes an unnecessary slowdown of transport vehicles while other geographical areas remain uncontrolled. "In addition, they make us feel like criminals," Asemtra sources indicate.
Currently, the Island Councils have a collection through penalties in the transport sector of about 5 million euros per year. In this sense, it is requested that the inspection plans must be coordinated, as well as the reduction of the economic amount of the sanctions in the Canary Islands where productivity is lower but the amount of the fines is the same as in the rest of the country.
Finally, another old claim stands out and it is the long waits at the port terminals, due to the delays that occur in the container reception and delivery operations. With this problem, truck drivers see the productivity of their vehicles reduced. "The intervention of the Administration is requested in a plan to control port operations for the reception and delivery of goods," they indicate from the FET.
