Autostrade Chaos

[Veronese]

Autostrade Chaos

Italian HGV Drivers (TIR) have gone on strike for 4 days causing chaos across Italy's autostrade network. The 4 day protests (sciopero) began today and is expected to end on Friday.

Some parts of Italy have seen all lanes of the autostrade (toll booth areas) completely blocked by HGV vehicles.

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Anyone traveling on the autostrade network should allow extra time for their journey and if possible in known affected areas use alternative route's.

Known affected areas are:
The A1 autostrada has been closed between Milano and Settebagni in both directions.

There are many queue's across the autostrade network and i would recommend checking out the Autostrade website for further information. (only published in the Italian section at present)

 

[Veronese]

Petrol and Diesel supplies are low

On my drive home this evening from work I noticed that some HGV drivers have also started to block some of the main roads as well as the autostrade (Verona area).

I also noticed that many petrol stations have simply shut because they have run out of fuel and with the current tir strikes planned to last until Friday who knows when things will return to normal?

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For those petrol stations that still have fuel the queues are long but i would suggest taking the time to fill up as things are bound to get worse.



The information screens near to the autostrade (Modena - Brennaro are displaying that the autogrill service stations have no fuel)

Some supermarkets have already been affected with the lack of deliveries and they too are beginning to run out of fresh products. (vegetables, milk, etc...)

 

[Veronese]

Truckers abandon talks with govt

Hopes of a quick settlement to a highly disruptive strike by Italian truckers died on Tuesday as representatives of the protesters walked out of talks with the government.

Premier Romano Prodi, meanwhile, lambasted truckers for blocking motorways and jeopardising essential services such as supplies of fuel to petrol stations.

''I totally disapprove of the methods used in this strike action. That isn't how you resolve certain questions,'' he said.

By evening on Tuesday, the Confesercenti association of small businesses estimated that 80% of the nation's petrol pumps had run dry and there were long queues of cars at the few still open.

There were even fears that ambulances and other emergency services could find themselves without fuel.

The national strike watchdog, citing the disruption caused to crucial services, asked the transport ministry to formally order the striking truckers to return to work.

Transport Minister Alessandro Bianchi avoided issuing the order immediately but said the government would not be ''pushed around'' by the protestors.

Sources close to the government said a return-to-work order was likely.

Truck drivers from small and medium-sized haulage firms began a five-day strike on Monday, causing havoc on many key traffic arteries as they staged roadblocks. Larger firms did not take part in the strike.

Unions representing the striking workers met government representatives on Tuesday to begin discussing demands including lower taxation and discounts on diesel fuel, the price of which has recently soared.

But the talks broke down almost immediately, with truckers saying the government had ignored their proposals and talked only about an accord signed in February and not yet implemented.

''Prodi should have paid attention to the reasons for the protest, instead of which the government has shown no desire to deal with the questions on the table,'' said Maurizio Longo of the Fita CNA union.

Truckers representatives said the strike would continue as planned until the end of the week.

The first day of strike action caused chaos on roads, leaving petrol stations low on fuel and supermarkets facing the prospect of having no fresh fruit and vegetables to sell.

Farmers warned that if the stoppage continued, Italians would find none of the traditional Christmas fare in shops when they went to prepare for festivities.

Around 85% of the goods transported daily in Italy travel by road, carried by an army of haulage companies which own almost four million trucks and heavy goods vehicles.

There was firm condemnation of the action from the employers' federation Confindustria, whose president, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, said it was ''inconceivable'' for small haulage firms to block the national economy.

He called on the government to act firmly with strikers: ''People have to remember their duties as well as their rights''.

As well as compensation for high fuel costs, unions representing the haulage sector also want the government to bring in new rules on contracts and payment for transport services.

 

[Veronese]

Italy still crippled by truckers

Italy was crippled by a nationwide truckers' strike for the third straight day Wednesday.

Most gas stations had run out of petrol and supermarket shelves were growing increasingly barer as truckers' representatives gathered to consider a government offer.

There were even fears that ambulances and other emergency services could find themselves without fuel. On Tuesday the truckers ignored a formal call to return to work.

Ministry negotiators said Wednesday they hoped the truckers would accept their latest offer.

Truck drivers from small and medium-sized haulage firms began a five-day strike on Monday, causing havoc on many key traffic arteries as they staged roadblocks. Larger firms did not take part in the strike. Unions representing the striking workers met government representatives on Tuesday to begin discussing demands including lower taxation and discounts on diesel fuel, the price of which has recently soared. But the talks broke down almost immediately. The government tabled a new offer on Wednesday afternoon.

Farmers have warned that if the stoppage continues, Italians will not find much traditional Christmas fare in shops when they shop for the festivities. Around 85% of the goods transported daily in Italy travel by road, carried by an army of haulage companies which own almost four million trucks and heavy goods vehicles. As well as compensation for high fuel costs, unions representing the haulage sector also want the government to bring in new rules on contracts and payment for transport services.

 

[Relaxed]

Well - at about 19.30 on Wednesday 12th they seem to have called off this strike, and although the doom-mongers are saying it will take at least a week to get back to normal, I think they will make fuel deliveries a priority; and at least the motorways should be useable.

I haven't heard the full details, but it seems that the government have promised some fiscal assistance with fuel costs, and have agreed to monitor haulage costs and allow the adjustment of haulage rates in line with any extra costs which the hauliers have to meet.

 

[Veronese]

Italy slowly returning to normal

yes, relaxed it seems that all has been called off and things slowly returning back to normal. I was unable to find petrol this morning but on my way home from work this evening i was able to fill up but just 1 petrol station out of around 8 that i passed had fuel.

Below is the latest press release:

Italy began to return to normal on Thursday after a three-day truckers' strike that blocked motorways, left petrol stations dry and caused shortages of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Unions involved in the truckers' dispute called off the nationwide protest on Wednesday evening after talks with government officials yielded an offer of 30 million euros to help pay for motorway tolls.

Truck drivers, protesting over high fuel prices and working conditions, quickly ended their blockades of key motorway junctions and by midday on Thursday most traffic problems were over.

Meanwhile, petrol companies assured that all filling stations would be back to normal by Friday and the first trucks left wholesale markets in big cities carrying fruit and vegetables to supermarkets.

''The government must now respect every letter of the commitments made, otherwise we're ready to switch off our engines again,'' said Maurizio Longo, of the CNA Fita truckers' union.

As well as 30 million euros for motorway tolls, the accord struck on Wednesday evening involved minimum tariffs for haulage services and standard client contracts in order to protect smaller firms.

''We are satisfied because we have restored the country to normal without giving in to provocation. Dialogue won out,'' said Premier Romano Prodi. Tensions ran high on Wednesday as drivers ignored a formal call from the government to return to work and disruption continued.

Rome prosecutors, who are probing 26 truck drivers for blocking public services, said police squads had been primed to move in at dawn on Wednesday to forcibly remove roadblocks if the talks with the government failed.

Consumers' association Codacons said the economic damage caused by the protest amounted to at least three billion euros a day.

Farmers' union CIA warned of the possibility that, in the wake of the food shortages, some unscrupulous retailers could inflate the prices of traditional Christmas fare.