Brazil's main trucking union on Monday (22.4.2019) called on the government to find a solution to avoid a truckers' strike.
The president of the National Confederation of Autonomous Transporters (CNTA) of Brazil, Diumar Bueno, said that "a strike will depend on what the Minister (of Infrastructure, Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas) talks to us about."
Last week, amid rumors of a trucking strike, the Brazilian government presented a package of measures, including a line of credit from public banks for 500 million reais (about US$128 million) for truckers, which would be used to buy tires and maintain their vehicles.
The Brazilian government also pledged to make road improvements and build rest stops on federal highways.
However, carriers continue to threaten to paralyze cargo transportation, which would repeat the scenario of May 2018 when Brazilian economic activity virtually stopped for almost three weeks due to the measure.
Transporters are asking for more supervision to ensure compliance with the minimum freight price threshold agreed last year, and for a "trigger" (automatic adjustment) to be proposed in the table to support diesel price adjustments.
According to the table negotiated with the government last year, diesel prices are adjusted every time the percentage increase in price exceeds 10%.
"The demand of all the demands is compliance with the minimum freight rate, and the government has not yet made any statement to say how this inspection will be carried out, in fact, and to give us security.", Bueno said.
The strike was initially scheduled for May 21, but the increase in the price of diesel last week has caused concern among transporters who may bring forward the strike.
Following an increase set by state-owned oil company Petrobras, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro vetoed the adjustment, which was recognized by transporters but sparked criticism in the financial market, which considered it an undue intervention by the government in Petrobras' pricing policy.
In response to criticism, Bolsonaro said that it had been an exceptional attitude, and that fuel prices would continue to be set independently by Petrobras.
According to Brazilian media, one of the truckers' leaders released an audio recording on social media on Monday, anticipating a possible strike on Monday, April 29, if the sector's demands are not met.
Source: Xinhua
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