Truck drivers threaten indefinite strike

TRUCK drivers have warned they would go on indefinite strike unless the Communications Ministry revokes all ‘B’ licences issued since last October.
The decision was taken at a truck drivers’ union (POVEK) meeting on Wednesday evening in Limassol.

The disgruntled drivers are up in arms over the issuing of the licences to private businesses, which can then purchase their own trucks and carry out their own transports, something which POVEK says is sidelining professional drivers.

POVEK’s Kyriacos Moustakas said yesterday he was optimistic the government’s reaction to their claims would be positive.

“The problem is that every time the Transport Department issues one B licence, two A licence truck drivers lose their jobs,” he said.

“This has to stop because people are being pushed out of their jobs and this is what we are going to discuss with the Communications Minister when we meet with him on Monday,” he added.

Moustakas said Transport Department officials appeared to be understanding and ready to discuss ways to reach a solution together with the Communications Ministry.

He warned, however, that should the government ignore their demands, they would go on indefinite strike from Monday.

“If we don’t get an answer by Monday we will go on strike, but we don’t feel that it will be their position,” he said.

“If they suggest something positive we will study it, but I am sure they will not just kick us out without studying the issue and finding solutions. There is always a way.”

Moustakas said the truckers also wanted the government to subsidise the installation of limiters and tachographs on around 2,000-3,000 older trucks.

“There are around 4,500 trucks in the business at the moment, and most of the new ones, including those that transport goods across the EU, have limiters installed from the factories,” he said.

“But 3,000 of those trucks are old and since the EU demands that we install limiters, then the government should pay and we will install them.”