Sicily Under Pressure From Truck Drivers' Strike

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Tuesday October 3 4:49 PM ET Sicily Under Pressure From Truck Drivers' Strike

ROME (Reuters) - Rubbish collection and public transport in Sicily could grind to a halt within days if a truck drivers' protest against high fuel costs is not called off, local authorities warned on Tuesday.

Groups of truck drivers have blocked roads across the island as well as ports and oil refineries for the last couple of days, copying strikes which hit countries across Europe last month.

The president of the Sicilian industrial group Assindustria Palermo said in a statement that a disparity in fuel prices meant Sicilians paid up to 100 lire (four U.S. cents) more per liter of diesel than people in northern Italy.

``We are working to reach an agreement with petrol companies to resolve a serious discrimination between the price of petrol in the north of Italy and 'special' prices for industry and consumers in Sicily,'' he said, adding that the employers' lobby Confindustria was also involved in the debate.

Sicily's regional government was due to meet truck drivers' representatives to discuss the problem.

The strikes also jammed ports in the south of mainland Italy, where police were stopping trucks boarding ferries to get across to Sicily.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001003/wl/italy_strike_dc_1.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 04, 2000

Answers

Sicily: Fuel protests enter fifth day Fuel protests are leading to shortages at the pumps and empty food shelves in the shops of Sicily October 6, 2000 Web posted at: 5:40 PM EDT (2140 GMT)

PALERMO, Sicily -- Motorists desperate to fill their tanks formed long lines at petrol pumps and food supplies remained scarce as hauliers continued a fuel protest in Sicily for a fifth day.

Italian Transport Minister Pierluigi Bersani met with Sicilian regional government officials on Friday to discuss the protest, which has been condemned by Italy's main trade unions.

After several hours of talks in Rome, Bersani said they had reached the outlines of an accord, but many details remained to be worked out.

Italy is one of the few countries in Europe still protesting against high fuel taxes, along with Romania and Denmark.

Deals between governments and protesters in France, Germany and Spain led to demonstrations being called off last month.

In the UK, protesters dismantled their blockades after the country's road transport system had come to a virtual halt under condition that the government would look at the issue in its November budget.

The Italian lorry drivers, who eased their blockade of the island's main roads and ports on Thursday to allow some delivery of gas and staple foods, are demanding lower fuel prices and a cut in ferry fares between Sicily and the mainland.

Earlier this week supermarkets ran out of fish, vegetables and fruit and consumer groups warned customers on Friday that smaller shops could try to take advantage of the supply shortage by raising prices and selling expired goods.

Italy has some of the highest fuel prices in Europe.

http://www.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/europe/italy/10/06/fuel.protest/index.ht ml

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 06, 2000.


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