Strike: Drivers and Union

strike: The vote means the strike will go ahead as planned after the failure of negotiations with the employers' association ANTRAM, as drivers demand higher wages and better working conditions, according to The Independent. Striking SNMMP drivers will be joined by the Independent Freight Drivers' Union SIMM . The strike will go ahead for an indefinite time, SIMM President Jorge Cordeiro told reporters after the joint union meeting.ANTRAM spokesman Andre Matias Almeida said the strike decision was a great victory for the union leaders but a resounding defeat for the workers. Our members spoke, Francisco Sao Bento, president of the National Hazardous Materials Drivers' Union SNMMP told reporters after the strike vote by members of the two unions representing freight drivers. The Socialist government led by Prime Minister Antonio Costa has already started preparations for the strike, declaring an energy crisis which has been in place since 11 59 p.m. on Friday and scheduled to last until Aug. 21. The government will ration fuel for the public, restricting drivers to a maximum of 15 liters of petrol or diesel at specially designated stations. The crisis declaration allows the government to ensure full supplies to ports, hospitals, airports and other priority users. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.