The Chilean government has reached an agreement with two of the truckers’ unions participating in the one-week-old strike, partially deactivating the truckers’ strike, as this agreement does not include one of the drivers’ unions.
The Chilean Executive has agreed on ten points with the Chilean National Confederation of Cargo Transportation (CNTC) and FedeQuinta, while Camioneros del Sur and Fuerza del Norte remain outside the pact.
The plan agreed with two of the union organizations of mobilized truckers includes the designation of exclusive prosecutors by region to investigate crimes against truckers and the stabilization of fuel prices with a limit of US$ 1,500 million, reports AdnRadio radio station.
The Undersecretary of the Interior, Manuel Monsalve, emphasized after signing the agreement that this «benefits all Chilean men and women» by stabilizing fuel prices.
Regarding this measure, Monsalve has clarified that it will favor «all those who consume fuels in Chile, whether they are truck drivers or not», reports ‘BiobioChile’.
Likewise, the representative of the Interior portfolio has encouraged the unions that have not joined the agreement to approve it «because it solves the truckers’ problem and the country’s problems». «There is a broad agreement and we are willing to listen to those who have not yet reached an agreement to join,» he reiterated.
The president of Fedequinta has celebrated that, after the dialogue table, they have achieved two of the three relevant points for the union. «We believe that this satisfies the rank and file (…), we understand that the State is making a great effort», he added, as reported by Cooperativa.
However, the carriers that have not signed the agreement with the Government will continue to mobilize.
Last Wednesday, the Chilean government invoked the security law to deal with the truckers’ strike due to the disruption they are causing on the highways.
The Minister of the Interior and Security, Carolina Tohá, confirmed that they had taken the decision to criminally prosecute -through the State Security Law- the truckers who maintain the blockades in several points of the country.
The Confederación de Transportistas Fuerza del Norte began last Monday an indefinite strike in protest against the high fuel prices, as well as the insecurity on the highways, after three months ago the truckers asked the Minister of Finance to put an end to the price hikes.