Drivers strike on Monday; 100 percent paralysis eyed
Last week we braced for a storm. Next week, we have to brace for a transport strike.
The Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo (NADSU) in a press conference yesterday said the group is leading other sectors in staging a “stronger but peaceful” strike this Monday, to demonstrate the “sorry state” of drivers amidst the rising prices of oil and commodities.
This, according to NADSU Chairman Roy Opura, will also be participated by other sectors including different labor groups as well as farmers and fisher folk.
Opura said there will be at most 7,000 drivers, who will join the strike, which they described as the biggest strike in the country.
“We call on private firms and university heads to observe a holiday on Monday for their workers and students as they will surely be affected,” Opura said.
He said they already sent letters to the heads of schools and universities on their planned strike.
NADSU and its sympathizers are demanding for a uniform fare for jeepneys across the country because the prices of petroleum and commodities in the market continue to rise.
“Why does region seven have the cheapest minimum fare while in fact the price of petroleum products here are more expensive?”
Aside from that they are also demanding for a P125 across the board wage increase for workers as well as the removal of the 12 percent Expanded Value Added Tax (E-VAT) on oil products.
“We also call for the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law which is the main reason for the unabated increases in the fuel products,” Opura said.
The strike will begin at exactly
Ruben Rama, Nadsu spokesperson said, they will hold a peaceful strike since they imposed a policy among drivers to avoid being drunk so that there won’t be any violence and arguments.
For drivers who will not join the strike, NADSU will just have to talk to them, Rama said. He is however confident that all drivers will participate in the strike. — Ferliza Contratista and Jessica Ann Pareja/NLQ
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