The transport employers’ associations represented in the Spanish Confederation of Freight Transport (CETM) have reached an agreement with the CCOO and UGT unions for the early retirement that implies the cancellation of the strike of professional freight drivers that was going to start next Monday October 28. However, the strike continues among professionals who transport passengers by road and cranes unless the conversations held lead to understanding.
Both employers and unions met this Thursday at the headquarters of the Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service (SIMA) to reach an agreement regarding the early retirement. The health sector was the first to agree on the application of the reducing coefficients at retirement age that they demand, and the first, therefore, to fall from the strike call.
The details of the agreement on the transport of goods reached will be communicated throughout this Friday, as indicated by CETM in a statement published late on Thursday. CCOO advanced that the agreement entails the joint request to the competent administration, within a period of 20 days, of the initiation of the procedure for the establishment of said coefficients for the professional categories of driver and mechanic established in sections 4 and 5 of article 16 of the II General Agreement for Road Goods Transport companies.
As required by the CETM, the union has explained that they have accepted that simultaneously with the presentation of this request, an agreement on specific matters will be signed, which will incorporate two agreements: the periodic medical examinations contemplated in the preventive regulations, which will be mandatory for professional drivers of road freight transport; and the power of road freight transport companies to carry out random alcohol consumption controls and drugs to its driving staff in accordance with the established protocol.
In addition, the agreement also includes a series of initiatives for the different administrations regarding the Social Security contributions. For example, it proposes a telematic system so that companies can know if drivers are authorized to drive; the regularization of the procedures for carrying out initial, periodic or random controls for alcohol, drugs of abuse and psychoactive substances and medications, for personnel holding the position of driver of road goods transport vehicles; or professional qualification, training and the application of the same regulation that is established for partial retirement with a replacement contract in the manufacturing industry.
The transport strike that continues in the aforementioned sectors is scheduled to begin next Monday, October 28, and will also involve strikes on November 11, 28 and 29, December 5, 9 and 23, the day starting from which will become indefinite if negotiations are not unblocked.
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