Striking Drivers in Spain

AOG, Madrid

For the last couple of days, a group of truck (lorry) drivers representing only about 20% of their sector have been striking because of the high price of Diesel in Spain. Scuffles have broken between protesting truckers and strike-breakers on the second day of a road transport strike and drivers have blocked deliveries across the country. This video from Reuters has some good images on the situation.



The Spanish media have been following the story rather closely. The fear of empty markets and supermarket shelves gathering dust is a reality only just now really beginning show on people's minds.

Shoppers and car drivers have been stockpiling fuel and food fearing shortages. On the news this morning it was the top story. Hidden camera footage showed customers walking past empty shelves at a major supermarket.

The Government has told Police to avoid clashing with protesters and yesterday it reached a deal with truck drivers, however it is not them who called the strike but rather their Union.

President Zapatero has not really been seen much on television and the opposition is asking why not. Public opinion is upset since during March's general election, the Socialists refuted all claims of the possibility of an economic crisis. They have a point.

Some journalists are asking why fuel is being delivered with armed escort but food isn't.

A 47 year old driver was killed when he was trying to stop a truck from breaking the picket line and making a delivery- he got caught on the undercarriage of the vehicle and was dragged for about 50-60 meters and his body laid on the road for two hours before it was taken away. "Now the strike really begins" strikers have declared after learning about Julio's death as they walked out of negotiations this morning.

There is a real fear that things will worsen. Pro-Government journalists, such as Joaquín Estefanía have defended the Government's reluctance to reach a long-term deal arguing that the price of oil can change from one day to the next and that it would be futile to agree on a minimum price.

Unfortunately, the same Minister whose management of the high-speed rail link between Madrid and Barcelona was highly criticised because of its problems and delays is in charge of negotiations. Magdalena Álvarez is well known for replying to criticism by alluding to her sex and the fact that she is from Malaga and taking everything personally and by not actually responding to them.

I hope she fares better at dealing with strikers.

In the meantime, the driver's go-slow strike has all but collapsed most of Spain's roads and highways for the third day running.

They have also tried to close Spain off from the rest of Europe by striking at border posts between Spain, Portugal and France. The image shows the border pass at Girona, in Northern Spain.

The strike is affecting not only prices, there is talk of inflation reaching its highest level for 12 years. It is also affecting Spain's agricultural production. Tons of spoiled fruit and milk has been thrown away since it cannot be picked up because of the pickets.

I went to my local "DÍA" lo-cost supermarket and saw only empty shelves where perishable produce should have been. No meats (except for salami, chorizo and other types of cold meats) no chicken, beef, pork or lamb. As for fish, only the forzen variety, and then not much- a testimony to the Spanish' distaste for frozen foods. I, having no such distaste, bought some frozen salmon and vegetables and had that for dinner.

Dealing with cultures in a Blasé sort of way

AOG, Madrid

It is a difficult thing to live in a different country, something I have done all my life. So much so that I, in fact, belong to many places all at once, and to nowhere in particular.

I think that as my personality developed, it picked up pieces from here and there and fused them with whatever was there before. And this must have gone on always. In many ways it still goes on.

I am acutely aware of how different my sense of humor is becoming in Spain. My friends refer to it as being very "British". This is because I am the epitome of sarcasm, mockery and understated irony. And yet, I am aware that this sense of humor was already quite latent in high school back in Texas. If not sooner.

I find myself these days trying to learn the Spanish work etiquette. I find it hard to know when to make a joke, when to be serious. When to relax and when to worry about something. If there is a Spanish word for Blasé, I have not found it yet. And flippancy is sometimes frowned upon. And very often welcomed. I just never know.

And it is driving me mad. I find myself being either very serious, which is interpreted as being in a bad mood, angry, or something to do with my general well being oroutright irreverent (unfortunately I do this only too well!) and out of synch with everyone else. I think the people at the office are still trying to figure me out, although I believe that most think they have me figured out already- a very common Spanish thing to do, in my view.

When I arrived at the radio, I met with some of my ex-classmates on the elevator. As soon as they saw me they said "we were just talking about you, we were discussing how you should have been sent to the culture section at El País". I was flattered and amazed they thought this. I think I am better suited for an international newsdesk. And yet, this is how I am perceived.

I spent today updating the radio's website, as I have been doing since last week, with mostly international news. I think that they know it is what I like doing most, and so they oblige me. But of course, I do all sorts of news.

Today I wrote about sectarian mobs in Lebanon killing 4 people; about the arrest of a Spanish brigadier for talking to the press last year and criticising the Defense Ministry- big no no in this country it would appear. At least from within because it appears that everyone in Spain and their dog criticises the government whatever the reason.

I also wrote about the US Secretary of State's forthcoming visit to Spain next March.

And then I discover that "no mention was made [between Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister, M.A. Moratinos, and Ms. Rice] concerning president Zapatero's recent declarations concerning his willingness to follow the desires of the people of Spain and not meet up with President Bush ever". I was amazed to read this.

Amazed at how insular this country can be at times. I think Señor Zapatero must be the ONLY president or Prime Minister on earth who would say such a thing publicly.

And I don't think that this is either pragmatic nor helpful for Spain's foreign policy.

What country wants to deal with a state whose president may or may not meet with you depending on whether he likes you or not? I fully understand Señor Zapatero's principles in wishing not to meet with Mr. Bush. But when you are in politics, it is time to put your personal beliefs aside for the pursuit of a greater cause. In this case, Spain's foreign policy goals.

True, Mr. Bush is out of the White House in no time, but I think Mr. Zapatero fails to realise that by snubbing the American Head of State, he snubs an entire country. And if Mr. Zapatero is not aware of how much Spain's wellbeing depends on Americas's good will, he, or indeed Spain, may experience a rude awakening one day. This is, after all, the man who is pressing at the UN for his plan of an "Alliance of civilisations". Am I missing something here?

Unfortunately many in Spain (and the rest of Europe for that matter) prefer to live in the fiction that they are in the right, and America in the wrong. Not just today. Always.

Many people here are very anti-American. Not anti 'Americans' mind you, Americans they deal with well enough, and Spain is certainly very americanified these days, just like any other Western country. Two days ago they broadcasted Mr. Bush's State of the Union speech. Live!!! If that is not Americanified, I don't know what is!

Still, many here profess a deep dislike of American foreign policy. Old imperial rivalries? Perhaps. I have to say that I find the British behaving towards the US in much the same way. But whereas in Spain, as I stated before, Americans are mostly liked well enough, in Britain I would not be so sure. But of course, these are just generalisations. And I still have of lot of cultural catching up to do.