Don Madge Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 I came across the following on one of the Euro forums, it could just be rumour and speculation. "There are certainly rumblings about a general strike here in Spain - but one thing is for certain the transport strike will start at midnight Sunday 8th June unless the government act on our demands to reduce or even abolish IVA (VAT) on diesel for Spanish hauliers. We also require other measures to reduce the amount of taxes paid to compensate for the massive oil price increases. At present all the planners are looking to get every driver home by Saturday next week. One thing is for sure NOTHING will be moving on our roads until we get what we want, the strike is indefinite. It is being supported by everyone small and large hauliers alike." I've one observation on the statement. I thought IVA (VAT) was reclaimable as in the UK. Anybody in Spain care to comment on the threat of strike action? Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hi Don - As at this morning (Saturday 31st May), we've heard absolutely nothing about this at all. Nothing on the regional or national Spanish news, nothing in the Spanish newspapers. The only thing we have had here was a protest (totally peaceful) by a group of Spanish fishermen last week outside Parliament in Madrid over the price of the deisel for their boats. (Spain is the largest producer of fish and seafood products in Europe). Thye were asking for a sort of "essential users" rebate. The Spanish Government response was basically to say no: because everyone is an essential user and they will not show favouritism to any particular grouping; indeed it would be illegal under EU law for any EU country to do so as it would constitute unfair competitive advantage. We all have to get through this together by economising and being more effecient in our use of thei fast-dwindling resource, and rapidly increase the use of alternative energy sources because the days of cheap oil are never coming back. I don't know if the report you've mentioned is genuine or not, but I'd have thought it would be all over the Spanish press if it was. The other thing that makes me somewhat dubious about it at this stage, is that not many people are in Trades Unions in Spain, and the Unions that do exist here are not particularly well organised or unified. If I hear anything more about it over here in the coming days I'll update people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted May 31, 2008 Author Share Posted May 31, 2008 Thanks Bruce, It will be interesting to see what happens. The person who posted the original info usually is quite reliable and lives in Malaga. It seems IVA is reclaimable but the problem is that you have to pay it out first then wait for God knows how long to get it back. This of course creates a massive cash flow problem for many small /medium operators. The other problem being that every time gasole goes up a cent or two the amount paid out in IVA increases disproportionately. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detourer Posted May 31, 2008 Share Posted May 31, 2008 Hi Don......following you all over the forums (lol) . Yes, like BGD, I have not heard anything about a "General Strike". I belong to one of the big "Brotherhoods" [didn't have a choice *-) ] so I think I would have heard. The fisherman did their bit last week and will continue to do so no doubt and the truck strike are still on, I think. Don't understand the bit of reporting about the IVA [Vat].......I get my IVA back quite quick and regular. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 So far as I'm aware, IVA (Impuesto Valor Aditional; like VAT in the UK) reclamation here in Spain is actually very quick.....if you are a net reclaimer, it can be claimed back on a calendar monthly basis via submitting online accounts and the Hacienda (tax office) repay it into your business bank account within one month. Sunday 1st June here now, and I've still have heard nowt about any strike action in Spain over road fuel prices.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CISCO Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Don, CNN.com is running an article on the problem (19th June - one day strike) http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/06/19/spain.strike/index.html takes you straight to it. ! CISCO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi Cisco - I think there may be some confusion: the link you qote is to a report on a one-day strike in Spain which took place 6 years ago. The article is dated June 19, 2002, and refers to "current Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar". He was the leader of the PP but was evicted from office here two General Elections ago. Zapatero, rather than Aznar, has been the Spanish Prime Minister in power for the past 5 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CISCO Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Hi BGD, Sorry - I'll get the hang on this one day (or some new specs) CISCO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 There are reports of problems in Spain with trucks blocking roads. http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20080606/los-transportistas-mantienen-paro-anunciado-ante-falta-acuerdo-con-gobierno/78950.shtml I put it through Alta Vista but it does not make much sense. Any of our Spanish residents care to update us please. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Madge Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 An update http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7443257.stm From a warm and sunny East Yorks. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detourer Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Hi Don....from a hot and sunny Southern Spain....... As I write Debbie [the wife] is sitting in a long queue at a fuel station...... She always drives on "fumes".......Her fault, she thinks its cheaper that way. But in the morning she needs to get me to the Airport. Well, the effects of the strike, that was never going to happen and has only now been on for about 18 hours, has been rapid and at some places dramatic………….. Inland, in a number of small towns and villages I passed today queues were forming at fuel stations. By lunchtime word was that a number of gasolineras [fuel stations] around Sevilla had already run dry of fuel as a consequence of the strike. I was one of the last to be served as diesel ran out in the biggest petrol station in Fuengarola. I saw on Spanish TV that in Madrid “they” are hanging bricks on ropes from the over-bridges on the motorway at lorry windscreen height…………………….you can read Motorhome height there !!! Ah well…………..never thought I would be pleased to return to the UK tomorrow…………but only for a few days thanks……………….. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Today's Daily Telegraph reports increasing problems in Spain with border crosssing blocked by lorries to try and prevent foreign lorries in and the problem spreading to south-west France as dry Spaniards look for places to refuel. The concessions by the Spanish Government have been rejected by the Trades Union who say the strike will go on indefinitely. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinfrier Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Spanish truck strike weakens, deliveries resume Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:30am EDT Email | Print | Share| Reprints | Single Page[-] Text [+] powered by SphereMADRID (Reuters) - Deliveries to Spanish wholesale food markets began returning to normal and factories started to get back to work on Friday as a truck strike over fuel costs began to weaken, industry officials said. Following police action to clear pickets from highways, trucks made big deliveries of fresh produce to Madrid's Mercamadrid wholesale food market, averting the danger of the capital's supermarkets running out of stocks, vegetable and meat wholesale associations said. Car factories around Spain also began preparing to get back to work after many were forced to close due to a shortage of supplies caused by the strike by 75,000 truckers which began on Sunday night, according to auto association ANFAC. Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero deployed 25,000 police to break pickets blocking highways and allow working truckers to pass. He promised "zero tolerance" for violent strikers after incidents in which picketers intimidated or attacked vehicles trying to get through. The government persuaded most truckers to go back to work with promises of tax breaks but has refused to accede to demands for minimum haulage charges. About 6 percent of Spain's truckers are still on strike. (Reporting by Jason Webb and Robert Hetz; Editing by Janet Lawrence) © Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved Some minor problems with petrol stations running out of fuel Wed but all look back to normal today some of the bigger supermarkets low on fresh produce but smaller ones fully stocked I filled up yesterday not even a queue.I am told it's all over? Malaga Costa del Sol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 We have just returned from a 10 week break in Spain and yes there was a strike but we experienced no problems getting fuel at all. I understand the borders were difficult for a couple of days or so but very little anywhere else that we were aware of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsandywhite Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 :-( We were caught up in the problems of getting fuel to make our return trip back to the UK. We had been taking care of an old friends house, dog and cats while she visited Portugal. As she has no TV we were unaware of any problems until another friend mentioned that the garages around the Orba valley, Denia and Ondara had all run out of fuel due to people stocking up in readiness for the Lorry drivers strike. We had only a couple of gallons of diesel left in the tank. So we were pretty worried that we may not be able to make it to France and onto Le Havre. We did manage to get some locally when they had a delivery and made our way north to Vallirana outside Barcelona to visit our Catalan friends for a few days. They informed us that the French Lorry drivers were going on strike on the Monday. We cut short our visit and headed straight for France to enable us to fill up and reach Le Havre. Sat at Le Havre for a couple of days before deciding to book an earlier Ferry. There were Lorry Driver pickets on occasion at Le Havre. But nothing to cause any problems. We had already filled up. I did however wonder whether it was worth filling up in France or not? The cheapest diesel we bought was 1.409 Euro per litre. The most expensive we saw was 1.59 Euro per litre. 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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