Portugal // We are at the fuel truck drivers strike picket~ 2 min

[Context for international readers: dangerous substances drivers are on strike. The Socialist Party government has activated civil requisition to force many to work, while also using the military to scab.]

We are at the fuel truck drivers strike picket listening to their stories before more people arrive for the 2:30 pm call.

They are telling us about the difficulties of a job that puts them on the road 13 to 16 hours every day, leading to traffic accidents, days off spent sleeping to recover, lives without family time, chronic back disease, respiratory issues and cancer.

They accuse the media of telling only what suits the government and bosses, obscuring the gimmicks that companies use to extract unpaid working time and the fact that the main demand of motorists is that companies start to contribute to social security, instead of paying off the books.

Despite what the professional and amateur commentariat says, drivers have not accepted this system so far because they have been happy to get paid under the table, but because they are being systematically terrorized by companies via income cuts and blacklists.

This is also the reason why we won’t post photos of anyone right now.