The Girona carriers they warn that rising fuel costs are “endangering companies” and that some will have to close. The employer of the sector, Asetrans, recalls that they work with “very small margins” and this still makes it difficult for some companies to operate. For all this, the vice president of the entity, Eduard Ayach, takes for granted an increase in the cost of transporting both goods and passengers and describes the rise in fuel prices as an “unsustainable” situation. One of the sectors that may be most affected is school transport, where prices are fixed and cannot be changed. Ayach hopes that the contracts with the administration can be reviewed in order to alleviate the impact.
From Asetrans are confident that the sector can resist, but recognize that there will be companies that will go wrong if there is no change in trend. Ayach says “any impact affects a lot” and therefore “companies are in danger.” “In addition, it must be borne in mind that this is a problem that is not current, but has been going on for a long time,” he said. All this has made the employer see it as the most immediate solution or an increase in the price of the service they offer.
“What we are is part of a chain. We see how our customer has to increase the cost of their product by the price of energy and we are forced to do the same when fuels go up. Without petrol we can’t work, ”Ayach points out.
From Asetrans bet on reaching agreements and talk to all the actors involved so that the products reach their place with the smallest possible increase, but with the certainty that “companies are viable”. “If this increase is to be borne by companies, it will be impossible,” he said.
They do not support the strike
Ayach has warned that the employers do not support the strike that has been called for next Monday. However, the vice-president of Asetrans has stated that they understand the reasons that led them to call this strike and hopes that the central government will put the appropriate measures in place so that “there is the maximum possible normality”.
The vice-president of the transport employers’ association of the Girona counties points out that there was already a threat of a strike that ended with an agreement with the sector, which would increase the cost of the service due to the increase in fuel prices. “We got some tools to fix the problem,” he notes.