High diesel prices are throwing the road haulage sector into chaos. And companies are threatening a nationwide strike

The situation in the road haulage sector, where high diesel prices are bringing thousands of businesses to their knees, is spiralling out of control. The protests have been sparked in the South, with roadblocks and spontaneous demonstrations across the region, but the unrest could soon spread like wildfire to other regions as well, with unpredictable consequences.

Unatras, the national union of road haulage associations, is once again threatening a nationwide lorry strike unless the government provides clear and immediate responses. Unatras states: ‘The tensions and spontaneous blockades that have arisen in Puglia – now the scene of a situation where insecurity reigns and where there are risks to workers’ personal safety – as well as the blockades already planned by independent committees and groups in Calabria and Sicily, are the extreme manifestation of a widespread sense of discontent amongst businesses that is no longer sustainable’.”

Cosenza is in the midst of a fuel crisis: the vast majority of petrol stations have completely run out of petrol and diesel, throwing urban transport into chaos. This problem is also spreading to other provinces. The last few days have been marked by long queues at petrol stations, which have been literally overrun by motorists. And today, further protests and demonstrations have been announced by farmers and hauliers in Rende, Montalto Uffugo, and along the Ionian and Tyrrhenian coasts of Cosenza to protest against high fuel prices and rising production costs. The protest is expected to attract a large turnout and aims to draw the government’s attention to the issue.

Confagricoltura Bari-BAT has sounded the alarm over the dire situation facing freight transport, particularly of fresh and ultra-fresh perishable produce destined for Italian and foreign markets, which is being held up by roadblocks and protest camps affecting the Foggia area (see also the accompanying article). “An unsustainable logistical stand-off,” says Confagricoltura Bari-BAT, “which for over three days has been paralysing the movement of goods, putting the economic survival of local agricultural and agri-food businesses at risk.” Numerous heavy goods vehicles loaded with perishable goods are currently stuck or stationary at petrol stations in the province of Foggia, unable to continue their journey. This represents incalculable damage to a supply chain for which timely delivery is a fundamental asset.

Unatras doubles down: ‘The very real and imminent risk is the total paralysis of the country’s logistics and economic system. The situation has been brought to a head by the government’s total and repeated failure to engage in dialogue, as it continues to ignore requests from national representatives for a meeting to discuss the concerns of a vital sector, which is being crushed by soaring operating costs, above all the cost of diesel, and by the lack of real safeguards in an increasingly unregulated market’.