The Transport Syndicate warns: The deadline has expired... escalatory steps within days

Hebron - Ofoq News - The head of the General Union of Transport Workers in Palestine, Alaa Mayasi, warned that the transport sector has reached a stage that he described as a “red line”, in light of the continuous rise in fuel prices and increasing operational costs, stressing that the union is trying to spare citizens from any general increase in transportation fees, but at the same time it is no longer able to keep drivers alone in the face of mounting burdens.

Mayasi’s statements came during an interview on the “Tala Sabah” program, which is broadcast on Radio 4, Ma’an Satellite, and Ma’an Radio Network, in an expanded discussion about the repercussions of fuel prices on the transportation sector and citizens, and the options offered to deal with the crisis.

Mayasi said that the rise in fuel prices is not limited to public vehicle drivers, but extends to various economic sectors, most notably the transportation of passengers and goods, which means that the increase in transportation costs is transferred to the prices of goods and services and the purchasing power of citizens.

He stressed that the union tried during the last period not to burden the citizen with additional burdens, pointing out that the driver himself is a citizen and is affected by the rise in prices, whether through his family’s needs or the high cost of the goods and services he consumes daily.

No general increase in fares... and exceptions for damaged lines

Regarding the possibility of raising transportation fares, Mayasi explained that the general trend is to maintain the current fare as much as possible, while studying the conditions of some lines that are exposed to exceptional circumstances due to checkpoints, road closures, and additional detours.

He pointed out that some drivers are forced to travel much longer distances as a result of the closures, which increases fuel consumption and operational costs, which may require special treatment of some lines to ensure their continuity.

On the other hand, telephone conversations during the program showed the extent of the tension within the transportation sector, as a number of drivers expressed their inability to continue with the current costs, and demanded urgent solutions that go beyond temporary measures.

Eighth seat.. The union: It is not a solution to the crisis, but rather an old entitlement

Mayasi touched on the agreement with the Ministry of Transport and Communications regarding adding the eighth seat to technically qualified service vehicles, explaining that this requirement is not the result of the current fuel crisis, but rather an old demand of the transportation sector dating back many years.

He stressed that the union conducted technical studies on the types of vehicles operating in the service sector, in cooperation with competent authorities, to arrive at visions that would guarantee the installation of the seat in accordance with technical specifications, safety and insurance requirements, stressing that the measure is not presented as a comprehensive solution to the rise in fuel prices.

He said that the eighth seat could contribute in the future to alleviating part of the operational burdens on drivers, but he clearly acknowledged that the basic crisis still exists and needs to directly address fuel prices and the cost of operating the transportation sector.

Mayasi directs sharp criticism of financial policies

In a strong tone, Mayasi held government financial policies an essential part of the responsibility for the pressures on the sector and citizens, calling on the Minister of Finance to review the policies followed in recent months.

He said that the transportation sector had assumed its “national and societal” responsibilities for months and tried to spare citizens from further burdens, but he stressed that this situation could not continue indefinitely.

He added that the end of October represents a deadline to review these policies and take actual steps to support the transportation sector, calling on the Minister of Finance, in the event of an inability to make real change, to assume responsibility and resign.

Mayasi considered that addressing the financial crisis should not be done through measures that lead, from the union’s point of view, to raising the costs of life for citizens, pointing out that the rise in fuel directly reflects on the purchasing power of salaries and on the prices of transportation, goods, and basic materials.

“The issue is not just transfer... but a whole life.”

Mayasi warned against reducing the issue to service fees, stressing that the rise in diesel affects trucks, goods transport vehicles, and entire supply chains.

He pointed out that trucks that consume hundreds of liters of fuel in the process of transporting materials and goods will have to bear the increase in the cost of transportation, which is ultimately transferred to the price of the commodity paid by the citizen.

He said: “The issue is not transportation. The issue is life in general,” referring to the widening economic repercussions of fuel prices.

Drivers object... and demands faster solutions

The interview witnessed heated interventions from drivers and citizens, some of whom expressed their refusal to consider the eighth seat a sufficient solution, stressing that the costs of fuel, maintenance and operation had become beyond their ability to bear.

One of the interventions raised the issue of internal lines in the city of Hebron, with talk of a plan to raise the fare by half a shekel per passenger. Mayasi responded that the union is in contact with representatives of these lines, and that any treatment must be carried out in coordination with the union and official authorities, pointing out that there are similar problems in internal lines in other cities.

Escalatory steps during the next week

In the most prominent thing he revealed during the interview, Mayasi announced that the union is heading to take escalatory measures during the next week to put pressure towards addressing the crisis, explaining that the options presented may include protest steps and sit-ins, but he ruled out at the current stage going to a comprehensive strike.

He said that the union does not want to stop the driver from working at a time when he needs his daily income, stressing at the same time that all legal options will remain on the table if the demands are not met.

He warned of a growing state of anger within the transportation sector as a result of economic pressures and operational costs, calling for dealing with the crisis before it reaches a more complex stage.