A four-day stoppage a fortnight ago led to the government declaring an energy crisis, with desperate motorists queuing for hours at fuel stations, many of which eventually ran dry.


Unions said on Tuesday that they would give the employers’ association one extra week to act and meet the drivers’ demands before making a decision on the most appropriate action - though one union leader warned at the time a new strike was “very likely”.


SNMMP deputy leader Pedro Pardal Henriques, who had been locked in talks with road haulier association ANTRAM this week and which was mediated by the government, accused ANTRAM “of playing around” before issuing a one-week deadline for definitive progress.


The union leader also expressed dissatisfaction at ANTRAM’s apparent unpreparedness for the initial rounds of negotiations and ignorance of their demands.


He said that if ANTRAM failed to assume a clear position within the stipulated time limit, drivers would use “all mechanisms” at their disposal. Pedro Henriques said if there was no headway, another strike was “most probable.”


Among demands levelled by fuel tanker drivers are a minimum wage of 1,200 euros a month, a 240-euro subsidy and a reduction in the retirement age of drivers.


Following notification of the union’s deadline, the government said there was no reason for alarm and said it did not see “it as a threat” of new strike action.


“I don’t see this as a threat. There was an initial meeting in an attempt to reach an agreement in a labour conflict, which at this stage is peaceful. But it is normal that either side assumes a position to reinforce their negotiating position”, argued Economy Minister Pedro Siza Vieira.


The SNMMP was only formed at the end of 2018, but quickly gained prominence after organising a crippling four-day strike in April that spurred the Government into declaring a national energy crisis.


The strike by fuel tanker drivers was called off after formal negotiations were agreed to by all parties involved.


Meanwhile, in related news, the cost of fuel went up once again this week.


The rising cost of oil on international markets and a stronger dollar saw both diesel and unleaded fuel increase at petrol stations across the country.


Unleaded petrol went up by two cents a litre, while diesel now costs one cent a litre more.


These latest increases were the 12th consecutive week in which the cost of petrol has risen.