The Federation of United Transport Unions of the North (Fesitrapurno) last night called on all its members in the 14 northern provinces to return to work today. Fesitrapurno had called a strike to paralyze bus transport between Santo Domingo and the cities and towns of the Cibao region in protest to a police action taken Monday. Early Monday morning armed officers of the Metropolitan Transport Authority (AMET) arrived with tow trucks and forcibly removed dozens of buses from a spot on the Duarte Highway where they had gathered to protest the recent raise in highway tolls. The strike was called off because a meeting between the union and AMET and the Technical Office of Land Transport (OTTT) resulted in an agreement to release buses seized and drivers arrested on Monday, and for the parties to meet next week (after the Holy Week vacation is over) to discuss union grievances. The union was also mollified by President Fern?ndez’s decision to suspend toll collection until next Monday.
