Shippers say they will not give an inch in their confrontation with new monopoly aspirations of Fenatrado, the Federacion Nacional de Transporte Dominicano. Fenatrado is a union of truckers that has monopolized transport of cargo in the DR as governments over the years have given in to their clout. Fenatrado union members demand the right to handle 50% of the lift truck and forklift cargo transported at ports. Manuel Arias Mella, president of the Shippers Association, said that they would accept an increase of 35% in the cost of the service, but would not give in to the 50% demand, as this is work proper of the shipping companies. Neither will they accept the demand for establishment of predetermined work shifts by the truckers union. Blas Peralta, spokesman for Fenatrado, insists that President Mejia has given them the right to 50% of the cargo handled in the country, extending this to the forklift cargo. To protest the shippers’ resisting their demand, Fenatrado stopped transport work at ports. Peralta told the press that they control 90% of ground transport. He said that the strike costs the government RD$100 million a day in revenues.
