MEMBERS of the Cyprus Ready Mixed Concrete Association plan to start an indefinite strike on Monday 28 February that will continue until a radical and long-lasting solution to the problems facing the industry are found.
According to a report in the ‘Economy’ inset of the ‘Phileleftheros’ newspaper, the planned strike will affect hundreds of private and public sector development projects valued at more than €2 billion if it lasts longer than 48 hours.
Association members want the government to increase the allowable load carried by ready-mix concrete vehicles and an exemption from the requirement for tachographs to be installed in concrete mixers.
The government is in the process of amending the rules on motor vehicles and road traffic regulations to satisfy the first request. With regard to the second request, EU regulations require concrete mixers to be fitted with tachographs, but exempt them for “vehicles operating on islands not exceeding 2,300 square kilometres and not linked to the mainland by a bridge, ford or tunnel that can be used by motor vehicles”.
I do not honestly understand how they can more unless they convert to “Tridem back axles”, a very costly conversion if at all possible to current standard chassis.
Futher to this, I note daily mixers with twin rear tyres rubbing together. This a 100% giveaway that they are OVERLOADED.
@Greg – It appears that the government and the Cyprus Ready Mixed Concrete Association have reached a compromise and the strike will be called off. There was a meeting of the Association this afternoon to discuss.
One issue that wasn’t mentioned in the article concerned a standard for concrete which has now been agreed based on a scientific study and 2-year transitional period.
Earlier today Ready Mix lorry drivers staged a protest on the Limassol/Nicosia highway.
Looking for a ‘Concrete’ solution are they?
Go on strike for a couple of years please, this will save some of the country side been concreted and if development stops we would get some clean air which will be a god send to asthma sufferers.
Tachographs exercise some documented control over what is happening to vehicles and are generally used to prevent excessive driver hours or vehicle abuse and help to improve road safety.
Items measured include distance travelled, speed of vehicle, etc, all against a 24 hr timeline.
You can also match this up to GPS to give a full picture of vehicle usage. (E.g. where it’s been, at what time and at what speeds)
Perhaps the Cypriot concrete truck drivers do not want this documented control for their own reasons.
Selling excess concrete in exchange for a brown envelope is very lucrative.
This strike will only help the property developers & their contractors, since due to the recession/credit crunch & Title Deed scandals etc, (ad infinitum) virtually no property is selling. So this strike will give them an excuse not to pay the concrete workers wages. The party is over & dirt is hitting the fan!
I cannot see how allowing cement lorries to carry more concrete & at a faster speed is going to help their cause.
What they actually need is less concrete at a slower speed. This would keep more of them employed.
If they want to help the industry, they should be calling for a practical solution to the title deeds fiasco. More houses would then be built & sold, thus helping their industry.