Chile: Bus Drivers on Strike in Capital

Santiago de Chile, Nov 5 (Prensa Latina) About 150 buses for the Transantiago transportation service in the capital of Chile were paralyzed today for a new drivers' strike, against the refusal of the enterprise to answer to their demands.

The strike, organized by the workers' union for the Red Bus company affected transportation in nine communities on the north and east of the capital during morning rush hours.

Workers presented a list of demands that require higher wages and changes in working hours, but according to reports so far, the bosses turned a deaf ear to the complaints.

"We apologize for this, but we are defending our rights," drivers said in a message to the citizens, while a spokesman from the Red Bus company qualified the strike as illegal.

The mobilized union's president, Miguel Donoso announced the measure will end when some government authority holds talks with them, because the Human Resources director for the company threatened to fire all striking workers.

Last week, the union made a call for a similar strike, which also resulted in threats of dismissals by the manager's office for the Red Bus, the drivers charged.