Bus strike testing tourists´ patience

The Calvia and Andratx bus dispute looks set to continue but residents and tourists have started to complain about the inconvenience the strike, which started last Wednesday, is causing as it nears the start of its second week. Yesterday public bus drivers working for the companies Catalina Marques and Autocares Andratx met for talks and agreed that they have been “cheated” by the government and for that reason warned there will be no services today. Last Friday the Balearic government's director general for transport agreed that a team of inspectors would accompany drivers on their routes in order to ascertain whether or not their hours, frequencies and working conditions were as poor as they claim. However, according to angry drivers, the inspectors carried out their studies on the minimum services. “We feel cheated,” Miguel Pastor, member of the strike committee said yesterday. “Tomorrow (today) there will be no services,” he warned.