At an emergency meeting on Thursday, the SATI union decided to set up a resistance fund for continuing the indefinite strike by TIB bus drivers. Money is to be raised "to support the workers currently on strike and to be able to continue fighting against this merciless employer".
"We believe this strike fund will help those workers who are feeling the effects in their pay." The union points to the high level of strike participation; this was put at 97.5% on Thursday. "If they think they're going to exhaust us, they're in for a tough time. We're keeping going and with increasing strength."
Another protest was held at Palma's Intermodal Station on Thursday evening. Demonstrators were asked to place strips of adhesive tape over their mouths to denounce the pressure they are under to cut the noise of their protests. "They don't even let us raise our voices anymore. Every day there are more restrictions, more control, more contempt."
On Thursday morning, President Marga Prohens called on both sides to show "responsibility" so that the strike can be called off. Regarding an SATI request for her to become personally involved in the dispute, Prohens said that the ministers of employment and mobility - Cati Cabrer and José Luis Mateo - have assumed the mediation roles, "are giving their all" and are in "permanent contact" with her.
It had appeared as if the two sides were edging towards an agreement on Wednesday before the employers' representatives abandoned a meeting that had lasted eight hours. The strike is therefore continuing without any obvious end in sight. Minimum service levels of 60% remain in place. The indefinite strike started on Friday last week.