Distribution Business Articles

Like the strike that spread through the Balkans, the United Kingdom and Ireland were threatened with a petroleum disruption resulting from a transportation strike planned for 4 days.

June 10 (Bloomberg) -- U.K. officials have drawn up emergency measures to address potential fuel shortages if tanker drivers go ahead with a four-day strike, the Financial Times reported.

The government will try to reduce disruptions from the strike, John Hutton, U.K. business secretary, said, according to the FT. Measures include ensuring provisions of fuel for emergency services and possibly transporting supplies to high- demand areas, the newspaper said, as well as temporarily suspending antitrust rules among oil companies.

About 500 drivers who work for JW Suckling Transport Ltd. and Hoyer UK Ltd. have threatened strike action over a pay dispute. The strike will run for four days, starting June 13, the FT said. Both companies are the sole providers of fuel to about 1,000 Royal Dutch Shell Plc gasoline stations across England and Scotland, according to the newspaper.

Bloomberg.com: U.K. & Ireland

Again this disruption or threat of disruption is much more serious as it impacts not just a single shipment but to threaten the shipments of drivers that are not actively engaging in the strike and it threatens the ability of everyone else to drive.  Its not the delay of a diet pill delivery, its the potential delay of emergency response vehicles or critical deliveries of food and other products.