Another strike in Buenos Aires, a city of 13 million people, this time enhanced by the additional complication of a wide-spread power outage, which paralyses city life somewhat more. A high tension line is out somewhere...
High tension amongst the populace makes up for the lack of power. All buses, trains, subways stopped work at five a.m. and officially re-started at seven a.m. However, by that time 270 traffic lights had stopped functioning and 100 % more commuter cars plugged up down town crossings. Never mind the thousands of households affected by the power outage...
Long distance bus terminals and airports went into sleep mode.
Commuter and transit buses started running again shortly after nine a.m. more or less frequently - although getting on and progress along streets was a matter of luck. Line ups for ever.
Trains started running again shortly after seven, and brought thousands of commuter workers to connecting subway stations.
Of six major subway lines, one subway line did not work at all - train personnel had not made it to work (I wonder why, maybe they were dependent on public transport). Frustrated passengers beat at the locked subway gates (police and security out in force), screamed at each other, police, subway staff, press, and tried to break down locked barriers with kicks and fists. Once train operators became available, and gates opened up, a flood of people crowded onto the waiting platforms. One could not have inserted a needle between them - absolutely crammed.
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| Linea D of the subway experienced a power outage shortly after the strike stopped, hence D trains stopped as well wherever they happened to be. People were evacuated from mid-tunnel - a long and hot way out. A couple of passengers suffered heat strokes. No wonder, wagons were so crowded, that the ambient temperature of somewhere around 28 degrees, felt even hotter. Sardine cans do not describe the interior of the waggons, sardines definitely enjoy more room. People were actually squished against windows and doors, some elevated above ground, all showing signs of obvious distress. |
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| How this guy imagines to read his newspaper is beyond me. More danger of suffocating in the crowd or being trampled than being robbed by a pick pocket. Not enough space even to sneak a picking hand into any pocket. |
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| Plug ups at every intersection where traffic lights were out. Nothing moved, except a lot of irate tongues and balled fists. Why the strike? Transit worker unions demand a year end bonus of 4000 pesos, tax free, to alleviate the impact of 40% inflation and frozen salaries, which are not rising at the same galloping speed. A good day to stay at home, where magically power returned at nine a.m. At least fridge and elevator are functioning.  Heading of into El Campo in a couple of days....as long as the long distance buses stay working |
