People pressure governments worldwide to act on inflation

Spanish truckers have won concessions from the government to help check rising fuel costs and improve work conditions after threatening to stop hauling freight just before Christmas

BARCELONA, Spain -- Óscar Baños and thousands of fellow truck drivers celebrated Saturday after a threat to idle their engines pushed the Spanish government to adopt measures improving work conditions and checking skyrocketing fuel costs driven by inflation.

It's the latest effort by workers, opposition leaders and citizens to pressure governments from Europe to the Americas to intervene as surging consumer prices squeeze households and businesses.

Baños loves hauling freight across Spain as his father did before him but was ready to lose much-needed cash during a three-day work stoppage just before Christmas. After days of negotiations, the truck companies called off the Monday-to-Wednesday action after Spain’s transport ministry agreed to demands that include controls to help cushion the blow of rising diesel costs.

“I spent 1,500 euros ($1,694) more in October for the same liters of diesel than I had the year before,” the 48-year-old said recently while hauling a load of rubber. “With that cost, it is impossible.”