Bus strike hits Natal, host of second World Cup match

Natal, the city hosting the second match of the World Cup, had to find extra buses to transport fans Friday as bus drivers went on strike for a second day.
"We authorized school vehicles and other types of buses to provide transportation to the stadium and to supplement the bus fleet," a spokesman for the local transport authority told AFP shortly before Cameroon and Mexico faced off in the northeast Brazilian city's Dunas Arena.
Heavy rain forced the city to cancel plans to broadcast the game on a giant screen at its official fan park -- giving transport officials one less destination to service.
The drivers said they were respecting a court order to maintain at least 50 percent service.
"We're providing those services (50 percent) and the fans are arriving at the stadium," said union leader Nastagnan Batista.
The drivers, who are seeking a 16 percent raise, went on strike Thursday, halving the number of buses and mini-buses -- the city's only form of public transport -- on the roads.
Brazil was hit by a wave of strikes in the weeks before the World Cup.
But it dodged the worst threat when subway workers in Sao Paulo decided not to resume a paralyzing strike on Thursday when the city hosted the opening match