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Taxi strike in Athens: 14,000 drivers paralyze traffic for 48 hours!
Taxi drivers in Athens go on strike for 48 hours against Uber policies and fixed prices. Tourists affected. Current information here.
Taxi strike in Athens: 14,000 drivers paralyze traffic for 48 hours!
Taxi drivers in Athens have announced a 48-hour strike on Wednesday and Thursday to protest current conditions in the industry. Over 14,000 drivers will take part in the strike to paralyze traffic in the capital. The protest action is particularly directed against the Uber and taxi policies of the airport and the Ministry of Finance, which are strongly criticized by the union. Athens airport has allocated parking spaces in the arrivals area to Uber drivers, angering regular taxi drivers. According to oe24.at, tourists now have to use public transport to travel between the city center and the airport, while local public transport remains available.
Taxi drivers are concerned about the impact of fixed prices for journeys between the city center and the airport. Passengers have to pay 40 euros during the day and 55 euros at night for the approximately 38 kilometer route. The union criticizes that these prices do not cover costs given the high volume of traffic and the varying routes. The protests are a reflection of the distressed industry, which is suffering from the pressure of new taxes on self-employment. This has further exacerbated the situation for taxi drivers.
Additional protests and impacts
The timing of the strike action in Athens also coincides with a nationwide strike involving various sectors, further complicating the situation. According to AP News, this combination is expected to disrupt all public transportation in Athens. On the first day of the strike, over 200 taxis took part in a demonstration in the center of the city. At the same time, drivers are also calling for a reduction in taxes, access to bus lanes and stricter regulation of ride-sharing apps.
The largest taxi drivers' union in Athens, which initiated the strike, is faced with the need to future-proof the industry. The boersennews.de also report on the importance of these protest measures and the dissatisfaction with the inadequate financial conditions for taxi drivers. The situation is compounded by the fact that the second day of the strike coincides with the first anniversary of the worst train accident in Greece, in which almost 60 people died. This gives the strike additional weight and public attention.
The affected taxi drivers emphasize that such measures are necessary to make the industry's voice heard and to bring about a rethink in transport policy. It remains to be seen what impact these strike actions will have on public transport and air transport.