Repeated 24-hour nationwide strikes begin from today by taxi drivers, as a reaction to the bill (draft law) of the Ministry of Transport, which is being voted in Parliament on Friday 20.03.
The professionals of the sector support that the content of the bill directly affects the operation of taxis, but also their relationship with other forms of passenger transport. As they state, certain provisions may significantly change the terms of competition in the market.
A basic point of disagreement is article 52 on the leasing of private passenger vehicles with driver (EIX), which as they say “liberates the operation of private cars, equating them with taxis”.
EIX with driver are private cars that are rented, under conditions (e.g. they do not pick up customers from the street and pre-booking is required).
At the same time, the drivers express reservations also about the environmental regulations included in the bill, stressing that the transition to new technologies must be done in a realistic way and with the appropriate support from the state.
Also, they react to the mandatory transition to electrification in Athens and Thessaloniki, as “the necessary charging infrastructures do not exist”.
The trade union bodies of the taxi drivers stress that the mobilizations will continue as long as these specific provisions remain in the bill. At the same time, they request dialogue with the Ministry of Transport, pointing out that clear rules of market operation, protection of the profession and sufficient time for adaptation to any new obligations are required.
Source: Καθημερινή
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