Italy taxis stop strike over ‘Uber’ benefits
ROME: Taxi drivers in Italy striking over delays to legislation regulating Uber and car-hire services stopped their protests late Tuesday after reaching a deal with the government.
The six-day strike had left commuters stranded across the country, with taxis taking only emergency fares for disabled people or those needing to get to hospitals, and led to scuffles in Rome as protesters clashed with police.
Drivers say the current rules benefit ride-hailing service Uber or NCCs — cars rented with a driver — because unlike taxis they can buy licences in smaller towns, where they cost less, but use them to work in cities.
Taxi drivers are also furious they have to work under fixed tariffs while Uber and the NCCs can charge as much as they like.
In the middle of the night, and after five hours of negotiations, Italy’s vice-minister for transport Riccardo Necini said drivers had agreed to return to work.
The government will meet Wednesday (yesterday) with taxi and NCC representatives to thrash out guidelines for the sector.
The late-night deal followed days of disruption and even violence.
Earlier Tuesday protesters in Rome set off flares outside parliament, with one of these shattering the windows of a neighbouring building.
Demonstrations were also staged in Milan and Turin, where taxis blocked a main square for several days.
“A taxi licence in Rome is worth 150,000 euros (US$158,000), but the NCC pays ten times less elsewhere,” said Gabriele, 52, who has been a taxi driver since 2011 and did not want to give his surname.