Taxi strike targeting Uber brings chaos to Spanish cities
Parked taxis block a section of Paseo de la Castellana, one of Madrid's main avenues, during a strike against what they say is unfair competition from ride-hailing and car-sharing services such as Uber and Cabify, in Madrid, Spain, July 30, 2018. REUTERS/Susana Vera
MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish taxi drivers blocked major city streets including Barcelona's Gran Via and Madrid's Castellana on Monday in a protest to pressure the government to curb licenses to online ride-hailing services such as Uber.
Union representatives were due to meet officials of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government later in the day to try to resolve the dispute, in which taxi drivers have choked main roads and snarled airports, bus and train stations since Saturday.
Along with counterparts in many other European countries, Spain's taxi drivers say that ride-hailing apps have made it impossible to compete.
A sign reading "Taxi strike" is seen during a strike against what they say is unfair competition from ride-hailing and car-sharing services such as Uber and Cabify at Atocha train station in Madrid, Spain, July 30, 2018. REUTERS/Susana Vera
"Uber and Cabify are putting the viability of the taxi sector and 130,000 jobs at risk...The union considers this unfair competition intolerable," the UGT union said in a statement.
Union representatives say the current law of one ride-hailing license for every 30 taxi licenses is not being respected and want an end to the practice of transferring ride-hailing permits between drivers.
With backers including Goldman Sachs and BlackRock and valued at more than $70 billion, Uber has faced protests, bans and restrictions around the world as it challenges traditional taxi operators, angering some unions.
A cyclist rides in between taxis blocking a section of Paseo de la Castellana, one of Madrid's main avenues, during a strike against what they say is unfair competition from ride-hailing and car-sharing services such as Uber and Cabify, in Madrid, Spain, July 30, 2018. REUTERS/Susana Vera
London cab drivers are examining the possibility of bringing a class action suit against Uber after the mobile app was granted a temporary license renewal to operate in the British capital.
(Reporting by Paul Day; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
A taxi driver hangs an information leaflet for passengers during a strike against what they say is unfair competition from ride-hailing and car-sharing services such as Uber and Cabify at Atocha train station in Madrid, Spain, July 30, 2018. The leaflet reads: "Minimum services, free rides for people with reduced mobility, the elderly and families with children."REUTERS/Susana VeraParked taxis block a section of Paseo de la Castellana, one of Madrid's main avenues, during a strike against what they say is unfair competition from ride-hailing and car-sharing services such as Uber and Cabify in Madrid, Spain, July 30, 2018. REUTERS/Susana VeraParked taxis block a section of Paseo de la Castellana, one of Madrid's main avenues, during a strike against what they say is unfair competition from ride-hailing and car-sharing services such as Uber and Cabify in Madrid, Spain, July 30, 2018. REUTERS/Susana VeraParked taxis block a section of Paseo de la Castellana, one of Madrid's main avenues, during a strike against what they say is unfair competition from ride-hailing and car-sharing services such as Uber and Cabify in Madrid, Spain, July 30, 2018. REUTERS/Susana VeraParked taxis block a section of Paseo de la Castellana, one of Madrid's main avenues, during a strike against what they say is unfair competition from ride-hailing and car-sharing services such as Uber and Cabify, in Madrid, Spain, July 30, 2018. REUTERS/Susana Vera
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