No taxis on Thursday: 24-hour drivers strike

Taxi drivers have announced a 24-hour strike on Thursday, July 11, starting at 6am and ending at 6am on Friday. According to SATA, the drivers will hold a protest at the intersection of Spyrou Patsi and Kavalas streets at 9.30am.

In a statement, SATA said about the 24-hour strike by drivers: “By unanimous decision of all factions, the SATA Board of Directors has decided on a 24-hour strike by Athens taxis. Expressing our indignation, we demand: the immediate withdrawal of the controversial amendment by the Ministry of Tourism.”

At the extraordinary meeting of the Governing Council of the Attica Automobile Union (Σ.Α.Τ.Α.), which took place on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, a decision was unanimously made for a 24-hour strike on July 11. This is the day of the vote on the transfer of the transport services sector, which is being promoted by the Ministry of Tourism in favor of private companies (EIH).

As part of this a solution that is the first of its kind in the worldoffered legislatively prohibit control bodies from exercising their constitutional right to check both the drivers of these vehicles and the passengers they transport. This decision caused a wide resonance among motorists, and they expressed their dissatisfaction, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the controversial amendment. The statement of the strikers also says:

“Colleagues! The government has not understood the message of June 9th that our service sector (taxi) and the Greek people conveyed to it. It continues to tirelessly pursue the task of leveling the entire sector in favor of the cartels. We will fight this! We intend to protect our jobs, our lives and our future!

Colleagues! The government is demonstrating its readiness in every way expropriate our profession, supporting the oligopoly and transnational corporations in every possible way. We must tell the authorities that we will no longer tolerate their actions that undermine our corporate well-being and professional dignity. We will gather in our cars on 11/07 at Spyrou Patsi and Kavalas streets at 09:30“.

In other words, the Greek Ministry of Tourism intends to introduce changes that will limit the ability of control bodies to check taxi drivers and passengers. This has caused discontent among taxi drivers, who believe that such measures could lead to a deterioration in their working conditions and the safety of passengers. In connection with this, taxi drivers in Athens have decided to hold a 24-hour strike on the day of the vote on this issue.

It is important to note that Such actions could be part of a broader policy aimed at reforming the country's transport sector.. This may include changes in licensing, regulation and control of taxi activitieswhich, in turn, can affect the working conditions of drivers and the safety of passengers.

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