Strikes by taxi drivers spreading in China
Strikes by taxi drivers are spreading in China, continuing their protests against rising petrol prices and stagnant wages.
By PTI | Updated:
BEIJING: Strikes by taxi drivers are spreading in China as hundreds of cabbies today did not report for work in two places in eastern Zhejiang Province, protesting against rising petrol prices and stagnant wages.
The strikes came just a few days after over 1,500 taxi drivers in the provincial capital city of Hangzhou took to the street for the same reason.
Strikes are a rarity in tightly controlled China but are catching up since last year when several foreign companies experienced sudden spurt in industrial actions by labour last year which resulted in revision of minimum wages across the country.
According to the protesting drivers, over 200 of the 900 cabs in the city of Jiaxin in northern Zhejiang were on strike today. Dozens of drivers parked their cabs near the city government, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
In the province's south, over 100 taxi drivers also struck work in Cangnan County of the city of Wenzhou, with dozens of them parking nearby the county government.
The drivers are demanding higher wages as the cost of living and fuel prices have soared in the past few years, but their incomes have barely risen.
Representatives of the striking drivers are currently in talks with authorities to work out a solution, drivers said.
About 1,500 disgruntled taxi drivers in Hangzhou took to the street last week, complaining about skyrocketing food, gasoline and housing prices, and the unchanged taxi fares.
The strike ended three days later after drivers received a promise from the government to hike fares.
The strikes came just a few days after over 1,500 taxi drivers in the provincial capital city of Hangzhou took to the street for the same reason.
Strikes are a rarity in tightly controlled China but are catching up since last year when several foreign companies experienced sudden spurt in industrial actions by labour last year which resulted in revision of minimum wages across the country.
According to the protesting drivers, over 200 of the 900 cabs in the city of Jiaxin in northern Zhejiang were on strike today. Dozens of drivers parked their cabs near the city government, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
In the province's south, over 100 taxi drivers also struck work in Cangnan County of the city of Wenzhou, with dozens of them parking nearby the county government.
The drivers are demanding higher wages as the cost of living and fuel prices have soared in the past few years, but their incomes have barely risen.
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Representatives of the striking drivers are currently in talks with authorities to work out a solution, drivers said.
About 1,500 disgruntled taxi drivers in Hangzhou took to the street last week, complaining about skyrocketing food, gasoline and housing prices, and the unchanged taxi fares.
The strike ended three days later after drivers received a promise from the government to hike fares.
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