Athens taxi drivers call new strike over ride-hailing rules, taxes, EV mandate
Taxi drivers in the greater Athens area will stage an 18-hour strike from midnight Sunday to Monday in protest at government regulations they say weaken their union, SATA, and pave the way for “unchecked entry of big private interests” into the transport sector.
SATA says a recent joint ministerial decision tilts the market in favor of multinational ride-hailing platforms over self-employed drivers. The union is also demanding relief from heavy taxes and opposes a mandatory shift to electric vehicles.
“We will not back down. They are trying to finish us off, to end the taxi driver’s free profession and hand over our work to private companies,” SATA president Thymios Lymberopoulos said.
The union has called an extraordinary assembly for 10 a.m. Monday. “If we don’t react now, tomorrow may be too late. It’s either us or them,” SATA said in a statement.
