Taxi drivers in Malaga plan strike

TAXI DRIVERS in Malaga are threatening to strike if the Junta de Andalucía (regional government) does not put into action by September 29 promises made to the drivers last February.

The strike would above all cause chaos at Malaga Airport, and is a situation that the local government would wish to avoid, remembering the problems that a week of strikes caused back in February.

The drivers are tired of waiting for the Junta to act on the promises that brought an end to the action in February, and have said that the council has until September 29 to present a viable plan to implement change.

The argument centres around the taxi drivers’ desire to be able to take on pre-booked clients who wish to travel from Malaga’s surrounding towns and villages to the port, train station or airport. At the moment, only some taxi drivers from outside the city limits have the right to offer this service, and it is an aspect of transport legislation that the taxi drivers of Malaga want changing.

The Junta made promises to modify this legislation seven months ago, but has still to be seen to do anything. Drivers will meet at the end of the month to discuss how they will proceed, but it seems a strike is likely if the Junta remains unresponsive.

José Antonio Mate, president of Malaga’s union of taxi drivers Aumat, said: “We will approach the situation with the thinking that if when we meet we find ourselves in the same situation as we do now, a strike is likely to be called.”

As well as their demand for the ball to begin rolling on the Junta’s promises, the drivers will want to see a resolution of the conflict between the City of Malaga’s taxi drivers and those from the province. The regulation and control of licensed taxis, as well as penalties imposed on illegal taxis, would be a step in the right direction in resolving the problem.