Some 100,000 taxi drivers join the transport strike to demand early retirement

MADRID 18 Oct. () –

The National Taxi Association has expressed its support for the strike called by the CCOO and UGT unions in the road freight and passenger transport sector (trucks and buses), which will take place on October 28, 11, 28 and November 29, December 5 and 9, and indefinitely starting December 23.

Taxi drivers from all over Spain, about 100,000, thus join the demand for early retirement for professional drivers due to the dangerousness of the profession.

“We demand that the reducing coefficients be applied to us to access early retirement, due to the hardship of our profession, together with our fellow transporters, since it is evident to everyone that we have a host of diseases derived from our work that are not recognized and now is the time to face this serious problem,” Antaxi, which represents 95% of taxis in Spain, defends in a statement.

In addition to the taxi drivers, CCOO and UGT have assured that the strike by truckers and bus drivers also concerns the self-employed who work in the sector, whom they urge to support and second the strikes.

The unions explain that the advance retirement due to dangerousness of the profession would also apply to the self-employed, so they can also join, although since they are not salaried, it would be a temporary cessation of their activity.

In Spain there are around 250,000 salaried truck drivers, although the unions hope that the self-employed will join the call, so the figure could reach 500,000 workers. It also affects bus drivers, whose only official figure is 98,000 workers, although including all employment in the sector.