Taxi owners across Greece will stage a new 48-hour nationwide strike on 2 and 3 December, escalating their protest over what they describe as prolonged inaction on the chronic problems affecting their industry.
The sector’s main union says that despite repeated discussions with ministries — particularly the Ministry of Transport — no meaningful solutions have been offered. According to the Panhellenic Federation of Taxi Owners (POEIATA), the profession “has reached its limits”.
Dialogue Exhausted, Union Says
In its announcement, the federation states that all avenues for dialogue have been exhausted without progress on issues that directly impact drivers’ daily work and long-term survival. Although several bills have passed in recent months, the union argues that none address the concerns of taxi professionals, who have instead been urged to “wait longer”.
The union’s board convened and unanimously agreed to call the two-day, pre-warning strike, accompanied by mobilizations across the country. It also initiated procedures for convening a sector council to decide on further action, potentially including prolonged strikes.
What Taxi Owners Are Demanding
The federation outlined a series of demands, which include:
- Extending the deadline for mandatory electrification of taxis to 2035
- Addressing what they describe as unfair competition from multinational ride-hailing platforms
- Immediate measures to curb the illegal transport of passengers by private vehicles
- An increase in time-based charges and the minimum fare nationwide
- Renegotiation of rules governing taxi access to dedicated traffic lanes
- Implementation of outstanding provisions from the pending sectoral legislation
- Adjustment of the official tariff structure
- Fairer tax treatment for drivers
The union also expects a meeting with the relevant ministry, to be attended by its leadership and the heads of its affiliated groups. It has warned that if there is no response, the sector will proceed “unanimously and dynamically” with further decisions.
