Another cabbies' strike in Rome?
Cab drivers in Rome are facing off against city hall in a push for a 25 percent price hike. Megan Williams reports how the city's response could threaten another cabbies' strike.
Italian taxi drivers demonstrating in Rome. (Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images)
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Doug Krizner: In Rome, taxi drivers are clashing with city hall, and the threat of another cabbies' strike is looming. Megan Williams reports from the Italian capital.
Megan Williams: Rome's taxi drivers are angry, again. In an ongoing face-off with city hall, cab drivers in Italy's capital are pushing hard for a 25 percent price hike. The city instead wants an 18 percent cap, despite drivers repeated threats of more strikes.
Last year, taxis went on strike when the city announced it would issue 1,000 more taxis licenses, something the public has wanted for years. Rome has fewer than three taxis for every thousand residents -- one of the lowest rates in Europe.
But this angry Roman taxi driver says more drivers will only cut into business:
[Sound of angry Italian taxi driver]
"We pay taxes, insurance, car repairs, traffic tickets, We work 24 hours a day, and we earn practically nothing," he says.
As the drivers and city hall continue their stand-off, Italians and tourists are none too happy about where they stand: in long line-ups, with no guarantees they'll be going anywhere soon.
In Rome, I'm Megan Williams for Marketplace.
