Italian Taxi Drivers Warn of Strike Over Rising Fuel Costs

Taxi and private-hire drivers in Italy gathered outside the country’s transport ministry in Rome on Monday to protest a sharp rise in fuel prices and demand greater tax support. The protesters said a strike could be called if the current situation continues.

The rally was attended by the taxi associations ItTaxi, UriTaxi and Unicoop, along with private-hire vehicle sector activists. Despite the protests, their services have so far not been disrupted, but other unions are planning a large demonstration in Florence on Tuesday.

The protesters are calling for the return of tax exemptions that have been gradually reduced, and say their operating costs have risen by 25% to 30% since the start of the current crisis. Carlo D’Alessandro, a representative of Federtaxi Cisal, said a strike was one of the options under consideration.

Separately, Matteo Salvini, Italy’s acting transport minister, and his deputy Edoardo Rixi are due to meet representatives of the road transport sector on Tuesday. The meeting comes after the government allocated an emergency package of 105 million euros last week.

At the same time, Italy, together with the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia, has called for the extension of the European Union’s temporary agricultural aid measures to offset higher fuel costs for farmers, a request expected to be raised at the bloc’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting.