Taxi drivers across Athens walked off the job for 48 hours on Tuesday morning, launching a strike to protest a new government regulation that allows passenger vans to operate as transport services.
The Attica Taxi Drivers’ Union (SATA) is demanding the immediate withdrawal of the new measure, which it says threatens the livelihood of professional drivers by favoring "multinational cartels and digital platforms."
The strike, which began at 6 a.m. Tuesday and will last until 6 a.m. Thursday, has halted regular taxi service in the capital.
The union said some on-call taxis will be available for essential transport to and from hospitals. A protest rally is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday outside the union's headquarters.
In a statement, the union described the strike as a "struggle for survival."
Its president, Thymios Lyberopoulos, said the fight was a defense of "dignity and the right to work."