Taxi drivers in Xiamen, China have gone on strike to protest high gas price, high rent, and low taxi fares. Some violence has occurred as drivers smashed some taxis on the street that did not participate in the strike.
Rising gas price and frozen taxi fares are squeezing taxi drivers. Here is a brief report from WantChinaTimes. This follows another taxi driver strike two months ago in a different city, Hangzhou.
The taxi fares are fixed by the government, without any say from the taxi drivers. The current rate was said to be set 10 years ago, and has not been adjusted. From the WantChinaTimes report:
Of the 500 yuan (US$78) earned on a single taxi shift, 220 yuan (US$34.50) must be handed over to authorities. Fuel costs add another 200 yuan (US$31) or so, leaving only 70 (US$11) to 80 yuan (US$12.50) for other expenses.
That's for one day's work.
Here are some pictures of the Xiamen strike (uniformed men are the striking taxi drivers):