Hong Kong taxi union threatens 5-day strike if city fails to clamp down on Uber
Transport and Logistics Bureau urges taxi industry to ‘remain calm and rational and prioritise the interests of residents’
An influential Hong Kong taxi union has demanded a clampdown on illegal ride-hailing services run by operators such as Uber and Amap, and has threatened to go on strike for five days next month if it does not get positive action from the government.
In response, the Transport and Logistics Bureau on Wednesday urged the taxi industry to “remain calm and rational and prioritise the interests of residents” and to attend a meeting next week to propose ideas on how to enhance personalised point-to-point services.
The Hong Kong Tele-call Taxi Association said it had held an internal meeting on Tuesday evening and that about 80 per cent of attendees, representing 30,000 drivers, had agreed to a strike if authorities did not respond to its demands.
It is currently illegal in Hong Kong for drivers of private vehicles to accept paid customers without a hire-car permit, with many ride-hailing platforms such as Uber, Tada, Amap and Didi Chuxing operating unregulated. Amap is operated by Alibaba Group Holding, which owns the South China Morning Post.
Taxis that join these ride-hailing platforms are deemed legal as cabs are licensed.