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Forget Mumbai, taxi unions across the world have an issue with Uber and other app-based cab services

While taxi unions protest against Uber, in New Delhi it's the complete opposite as Uber and Ola drivers go on strike to protest Rs 6 per km rates and lack of accident insurance

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If you thought that autos and taxis going on strike to protest Ola and Uber ‘entering their space’ was unique only to Mumbai, then think again. According to a report by the Herald Sun, hundreds of taxi drivers marched to the office Daniel Andrews, the premier of Victoria in Australia, to protest Uber taking over their roads.

The taxi drivers were angry about plans to deregulate their industry, effectively scrapping licence fees in an effort to boost competition and allow other operators, such as Uber, to run legally.

Uber has interestingly faced protests across the world. The drivers of the famous black cabs in London have argued that Uber bypasses local licensing and safety laws and amounts to unfair competition. According to a report by UK’s The Telegraph, black cab drivers have staged a number of high-profile protests, including go-slow demonstrations that have brought traffic in the centre of London to a standstill.

Protestors in Toronto, too, spoke out against the app-based taxi service in 2015. At the time, the Toronto City council was set to vote on changes to taxi regulations that could regulate ride-hailing app service Uber.

Taxi drivers from other countries such as Brazil, Italy, Belgium, France, Poland and Australia have also voiced their concerns over Uber and other app-based taxi services monopolising the taxi service space, and thereby rendering them jobless.

In Mumbai, taxi drivers have protested several times in the past two years over Uber and Ola taking over the roads and commuters opting for the services over the traditional black and yellow cabs.  The last protest in June, 2016, was staged by nearly 4,000 taxi and auto drivers, as per police estimates, was staged by taxi drivers against cab aggregators on grounds that their business was being impacted.

Interestingly, while there have been protests against private taxi services from across the world, India’s capital New Delhi is going through its own crisis as Ola and Uber drivers have gone on a strike to protest against the Rs 6 per km rates, which they said favour only passengers. Some pointed to auto rickshaws and said even those charge Rs 8 per km. Threatening to launch a bigger strike from Monday, drivers said the Rs 6 per km fare is not enough compensation for them. 

According to reports, drivers are demanding an increase in incentives, provision of sufficient insurance policies and reduction of working hours. The demand for insurance was sparked off after an accident took place in New Delhi, where in the Uber driver lost his life.

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