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Thousands of Chilean taxi drivers protested on Monday against the so-called '19459005] Uber Law by which the government intends to legalize the service of passenger transport applications
The central Alameda, Santiago's main thoroughfare, was invaded by thousands of taxis that were circulating with their classic yellow and black colors, as well as legends painted on the windows of their vehicles in which they expressed their rejection of this law announced by the government of President Sebastián Piñera 10 days ago, and that they intend to regulate passenger requests.
"We do not like this project, it was very lightly, very improvised (…) we did not even have the opportunity to do a joint analysis of this project," said Luis Reyes, President of the National Confederation of Taxis of Chile.
The new standard – which must be debated even in Congress – he plans to ask the drivers of Uber a license of professional and accident, requirements that taxi drivers already meet.Those who have a criminal record, such as drug trafficking, mistreatment and sex crimes, are excluded.In the meantime, the platforms must be registered as companies Passenger transport paid and paying taxes in Chile
The demonstration was held without violence and under strict police control In other Chilean cities, there were also protests [19659006] IN THE BANKRUPTCY
Chilean taxi drivers have maintained a fierce conflict with Uber and other passenger transport applications since their appearance in the country in 2014, accusing them of unfair competition .
Transport unions require that the law indicate the number of vehicles that can operate the applications, which is not included in the standard. They also demand to regulate their rates since they accuse them of operating illegally with lower prices, which has caused losses of up to 50% in the incomes of taxi drivers. "The demands are driving us to bankruptcy," he said. AFP, Luis Castro, one of the taxi drivers who participated in the demonstration.
The legalization of Uber will increase the public transport fleet to more than 150,000 vehicles, creating an unsustainable competition, especially when the current standard keeps frozen the number of taxis since 1998, say the drivers.
For the government, taxi drivers have long been "market owners" of public transport, that "we do not want to replicate, that's why our bill is increased Wider and more flexible," said Gloria Hutt, Minister of Transport
WORKING MORE, EARNING LESS
Chilean taxi drivers bragged even before the arrival of Uber in Chile that with the profits obtained with their vehicles paid for the academic careers of their children.But with the advent of applications in Chile since 2014, the situation has changed.
"There are more hours of work in the street, there is a drastic decrease in our revenues, we have decreased by 50% compared to what we earned a year ago, "said Hugo Oyarce, one of the taxi drivers who participated in the protest. [19659014] Currently, taxi drivers working on average 14 hours a day to reach an average of 40,000 pesos a day $ 63). They claim that before the arrival of the applications, they earned the same thing but in less than hours
The union of taxi drivers has shown that it would go to Congress to defend its rights . "If necessary, we will request the inadmissibility of this bill in Parliament," said Luis Reyes.
Over the past two years, Uber has reached 50,000 registered drivers in Chile, surpassing the nearly 47,000 taxi drivers who work in Santiago, the country's capital, of nearly seven million residents.
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