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By Gu Qinger 15/09/08
More than 200 taxi drivers in Chibi City, Hubei Province have been on a strike since September 8 over a management rights dispute with two taxicab companies. The authorities dispatched more than 200 military police to break up the strike, arresting six taxi drivers, and injuring and detaining another driver surnamed Deng for seven days
According sources, after the two taxi companies in Chibi City refused to renew the drivers’ contracts, several drivers visited the Hubei Province Appeals Office and other related departments to seek assistance. The strike was called after all avenues for reconciliation were exhausted. Thereafter, over 200 taxi drivers parked their cars in the parking lot of the Little Prince Taxicab Company.
On September 9, city officials requested that the taxi drivers resume work, but the two sides failed to reach an agreement. At 3:00 p.m. the authorities surprised the drivers by sending special taskforce police, military police, traffic police, and firefighters to quell the strike and tow away the cars by force. However, the crackdown was met with strong resistance and serious physical clashes. Six taxi drivers were arrested, and four of them were released after being interrogated by police. One driver, Mr. Deng, was injured and detained for “disturbing the social order.”
One driver surnamed Huang said, “Mr. Deng has diabetes. There were about 200 regular police, special taskforce police, and military police present at the scene. Mr. Deng was beaten to the ground, and one police officer even stepped on his body. He was so badly beaten. Then several police officers carried him into a police car. The police beat other people, towed cars away, and threw away drivers’ cameras and cell phones.”
Another driver, Mr. Wang said, “We ordinary citizens are a weak social force. We are not allowed to park our car in the company parking lot. So today we parked our cars at home and walked on the street in small groups to tell people what had happened to us.”
Back in 2000 Chibi City did not have taxicabs and the local economy was depressed. The city officials then encouraged citizens to buy cars with their own money. Many people signed an eight-year contract with the two taxicab companies and started to work as taxi drivers. Their contracts specified that they had ownership and management rights of their vehicles, and that they were entitled to renew their management rights and to continue to use the old license plates when their contracts expire.
Another taxi driver, Mr. Huang said, “Back then we spent our own money to buy our cars, and we also signed contracts. The company charged us for management fees to manage our vehicles, and we had to pay a license plate fee and other expanses. Now the company has changed management. The new boss wants to take our cars back and leave nothing for us.”
Mr. Wang said that the new company from Beijing had an agreement with the previous company and the government had sold the management rights to the new company. The new company has refused to let taxi drivers buy out their cars or renew their management rights, and is going to take their cars back without giving them any compensation. The taxi drivers were not aware of when the government and the new company made the new arrangement.
“We spent over 20,000 yuan (approximately US$2,923) for a license plate and 140,000 yuan (approximately US$ 20,467) on a car. Our contracts specify that we have permanent rights of ownership and management of our cars, and now this is all overruled,” said Mr. Wang.
Mr. Huang said that they will continue to fight for their rights and continue with their strike. “There are no cabs on the street now. We request the authorities to give us a statement. Why did they beat taxi drivers? We did not do anything to break the law at all.” |
