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Malaga Taxi Drivers Threaten Strike Action Spain News

Taxi drivers in Malaga are planning to strike if the Junta de Andalucía (provincial government) does not put into action the changes that were previously promised back in February.

The strike would cause major disruption at the airport, and is something that the regional government would no doubt seek to avoid.

The drivers have grown tired of waiting for the Junta to act on previous agreements which helped bring an end to February's protests. The Junta de Andalucia has now been given until the 29th of September to put these promises into action otherwise strike action will be taken.

The contention revolves around the drivers wanting to have the right to undertake prebooked customers who wish to go from Malaga's encompassing towns to the port, train station or air terminal. Right now, just a few cabbies from outside the city have the right to offer this service, and it is a part of transport legislation that the cab drivers need changing.

The Junta made guarantees to change the legislation seven months prior, yet has still to be seen to be doing anything. Drivers will meet at the end of the month to examine how they will continue, yet it appears a strike is on the cards if the Junta fails to respond.

José Antonio Mate, president of Malaga's union of taxi drivers Aumat, said: "We will approach the situation with the thinking that if when we meet we find ourselves in the same situation as we do now, a strike is likely to be called."

The drivers not only want the Junta to show more urgency in resolving the matter, but also want better regulation of licensed vehicles and greater penalties imposed on illegal taxis. This would be a step in the right direction and hopefully bring the long-running saga to an end.