While the trains gradually resume service this Monday morning after a strike that began Thursday evening, it is the turn of taxis to make their demands heard throughout France and particularly in Paris.
Unions, such as the National Taxi Union, called for a national mobilization of professionals this Monday, February 19.
The profession denounces the rates established by Health Insurance on medical transport and opposes article 30 of the 2024 Social Security financing law. The latter notably provides for lowering the reimbursement of taxis or any other medical vehicle to a patient who refuses to share his trip to hospitals or care centers with another patient.
To achieve this, it is also planned to create a platform which will centralize orders for medical transport.
Read alsoHealth transport: you will have to pay a penalty if you do not share your taxi
If the government considers that this measure aims to improve the transport offer and reduce costs as well as the environmental footprint, taxis fear that it will favor health companies such as ambulances as well as a reduction in their turnover.
No snail operation expected
Already in December and January, snail operations were organized by professionals for similar reasons.
This time, the 500 taxis expected in Paris, including professionals from the rest of France, do not aim to block the roads, assured Mousshine Berrada, president of the National Union of Paris taxis (UNT) on BFMTV.
They must converge at 10 a.m. this Monday morning at the Ministry of Transport, in the 7th arrondissement of the capital.
Still according to the president of the UNT, taxis are not demonstrating to demand a price increase "already validated and granted by Bercy and the DGCCRF (
General Directorate of Competition, Consumption and Fraud Repression
)" but only for obtain “respect for the law which was passed in Parliament to adjust a balance between taxis and competition”.