Once again, taxi operators have vowed to strike if officials fail to clamp down on Uber and other unauthorised rides. The threat, while unsurprising, does nothing for the industry’s image and reputation as a hospitable and reliable transport service.
It risks upsetting the community further and backfires in a long drawn-out battle against increasingly popular ride-hailing services.
It remains to be seen whether there will be any last-minute actions to appease the industry ahead of a meeting with the authorities on Wednesday. Some taxi unions threatened similar strikes in 2023, only to withdraw after promises to step up the crackdown.
The Hong Kong Tele-call Taxi Association said at least 1,000 members would take part in a five-day strike next month if their demands were not met. “The government has kept turning a blind eye to illegal ride-hailing platforms,” association chairman Wong Yu-ting said.
It is regrettable that the industry has again taken a route that may cost it dear in terms of public goodwill. The strike essentially puts personal interests above public good.
