Taxi drivers in the city of Chaozhou go on strike

Taxi drivers in the southern city of Chaozhou announced on 28 November 2008 that they have gone on strike. Leaders for the organization of taxi drivers stated that the strike was called to protest the unlicensed cabs that operate in the city and take business away from legitimate taxi operators. Similar protest actions against unlicensed taxis have occurred in Guangzhou and Chongqing. Legitimate taxi drivers claim that local government officials have been reluctant to deal with the problem. The mayor of Chongqing recently entered into negotiations with his city's taxi operators to end a prolonged strike. The negotiations in Chongqing appear to have inspired taxi drivers in other cities to stage similar protests. The Chinese government has warned the drivers not to engage in "civil unrest;" there have been no reports of any violence or major disruptions in Chaozhou.