TAXI DRIVERS STRIKE IN WENZHOU CITY

On 28 July 2009 thousands of taxi drivers went on strike in Wenzhou City in Zhejiang province, located approximately 300 mi/480 km south of Shanghai, to protest low incomes and increasing rental fees. More than 2,200 drivers gathered between approximately 1730-2030 local time, destroying taxi cabs that did not join the strike. More than 2,000 police officers were deployed throughout the city. Officials detained dozens of drivers, while the government provided more than 100 taxis to maintain base line operations in and around the city airport, railway and bus stations. In response to the protest action, government officials stated that they will install new taxi meters that will aid in increasing the income of the taxi drivers.