Vaukavysk Taxi Threaten By Strike

15 drivers from Nika-trans 22222 company are ready to start a strike.

As informed by Radio Svaboda, taxi drivers protest against the local transport inspection, which wants to fine every of them Br900,000 (5 basic units) for excessive hours.

The founder of the firm, the former political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich, supports indignation of his employees. As said by him, drivers could usually travel 50-70 km in a shift, and for the rest of the time they are standing and waiting for a client. During the current crisis the most orders are night trips, when passenger trains pass through Vaukavysk, and one can get home from them by a taxi only. As said by Autukhovich, drivers agreed to work extra time. There was a relevant firm-wide directive. Though, as said by Autukhovich, it were excessive hours just formally, as taxi cars were standing most of the time.

But the transport inspection considered that employees had been working more than it is allowed under the law. As a result, having a salary of about Br2 million, drivers would have to give almost half of this sum for fines. It makes them express their protest in the form of a strike.