Taxi Drivers joining the Farmers' Protests

[Bayleaf]

While French tractor drivers slowly barricade Paris to stop food deliveries getting to supermarkets, Taxi drivers have their own beef going on and are targeting other big cities:

"It’s not just big and bulky tractors causing gridlock. Taxi drivers have also joined the movement.

In cities across the south of France, including Bordeaux to Toulouse and Marseille, several thousand taxi drivers have blocked ring roads, city centres and access to airports and train stations.

Their protests are focused on the fees they receive from the health service for transporting patients for non-urgent treatment from their homes to hospitals. The government wants to save money by getting taxi services to pick up several patients rather than just one per car.

Taxi union leaders say they will continue to block cities tomorrow if the government doesn’t back down."

Macron needs to listen?

I believe similar protests are going on over the rest of Europe re Farming.

[tagh]

Taxi drivers pay a lot for their licence but also make a ton out of transporting patients, screw the taxplayer; no reason for their action.

[Headers]

They’re not getting much sympathy on social media. Getting accused of being hangers-on.

[MAD87]

I've booked a taxi for tomorrow and Wednesday for cardiology RDVs at the CHU, then son is taking me to the CHU again on Thursday for a neurology RDV.
The cardios are tricky as I'm having a 24-hour heart rate test, which I sincerely hope doesn't turn into a 24-day test...
More seriously, daughter was prevented last Wednesday from seeing her patients at Guéret hospital. Almost all her patients are seriously ill.
At this rate, I'll be joining in to proptest about my FR pension which is a small fraction of the pittance French farmers get.

[Hotrodder]

Can you drive a tractor?

[MAD87]

Can you drive a tractor?

That's not the point, although I expect I could and also ask whether your average farmer could translate a trust deed or a shareholder pact. The point is that for generations, being self-employed imposes pension penalties: higher contributions for a lower pension. Farmers' pensions are poor, but not as poor as those of professions libérales, € for €.

[Doug]

Can you drive a tractor?

That's not the point, although I expect I could and also ask whether your average farmer could translate a trust deed or a shareholder pact. The point is that for generations, being self-employed imposes pension penalties: higher contributions for a lower pension. Farmers' pensions are poor, but not as poor as those of professions libérales, € for €.

Totally agree mad.
I was self employed from the age of 24, after finishing my plumbing/heating engineer apprenteship, always paid 10% more in social charges for a much lower pension/sickness pay etc,etc.

[Blaze]

We're supposed to be going to Rennes tomorrow morning but the farmers have blocked the 4-voies at a big junction just south of here so we'll have to take a cross-country detour (along with everyone else). Not disastrous for us, but difficult for those going to work, appointments etc.

They're trying to block Paris and Rungis - if they decide to go into Paris, it could be carnage. The black blocks will have a field day.
Near Quimper, agriculteurs have spread about 700 tons of earth on the voie express and planted grass seed .... barking mad.
I'm not unsympathetic to the woes of the agriculteurs, and some things do need to change : the monopoly of Lactalis, inheritance, to name but 2. I can't help wondering if some farmers are badly advised : expand, take out loans .... which after a crop failure they struggle to repay. There's a huge dependence on "the State must pay" and EU subsidies though that's getting into detail beyond my knowledge.

[demi]

I didn't realis ejust how big Lactalis is, until I read your post & did some googling.

[MAD87]

Lactalis was one of our regular clients before we retired last year, so I know a fair amount about it. But I'm saying nuffink.
My taxi arrived from Saint Junien this morning, 15 mins late due to a blockage there. There were 2 other patients in the taxi when I was picked up to come home, all of us collected at different times and from different hospitals/clinics. That, the driver explained, is where the problem lies for taxi firms - juggling schedules to try to inconvenience less, and hoping that no one is excessively delayed.