Taxi Drivers Announce  Strike Action For Tuesday
Taxi drivers are not happy with the backtracking by legislators that would have eliminated "porteadores" - informal taxi services and are calling for a national strike by all taxis for next Tuesday.

Last Tuesday, porteadores demonstrated in front of the offices of the Ministerio de Obras Pública y Transporte (MOPT) and the Legislative Assembly against the proposed changes to Ley 16136 that would have eliminated informal taxi services.

Legislators were moved by the action and decided to shelf the project, a move that has many formal taxi drivers see red.

"We are going with all, Tuesday legislators will see the true 'fuerza roja' on the streets defending our work rights" said Edwin Barbosa, president of the Foro Nacional de Taxistas.

Formal taxis are often referred to as the "fuerza roja" - red force - as all formal taxi (except the airport taxis) are coloured red.

Come Tuesday all taxi drivers from all parts of the country are being asked to take to the streets in protest. The grouping is expected to begin at 4am and by 9am the full force of support should be on hand in front of the Legislative Assembly building in downtown San José.

"We ask drivers and pedestrians to be patient because Tuesday will be will be out protesting what is our only intention, our right to make a living. We will not allow our legislators to trample our rights and permit impunity by the porteadores", said Barboza.

Porteadores are informal taxi service operators who provide a private service door to door to their private clients and do not pick up fares on the streets like a formal taxi service or "piratas", illegal taxis.

Porteadores have their group of clients who call for the service either directly to the operator or a central dispatch. The cars used by porteadores are unmarked and they do not use a taximeter, providing service on a predetermined fee basis.

Taxi drivers say that porteadores are providing unfair competition, often charging less that the cost of a formal taxi, and taking their livelyhood. In this case, taxi drivers are grouping porteadores and piratas together, saying that there is no distinction.

worrying taxi drivers and their association is the effect of the Tratado Libre de Comercio (TLC) - free trade agreement with the United States - that, if the law to allow porteadores is maintained, would also see the arrival of international transportation companies providing taxi services.

Taxi drivers are also calling on bus operators to join them in their fight as they could be affected as well if the law remains. Olman Bonilla, representing the bus operators, told the Cámara Nacional de Transportistas that they will make their decision known on Monday.

One thing is for sure, come Tuesday the situation in San José will be chaotic.