Summary:
KOCHI: The online app-based taxi drivers here would go on an indefinite strike from Thursday midnight. Uber and Ola had sought four weeks to study the issues. The joint action council of the various drivers' unions, whose members work for Uber and Ola had called for a token strike on November 24.Jackson Varghese, state president of Kerala Online Drivers' Union and convener of joint action council, who was on a hunger strike since November 27, was arrested and admitted to Kalamassery Medical College here on Thursday.The unions launched the indefinite strike in protest against the failure of the state government and ride-hailing app promoters like Uber and Ola to press for their demands including an increase in driver commissions and charging of per/km taxi fare as mandated by the state government. "We have no other option but to go on a strike," said Jackson, who was on a fast for the past ten days.Talks held in the chamber of state transport minister A K Saseendran on December 4 failed to bear fruit after the state government took the stance that the union needed to wait till the state government introduced a law giving them the power to act on ride-hailing app promoters..