Cabbies stage rare strike

Taxi drivers in Chongqing city staged a strike over high operating costs, shortages of natural gas and high traffic fines, AFP reported. During the rare protest, which left thousands stranded during Monday morning rush hour, taxi drivers smashed police vehicles. They also damaged cars belonging to drivers who tried to cross picket lines and pulled passengers from those vehicles. In total at least 20 vehicles, including three police cars, were smashed. The Chongqing city government held an emergency meeting on Monday morning to address the strikers’ demands, state media reported. Strikes are rare in China as union activity is controlled by the Communist Party.