Stéphane Burgatt / Credits: BERTRAND LANGLOIS / AFP 8:18 a.m., January 29, 2024

This Monday could become a particularly difficult day on the roads. If you avoid blockades led by angry farmers, you may be blocked by taxis. Disturbances have in fact been announced around Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Lille and even Marseille. Near the Marseille city, a snail operation is underway on the three major highways which lead to Marseille. 

Marseille's taxi artisans had warned that it must be hell this morning to travel around the Marseille city. It's done. The processions have left and the A5 motorway, to the east of the city, is at a standstill, while another procession is blocking the northern access to Marseille. On this A5, we see around fifty taxis converging at a slow trot towards the city center and the prefecture. And in the rearview mirror, there's already a traffic jam as far as the eye can see. 

“Struggle Convergence”

For several weeks, the reason for their anger has been the new agreement with health insurance for the transport of patients to their medical appointments. But there is a common denominator with the farmers' movement and a common message: "Let us work", explains Eric Bouclons, the general secretary of Taxis Marseillais. 

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"It's a coincidence of the calendar, even if we can speak of a convergence of struggle. Today, we have farmers, whom we support. The highways are blocked by France which works, which rises early and goes to bed late. We are not discussing working conditions, social benefits. We are saying, let us make a living from our activity,” he says at the microphone of Europe 1. “For the city of Marseille, It's a black Monday, yes, absolutely. And at the national level, I think it's a Monday that's going to be dark gray, we agree."

Black Monday, maybe even Black Tuesday, warns Eric Bouclons, since the Minister of Health is receiving the taxi union organizations this afternoon and this movement of taxi artisans has warned us, it is renewable.