French taxi drivers resume anti-Uber strike, disrupt traffic

PARIS – Paris taxi drivers have resumed a strike protesting against rival services such as Uber, and city authorities are warning of roadblocks and traffic disruptions.

Paris police and the Paris airport authority cautioned of potential delays around airports and key intersections as the strike entered a second day Wednesday.

The day before, taxi drivers lit bonfires and were hit by tear gas when they tried to march onto a major highway, amid nationwide strikes and protests over working conditions.

The government promised reforms to the taxi sector in an emergency meeting Tuesday.

Traditional taxi drivers say they’re suffering unfair competition from app-based Uber, which has faced legal challenges around Europe. Uber argues the sector needs to catch up with the times.

In an illustration of one of the legal battles Uber’s fighting, a French court Wednesday ordered the company to pay 1.2 million euros ($1.3 million) to a French taxi union. The penalty stemmed from a 2014 complaint by taxis who argued Uber drivers infringed a requirement to return to their garages between fares. Uber said it will appeal the ruling.