Protest against Barça: Taxi drivers announce strikes over Uber partnership

The anger is directed less at the club itself than at its new partner.

"For years Uber has operated outside legal regulations, exploited workers, and harmed the city's public transport. Barcelona's taxi drivers say: Enough!" explains Tito Álvarez, spokesperson for the union, to the Spanish news portal "Tribuna".

Geplanter Stillstand am Spieltag

Planned standstill on match day

The timing of the protest is deliberate. While Barça meets Olympiakos Piraeus in the Champions League on October 21, the drivers want to block the access roads to Montjuïc Stadium between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. The club's headquarters is also to be the target of a demonstration – the taxi drivers demand a direct conversation with the club's management.

Während der Aktion soll der gesamte Taxiverkehr ruhen. Nur Notfälle, etwa Fahrten zu Krankenhäusern oder für Menschen mit eingeschränkter Mobilität, sollen weiterhin möglich sein. Sollte der Verein an der Kooperation festhalten, will die Gewerkschaft die Proteste bei weiteren Liga- und Europapokalspielen fortsetzen.

Conflict with Symbolic Power

For many drivers, the dispute stands as an exemplar of the city's handling of digital ride services. For years, taxi companies and platforms such as Uber or Cabify in Barcelona have been battling for market share and legal parity. The city administration is currently working on a new law that could regulate the activity of such platforms more strictly – or, in the extreme case, prohibit it altogether.

Álvarez criticizes that the partnership undermines efforts to achieve a well-regulated urban traffic.

“We have tried to reach an agreement – even if not in writing – to organize taxi queues that transport everyone and avoid inflated fares. But our proposals have repeatedly been rejected,” he says.