Taxi Service Resumes at Florence’s Main Train Station After Prefect Steps In

Taxi services have resumed at Florence’s Santa Maria Novella train station following days of disruption. On Friday afternoon April 18, Florence’s prefect Francesca Ferrandino, alongside Mayor Sara Funaro, announced the resolution of the standoff after a key meeting held at Palazzo Medici Riccardi. The announcement came after prior talks between the prefecture, taxi cooperative leaders, and union representatives.

The prefect’s intervention followed a recommendation from the national commission for industrial action oversight, which had asked her to consider the possibility of issuing a formal order requiring drivers to return to work. Ultimately, such a measure was not needed, as dialogue prevailed for the time being.

Ferrandino explained that the recent abstention from service had raised legal questions, which were clarified during the discussions. As a result, taxi drivers agreed to resume operations, and any further labor demands will now be addressed through appropriate institutional channels.

Representatives from the taxi sector insisted that there had been no formal call to abandon the Santa Maria Novella station. The 4390 taxi cooperative noted that drivers were operating within the bounds of municipal regulations and exercising their right to manage their own business activities. He emphasized that while radio taxi services remained operational, delays caused by factors like bad weather and limited capacity should not be mistaken for a total service breakdown.

The recent unrest among taxi drivers stems from growing frustration over alleged illegal activity by operators in the private hire (NCC) sector. When asked whether sanctions would be imposed on those involved in the service interruption, the prefect replied that the focus was now on ensuring drivers return to work, rather than on punishment.

She clarified that the event could not be classified as a formal strike under Italian law. The legal right to strike is governed by law 146 of 1990, which sets out specific procedural requirements. In this case, the situation at Santa Maria Novella created a significant disruption without following the proper legal steps for strike action.

An officially declared strike remains on the horizon. Taxi cooperatives and unions have scheduled an authorized protest for April 28. However, that plan could still change. A meeting is set for April 22 with the mayor and city council members, and according to Giudici, that dialogue could influence whether the protest will go ahead as planned.