Trade unions UGT and UPTA have formally initiated proceedings to establish early retirement provisions for taxi drivers and transporters in Catalonia. The initiative recognises the exceptional physical and psychological demands placed on workers in the transport sector throughout their careers.
The process would allow professionals to access reduced coefficients for early retirement, enabling them to withdraw from work before reaching the standard legal retirement age. According to the Confederation of Self-Employed Workers of Catalonia (CTAC), the measure could benefit approximately 11,000 taxi drivers and 14,000 transporters across the region.
Physical and psychological toll
Transport workers face prolonged working hours and frequently undertake loading, unloading and goods distribution tasks. These demands result in sustained physical and mental deterioration for drivers, the unions argue. The CTAC has emphasised the importance of the initiative and called for institutional sensitivity towards the sector's conditions, with the aim of guaranteeing fair access to dignified retirement.
The unions characterise early retirement as a historic demand of the transport worker collective. The process is currently in its final phase of technical and administrative work, according to the organisations leading the campaign.
National scale
At state level, the measure would affect more than 50,000 taxi drivers and approximately 70,000 transporters across Spain. The CTAC has stressed the need for institutional support to recognise the sector's contribution and ensure workers can retire with dignity after decades of demanding labour.
