On this day, 27 April 2018, bus drivers with the Ryobi Group in Okayama, Japan, began a “fare strike” where they drove their routes as normal but refused to charge passengers for tickets. Drivers covered ticket machines with blankets or stickers to allow passengers to travel for free in a dispute demanding better job security in the face of a new rival bus company, Megurin, beginning operations in the city. The action continued until at least mid-May.
Rather than agree to the workers’ demands, the company began taking legal action to block Megurin from operating a competing route. At the time of writing (April 2021), discussions at the local government level were still ongoing. https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/1973661149485692/?type=3