Taxi Driver Online

Received this e-mail today from a licensed driver questioning what rights we have in relation to our dealings with taxi and PH operators.

Alex

After finding your site I was just wondering if you could give me advice or point me in the right direction ? I am a private hire driver and have been for the previous 10+ years, in the last few the work situation has become very difficult due to our company taken on more cars and a big influx of extra workers. Due to this situation our earning power in many cases has dropped below the minimum wage, while subs and car rental keeps increasing. Also now that our company have us squeezed our rights seem to have become zero. Examples of this are being forced to wear uniform that we can only buy from them, threatened with having our computer systems disabled if we do not do the work we are given etc etc. Surely although self employed we have some rights and wondering if you know anybody that can help one very disillusioned driver and his fellow work mates ?

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ʎɐqǝ uo pɹɐoqʎǝʞ ɐ ʎnq ı ǝɯıʇ ʇsɐן ǝɥʇ sı sıɥʇ

Simply the best taxi forum in the whole wide world. www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Firstly, you have the right not to work for this company. if they are that bad, why would you want to?

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Grandad,

he also has the right to join TDO and ask himself...


but its his badge, he can work where he wants

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Of all the things ive lost, i miss my mind the most

Good to see some Addison Lee drivers joining TDO.

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Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

This is all down to the current iffy financial situation.

Fat cat spiv operators know they can do as they please, as drivers have no other option than to accept it.

What you can do is join a union, but on your own you will be a marked man. Of course you could join up and get the local (non taxi) union man to do a press story, leaving you out of it but pointing the finger at your operator.

Alternatively you, and your colleagues could lobby to improve entry standards, but the spivs wont like their endless supply of slave labour being stemmed.

In short there isn't an easy answer.

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IDFIMH

being forced to wear uniform that we can only buy from them, threatened with having our computer systems disabled if we do not do the work we are given etc etc. Surely although self employed we have some rights and wondering if you know anybody that can help one very disillusioned driver and his fellow work mates ?

This sounds just like a company I used to work for. If you refused to do a job they'd threaten to take your radio back off you, which you paid £50 a week for. I refused to do a job one day that was a 'set' fare. The fare wasn't set by me and I didn't agree to the price. I just said I wasn't prepared to do the job and passed it to the next driver in line, who was more than happy to do the job. However, one of the owners came on the radio and said "you said that like you had a choice!" My reply was short and to the point, "I do!!"

Remember, if you pay them a fee to provide you telephone work then they actually work for you! If they're not providing you with work then pay your money to someone who will.

I've never understood and never will why ph drivers don't set up their own co-operative companies

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I'm a hackney driver but work for a co-operative. There's 7 of us at the minute, we've each bought our own radios so there's no radio fees to pay. We each put £20 a week into the business (£560 a month). This money covers the phone bill, which is a fixed £66 a month. The rest is used purely for advertising. It seems to be the way forward

Because it would take a while to get enough work to pay the bills.

Different for taxis as they can work the ranks in the meantime.

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IDFIMH

All these companies did the same thing. You have to start somewhere. I'm not suggesting it's easy but it's possible

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!