Taxi Driver Online

Hello.
Can I ask some advice .....AGAIN
I was thinking it will be in my best interest to Join a union or association.
I am licensed with Derwentside council
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Derwentside,+UK&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title
link to map incase you ask "where is Derwentside ?"
I can't find any association in circulation or existence around Derwentside.
Can anyone advice me what would be in my best interest to Join.
Also why you think I should join what you suggest.

Do associations work ? Do the councils listen and recognize them on a serious level ?
Or do the council look at them like this

Any advice will be appreciated.


Regards Steve

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The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.

There is a Drivers Association in Derwentside ..................... Delta.

There is a Professional Drivers Branch of the GMB.

There is a Cab Section of the T&G (or whatever its called now).

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In my opinion (and this has been stated on many occasions) .............. if you want to make sure that the people representing you are doing so then you need to join an organisation and get involved .............. to many people don't ...... yet they still complain when they put their members wishes before the wishes of non-members who only want to complain or claim hard done to.

However ................ increasing your own knowledge of the industry will deliver more benefits to you.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

Hi Mick and thanks for the reply.
The Association you mention DELTA.....I have made various enquiries throughout Derwentside and I can't find any relevant information or contact details for the people or person who "runs the show".
The nearest I got to finding anything was when I done my rounds of most of the offices I was given a contact number for a driver who used to be involved in an association. ( Needless to say , he has not rang me back ).



I could not agree more with what you say here.
"you need to join an organisation and get involved ..... to many people don't "
Not only are drivers not joining an organisation to become involved......
I am finding there is a big percentage of drivers don't really care about been represented or trying to do something positive to improve the trade.

You said " However ................ increasing your own knowledge of the industry will deliver more benefits to you."

This is my overall plan of attack ....and thats why I consider my self lucky to have met you in the first place, your advice is sound and what you are doing on the "education side of our trade" is fantastic.
The thing that gets me is this....Why would a driver not want to be more educated and become more professional within his / her own trade ?

Anyways...thanks mate Steve

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The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.

You are suggesting that sometimes there is a divide between the minority of persons who are members of a taxi association and the majority of persons who are not? We have seen plenty evidence of that recently.

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

You could always form your own association if you can find a few like minded individuals?

Do you feel left out of the loop in some way? Do you feel excluded from decision making? Are your reasons for joining an association motivated by a overriding vested interest or is your motivation driven by your desire to help the local taxi trade fight the injustices of adverse council decisions and to help those around you with less ability than yourself to help conquer adversity and improve their working conditions?

Obviously if you are out of the loop you won't like a small minority of people making what you might see as adverse decisions on your behalf. The remedy for that is to join an organisation where you will then become a part of that minority decision making body and you will then be able to make what some might see as adverse decisions on their behalf?

The secret is to get your members to consider the views of the majority of those persons that aren't members of your organisation because lets face it, you or they only represent those persons who are members of your organisation and if your organisation only has three or four members such as was the case in one Manchester organisation several years ago then you can only say you represent those three or four individuals and not the whole of the local Taxi trade.

No Taxi organisation in the UK outside of London can say they have a mandate to act for the local or National taxi trade. However I'm sure you will find a vehicle for your talents and I hope you find what you're looking for.

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.

You do use very logical terminology in your posts JD.
You have actually hit the nail on the head by saying "Are your reasons for joining an association motivated by a overriding vested interest or is your motivation driven by your desire to help the local taxi trade fight the injustices of adverse council decisions and to help those around you with less ability than yourself to help conquer adversity and improve their working conditions?" This is my exact feelings about things.

I will be totally frank about myself " I have the want " but unfortunately I lack the knowledge on some aspects of legislation. Hence having to ask questions on TDO and read as much available literature as I can on the subject.
I would love to have the knowledge and capability to form my own association but I do feel at this stage I would possibly be a let down to drivers I would represent in any situation. I do however plan to better my position by educating myself on such matters.
So for now I would maybe like to join an association that will not exclude us as drivers from decision making.
My own views is that decisions should not be made without first informing all drivers what the proposals and decisions are and how it will affect them.

But for now JD I will sit here and read some of your posts because for now it seems to be my best option to learn something useful that could benefit me.

Thank you for the reply.

Steve

_________________
The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.

I was under the impression Derwentside were members of the NTA? Is that right?

Regards

JD

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Copyright notice © The contents of this post are copyright of JD and are not to be reproduced outside of TDO without written permission.