Taxi Driver Online

Its called a threat....we wait with baited breath I guess.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Captain,

Please don't take the p$ss, the GMB are well aware of the appeal procedure, we have advised our members and informed the council. This L/A treat the drivers with distain, the Leader of the St Albans council and the chairperson of the licensing committee have refused to meet drivers representatives to discuss the issues. Its a sad state of affairs that drivers have to considor industrial action as a last resort.

Regards
BB

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Mick Hildreth (07814 032002)
GMB PDB P39 Southern Region Branch Secretary
mick.hildreth@gmbtaxis.org.uk
www.gmbpdb.org.uk

Me take the p$ss?

naa

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

anyway, it is surely my right to take the p$ss, even if I aint

jeez, its like living in bolshevik Russia

you guys aint got a sense of humour, I thought socialism was funny too roflmao

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

I have said it before.. and I will say it again.... the best way to take industrial action is to block off the council car-parks first thing in the morning.... the council comes to a stop, and the general public will love you.

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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!

And you won't lose a Saturday night's takings.

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Grandad,

No clues!

ffs

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

The arrogant and self centred actions of this committee really gets up my nose, so I would suggest to the GMB that they find out how many council employees are actually in the GMB, as from personal experience they are usually in one or the other of the two major unions.

I would assume they are on inflation proof salaries, and I would be curious to know what would happen if the GMB professional drivers branch were to set up a picket line outside all council offices!

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

He's the hairy handed gent who ran amuck in Kent
Lately he's been overheard in Mayfair
Better stay away from him
He'll rip your lungs out, Jim
I'd like to meet his tailor
Werewolves of London



CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Angry taxi drivers threaten strike over proposed new regulations

08 September 2008

ANGRY taxi drivers in the St Albans district are threatening strike action following the council's proposed change in licensing laws.

New reforms would include a 10-year ban on driving taxis for those who have lost their taxi licence, and a maximum allowance of six penalty points on their licence for all employed in the trade.

The district council sent the Hackney carriage consultation document to all taxi and mini-cab drivers in the area last month and gave them a month to comment.

Until now the council has relied on advice from the Home Office and the Department of Transport to determine its licensing policy. But senior licensing officer Karen Holland said it was time to develop a local code of conduct.

She added: "The Home Office guidelines are now 16-years-old and the council feels they no longer reflect the criminality in society. We therefore propose to introduce a Convictions Policy for St Albans district, and as part of that process we are consulting all those who currently hold a licence with the council".

Terence Flanagan, secretary of the driver's branch of trade union GMB, said he was outraged by the document. "GMB has never seen such an insulting document issued by any council. Many of the proposals are preposterous. The trade is very well prepared to use industrial action if necessary and in this event there will be no cabs whatsoever in the district over a given week".

St Albans and Harpenden taxi driver Iftakhar Ahmed also predicted a strike. He added, "It's very easy to get more than six points on your licence with the police hiding around every corner. I'm offended by the patronising tone of the document, and it has ruined our reputation as safe and careful drivers."

Mr Ahmed, aged 38, also attacked the new "presumption-of-guilt" clause, where the driver has to prove his or her innocence when a customer makes a complaint.

A number of other complaints have been made against the council including its apparent neglect of more serious issues surrounding the trade.

The number of cabs in the area was deregulated by the council a few years ago, and there has been a large increase in the number of taxis on the roads as a result. Mr Ahmed said: "The situation is ridiculous: the number of cabs waiting at Harpenden station, for example, has multiplied by eight since the change."

Mrs Hollands explained that the district council's prerogative was to protect the public and said she hoped the situation could be resolved peacefully. She added: "The police have congratulated the council and the taxi trade in the past for the high standard of their vehicles and the council wants to maintain these high standards for drivers' licences.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

..... and that's where the strike will fail as half the drivers see an opportunity to increase their earnings on the Saturday night.

Times are tight, drivers see fares, strike is over.

End.

Why upset the council before the meeting?

Why tell them what your going to do if things dont go your way?

Doesnt that sound like a threat?

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Strike strike strike.

Agitate, and the other two I can't remember

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IDFIMH

Angry taxi drvers threaten weekend strike

I promise I didnt write this article the Herts advertiser did!


ANGRY St Albans city cabbies are set to strike this weekend following a feud with the district council.

The city centre will have no taxis operating between 10pm on Saturday and 4am on Sunday if city cab drivers vote in favour of the strike at a meeting today (Thursday).

The source of contention is a change in licensing laws for the taxi trade, an initiative first proposed by the council a couple of months ago. The new reforms, which include a maximum allowance of six driving licence penalty points for all employed in the trade, were confirmed at a licensing committee meeting last week despite opposition from the taxi drivers.

Terence Flanagan, secretary of the driver's branch of trade union GMB, said striking was the last resort . "We offered to negotiate with the licensing committee but they refused. So I am pretty confident that the strike on Saturday will go ahead because the city's professional drivers are determined to confront the council," he said.

The proposed strike on Saturday is also fuelled by the council's decision not to allow a fare increase for hackney carriages despite higher fuel costs. Mr Flanagan said: "Fares haven't increased for two years and the cost of diesel is considerably more expensive now than it was then. But seemingly the prospect of cab drivers being unable to pay their mortgages or being forced to leave the industry is of no concern to the council."

St Albans and Harpenden taxi driver Iftakhar Ahmed, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues at the committee meeting last week, said all of the cabbies he has spoken to had pledged their dedication to the strike. He added: "I'm definitely not going to work on Saturday evening. I tried to put our points across at the meeting, but the council totally ignored me. They skated around the main six-points issue by discussing trivial things we weren't even interested in - it's clear that they just don't want to know."

But a spokesperson for the district council said the change in licensing laws had been misinterpreted by St Albans taxi drivers: She explained: "The policy clearly states that where an applicant has six or more penalty points on their driving licence, the officer will usually consider granting the licence with a written warning. Only if a driver has 12 or more penalty points will they be liable for disqualification under the 'totting up' procedures at court."

The spokesperson added that the taxi association had been invited to submit a further application for a fare increase and the licensing committee was sympathetic about the rising cost of fuel.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin