The fightback against the Council’s ineptitude and disregard to the Black Cab trade in Edinburgh was evident last night!
Hundreds of cab drivers met in Edinburgh last night (Tuesday 22nd January) to discuss the ‘crisis’ facing the trade. There are an estimated three thousand drivers in the city working for public and private cabs including Uber.
The meeting raised a number of issues including the city council’s emissions targets for older vehicles. Last year, Edinburgh City Council passed a policy which will force all black cabs older than ten years to be replaced by April 2020. Hundreds of taxi drivers will be forced to pay up to £60,000 or be potentially forced off the road.
It is estimated that a £28.3 million investment from the taxi trade will be required to meet this demand.
Unite has also been raising the growing incidence of ‘pirate’ tax drivers, which is a particular problem in Edinburgh and major urban conurbations.
The meeting discussed that there is currently no dedicated enforcement in Edinburgh to tackling the issue of pirating, and called for enforcement officers supported by Police Scotland on street level to act as a deterrent.
A key outcome from this meeting was the commitment from every cab driver, regardless of which company they operate in, to come together and organise within a new Unite Branch in order to present a strong and unified position.
Mark Lyon, Unite regional industrial officer, said: “There is a crisis facing the taxi trade in Edinburgh. The meeting involving Unite Scotland was very positive and attended by hundreds across the different sectors in the trade. A number of key issues were discussed such as illegal plying for hire, no dedicated inspectors to deter pirating, and the massive costs associated with the city council’s emissions policy.
As such, the drivers present resolved to work together by creating a new Unite branch, to initiate an organising campaign to put pressure on the relevant authorities and to drive up standards.”
ABOUT UNITE SCOTLAND :
Unite Scotland is the country’s biggest and most diverse trade union with around 150,000 members. The union is led in Scotland by Pat Rafferty.
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TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT :
He London Taxi trade is in the same predicament as our colleagues in Edinburgh, and yet....not a peep from Unite London Taxi branch!
It's been alleged by drivers leaving the union, they will not say anything or go against a labour mayor.
If this is the case, then why have they even got a London Taxi branch and why do drivers actually pay to belong to it ?
Below is a petition to stop Camden Council excluding Taxis from Tottenham Court Road, please sign it and share with your colleagues, family and friends.
Camden Council want to stop licensed London Taxis , using Tottenham Court Road , There is university college hospital, that’s needs service by Londons taxi which are all wheelchair accessible vehicles. Along with hotels and shops that need a service, residents express their need for taxis as well
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