Ryder Cup strike by Dublin taxi-drivers

Up to 1,000 taxi-drivers in Dublin have voted to strike during next month’s Ryder Cup.

The unanimous decision taken at a meeting late last night at the National Stadium still has to be ratified by the executive of the three main taxi unions.

Minister for Tourism John O’Donoghue said he was disappointed at the vote, and that industrial action could be extremely damaging to the country.

Drivers also voted to refuse to pay Dublin Airport Authority an annual €500 fee to use the airport taxi rank, which is to replace the current 70c facilities charge per fare. The proposed actions are in response to a new price structure introduced by the industry’s regulator, Ger Deering.

The Taxi Drivers’ Federation, the National Taxi Drivers Union and SIPTU claim that drivers face losses of €4,500 a year when the new fares are introduced in September.

Opposition is strongest in Dublin, over the scrapping of the luggage charges and the special fee for pick-ups at Dublin Airport.

Taxi-drivers staged two 24-hour stoppages over the past four weeks as part of a campaign against the new arrangements.

The Ryder Cup is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors each day of the tournament from September 22 to 24 at the K Club, Co Kildare, some 18 miles from Dublin.