Taxi unions warn of further strike action

STRIKING taxi drivers were due to return to work early this morning amidst conflicting views about the success of their 24-hour stoppage.

Taxi firms who did not back the action said their drivers were intimidated into staying at home but the three unions involved in the strike said non-members stayed away in support of the unions.

The National Taxi Drivers Union (NTDU), Irish Taxi Drivers Federation and SIPTU will meet tomorrow to assess the impact of their action but warned last night they had a mandate for further action and expected more stoppages in the weeks ahead.

The NTDU claimed up to 95% of drivers in the main cities and towns around the country stayed away from work because of the dispute over the Commission for Taxi Regulation’s changes to fares and licensing arrangements.

“If there was 50 or 100 taxis operating in Dublin, that was the height of it,” said Tommy Gorman of the NTDU. “Cork was pretty good, Waterford too, and places like Wexford and Carlow had very few drivers working.”

Taxi Regulator, Ger Deering, however, said there was no significant disruption outside of Dublin and the Taxi Company Owners Association (TCOA) said Dublin drivers stayed out because they were afraid to be seen working.

TCOA secretary, Derek Dalrymple, joint owner of Dublin firm Express Taxis, said the first driver from his firm who took a fare after the 5am strike start time was accosted by striking drivers and a female driver was verbally abused shortly afterwards.

“We had seven drivers working — we have about 200 on our books,” he said. “The biggest firm in our association has about 700 drivers and only 50-60 of them worked. It’s not that they don’t want to work but they know from previous disputes what the intimidation is like. They get their numbers taken and they feel they’re being watched.”

Tommy Gorman rejected claims of intimidation. “The lads on pickets know there is to be no misbehaviour. We don’t agree with it and we’re a bonded organisation — if we misbehave we can be sued.”

Dublin Airport was worst hit by the action. Some 4,000 taxis have permits to work at the airport but no drivers passed the pickets at the three entrances and passengers had to make there onward journeys by bus.

Extra buses were laid on to deal with the demand but there were queues throughout the day. Hackney drivers did provide a service but spokesman, Christy Humphries, said their members were also opposed to the Taxi Regulator’s changes and had opted to make a legal challenge instead of striking.

Ger Deering said his door was open for talks with the unions but he added: “It’s wrong that by simply flexing their muscle some people think they can make a regulator reverse a decision.”