Taxi unions to consider further disruption in licences protest

THE four main taxi unions meet this morning to review the impact of their protests at the continued refusal by the Government to implement a moratorium on taxi licences.

It is likely the unions, SIPTU, the National Taxi Drivers Union, Taxi Drivers for Change and the Irish Taxi Drivers Federation, will recommence a series of marches and stoppages in locations across the country over the coming days and weeks.

The unions met Transport Minister Noel Dempsey yesterday afternoon in light of a Goodbody report commissioned by the Taxi Regulator which found there was no need to cap licences as the increased number of taxis on the streets meant a better service for passengers. During the meeting the minister was asked by the unions to introduce a cap but he refused, telling them the best way to proceed was through the advisory council to the Taxi Regulator.

SIPTU branch organiser Jerry Brennan said: “We will respond positively to the minister’s request to raise our concerns about the review... with the advisory council to the Taxi Regulator.

“However, we will also be discussing with our colleagues how best to continue our campaign for taxi drivers’ rights as well,” he said.

“Five years ago, when the last review took place, Goodbody promoted bad work practices by calling on taxi drivers to work longer hours. Now they are working longer hours, for less money, and Goodbody seems to want them to work even longer for less. When will they be satisfied?” Mr Brennan said the drivers were averaging 52 hours a week, significantly longer than the 48 hours maximum allowed for other workers under the Organisation of Working Time Act.

“Many taxi drivers are working a lot longer than that. Goodbody experts seem to think that a drivers’ health, family life and the safety of the travelling public are all minor issues compared with maximising the number of taxis on the road. Some of their proposals to improve the quality of the service, while welcome in themselves, also impose extra costs on taxi drivers. Presumably these can be funded by drivers working even longer hours,” he said.

“Our members are not prepared to accept the logic of the Goodbody review. While we will certainly participate in the deliberations of the Advisory Council to the Taxi Regulator we must look at the other options to prevent the situation deteriorating even further.”