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Leeds Private Hire to join GMB
Last Post 08/02/2009 11:09 AM by brightonbreezy. 0 Replies.
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brightonbreezy
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Posts:349
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| 08/02/2009 11:09 AM |
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Leeds cabbies join union to fight age war
07 February 2009
By Peter Lazenby
HUNDREDS of private hire taxi drivers in Leeds attended a packed public meeting to air their grievances over proposed new council regulations which they say could hit their jobs.
As reported in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds City Council is to consider proposals to reduce the age of cars which can be used for private hire and taxi purposes from eight years to six. The private hire drivers protested that they had not been consulted and called for talks with the council.
Now they have launched their own branch of the general union GMB to represent them.
They organised a meeting in Woodsley Road Multicultural Community Centre, attended by union organisers.
Driver Javaid Akhtar said: "We decided to join the union and we will organise an association within the GMB. We will have our own branch. We are initially aiming at 500 members.
"The meeting unanimously passed two resolutions – we reject the council proposals to reduce the age of cars which can be used from eight to six, and to join the GMB.
"People felt it was time to get united and challenge the council."
GMB organiser Bill Chard said: "The drivers have lots of issues and feel pretty shabbily treated by the Leeds Licensing Authority. The biggest issue is of course the proposed change to the age of cars. Presently you can buy one six years old and run it till it is eight, but the proposal is to restrict to buying at four years and run till six.
"Obviously in this economic downturn this will force many relatively low-paid drivers to abandon their jobs and go onto benefits.
"The GMB is proud to offer our support to private hire taxi drivers in Leeds."
There are more than 5,000 private hire cabs in Leeds and between 500 and 550 Hackney cabs – those that can be legally hailed at the roadside.
A Leeds council spokesman said the results of a full inspection of more than 5,000 private hire and Hackney carriage taxis will be given to licensing chiefs next month.
He said several options over how to deal with a high failure rate of vehicles will be discussed at that meeting. Any new regulations would seek a balance between public safety and fairness to private hire drivers.
"No decisions have been taken," the spokesman added.
Leeds City Council said a large number of private hire cars fail safety tests, but that no decision on new regulations has yet been made. |
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