Hi Gents,
I am a member of a small hackney association operating a group of taxis at a station. WE signed an agreement with the Railway company - by the Chair and the then Secretary of the Assoc believing that they were signing 'for & on behalf' of the members of the association.
Since then the secretary stood down at the AGM and has since caused issues with his drivers which meant that we had no choice but to suspend his operation from the rank. IT was at this point that the railway operator intervened, blocked the suspension and stated that we could not suspend this operator as he was a 'signatory' to the agreement between the association and the rail authority. We now feel that this makes a mockery of the democratic association movement - in other words - if your name is on the document then you can do what you like !?
Other Associations in negotiations with railway companies ought to be careful about this - it would appear that contrary to their original promises - the rail companies do not want to operate the ranks via a democratically elected association - just one or two names who then become unelected and non-accountable "owners' of the said contract.
Has anyone else encountered this problem? How have you overcome this issue? Is there a legal eagle out there who specialises in this type of work?
REgards
Hunti |