RATTLING CAGES

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: february 2010 :: RMTnews 18 Welcome to the New Year and a new decade of what appears already to be a future that threatens the livelihoods of the taxi trade in London due to the failings of Transport for London to get a grip of touting here in the capital. There is also a problem with the illegal formation of mini-cab ranks that appear outside any venue that is granted a satellite mini-cab office licence. Mini-cabs are here to stay but the right to ply for hire is solely the right of taxi- cabs and it should worry all taxi-cab drivers that case/common law appears to be ignored by those in authority in the vain attempt to try and create a second class, second rate immediate hire mini-cab service outside clubs and bars within London. RMT and its London taxi branch is the only trade union able and willing to organise a fight back that others only talk of. In fact this may explain why two trade publications Taxi and Cab Trade News have attacked RMT in recent months for they don’t seem to like taxi-cab drivers asking questions that they seem unwilling or unable to answer. The future for the London taxi-cab driver can be brighter and we at the London taxi branch must ensure that we continue to build upon the great work done so far and ensure our voice is heard within Parliament, city hall and on the ranks. At the December branch meeting 16 motions were passed which gave the branch not only a spine but a solid foundation that we can build on for we will not be dictated to by any other trade organisation nor will we be bullied by the incompetent management at Transport for London. The Taxi trade in London is in real danger but with your support we can grow the branch into an even larger force within the capital and press on defending your right to ply for hire and the threat from a badly run mini-cab licensing regime. RMT is the only union for self employed taxi-cab drivers to join, we are democratic, we have more members attending branch meetings than other trade orgs can muster for an AGM, you the membership decide and shape policy unlike other organisations who decide in secret what is good for you, your family and trade. So let your colleagues know that RMT will be campaigning to rid the streets of the capital of rickshaws and pedicabs unlike the LTDA and the union UNITE who say they want a ban but then wish to allow a bill through Parliament that will give rickshaws and pedicabs ranks! We at RMT stand up and fight for the rights of our members and if that means we have to upset a few people at Transport for London so be it, for your conditions matter more than a few careers of middle ranking meddling civil servants. Just remind yourself of what we have achieved in 2009, we have set up a branch from scratch, challenged TFL/PCO regarding our standards and won the day even though others knew that an individual with “serious problems” was on the knowledge. RMT led the campaign and changed policy and forced TFL/PCO into a U-turn. We have halted the progress of the bill which seeks to give powers to councils and TFL to appoint pedicab/rickshaw ranks. We are leading the campaign to remove mini- cabs from the M4 bus lane whilst others just stand by and do very little other than slate us in their trade publications. So please do have a look at the branch blog www.rmtlondontaxibranch.blogspot.com look out for the RMT London taxi branch newsletter and hopefully we shall see you on the ranks and branch meetings soon, so may we take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very happy New Year for 2010. Let us move forward together and continue the great work we have done so far and just in case you were wondering or having any doubts we do not represent mini-cab drivers and we don’t support the use of tachographs in taxi-cabs for the self employed taxi-cab driver. RATTLING CAGES Vice chair of RMT London taxi branch John Kennedy looks at the prospects for taxi members in 2010 TAXI!: RMT general secretary Bob Crow with members of the RMT taxi branch at a recent recruitment day at Waterloo Station.