Taxi Driver Online

It would be interesting to know the GMB’s precise position on what is perhaps still the "big issue" in the trade, ie restricted taxi numbers.

A quote from the USA’s trade union movement regarding the yellow taxi industry in New York is one I’ve often used before, but it bears repeating. The AFL-CIO (the USA’s TUC) said:

“Under the current scheme in place in New York City, more than 44,000 workers who drive the city's taxicabs are being blatantly exploited by a cartel of owners who have manipulated the system to deprive the drivers of income and benefits…The system permits the owners of the city-authorized taxi medallions to ‘lease’ the right to drive a yellow medallion cab to workers who have been unfairly classified as independent contractors."

Of course, there are some differences with the UK – for ‘medallion’ read ‘plate’, for ‘independent contractor’ read ‘casually employed’ and for ‘cartel of owners’ read ‘those represented by the GMB and T&G’!

So perhaps the GMB could tell us what the difference is between that scenario and the one currently pertaining in UK cities like Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton and Edinburgh?

Of course, the hypocritical T&G supports this, and we know that the GMB in Manchester have also supported the policy for years.

But now that the GMB seems to be seeking a more prominent role in the UK’s cab trade, isn’t it about time that the issue was clarified, and then at least we can see where the union stands on the issue?

Since Terry Flanagan seems to be playing a leading role in taking the union forward it’s perhaps encouraging that some of his statements seem to demonstrate a stance critical of restricted numbers, and indeed he echoes some of the points made by the US union movement and quoted above. The following quotes are attributed to Mr Flanagan:

When I was in Brighton, where the PHV have access to bus lanes, I was told of a lovely little scam by Hackney Carriage plate holders, where the plate holder doesn't drive themselves but rents the cab out to two drivers. Now of course these drivers have no rights and are entirely at the mercy of the plate holder. Subsequently these drivers get the treatment, in Brighton plates exchange ownership for sums of up to £40,000, seems a bit of a scam to me. Would delimitation solve this problem, ? I've been told that it would. There is an organisation, which calls itself national and based in Carlisle, yeah that's right Carlisle, run by a clot who calls himself Captain Cab thinks £40,000 plates and Limited plates is a great idea. What do you think ? a free market economy or being crapped on by the Captain and his motley crew ?

[...]

What was apparent was the meetings disaffection with the so called National Taxi Association driver representation, in effect they take the dough and you the driver get nothing. I believe it needs to be recognised that the NTA is a proprietors organisation. Nothing wrong with that but they must stop pretending they represent drivers, they don't! At this meeting were reps of this organisation who repeatedly declined to partake in the debate on driver support.

Indeed, an article penned by Stewart Hayes of the Gateshead Hackney Drivers’ Association (and posted on another trade forum) uses these quotes to characterise the GMB as anti-restricted numbers – does the Manchester branch know?!! Shouldn't they be told? On the other hand, Mr Flanagan has attacked this site for not favouring restricted numbers!!

Another interesting facet to the proprietor/driver distinction - which Mr Flanagan thinks is so important - relates to the position of the GMB’s other main advocate on the internet, who hails from Brighton. This person has in the past operated a small fleet of hackney carriages for a third party, has profited from the sale of a plate and is currently proprietor of a small fleet of PH vehicles which he rarely drives.

Therefore this individual seems a rather unnatural bedfellow for Mr Flanagan. And while there seems no doubt about the GMB’s hypocrisy on the issue of restricted numbers, there’s also self-evident contradictions and inconsistency within the union itself.

Thus the GMB’s stance on the “big issue” is arguably born of self-interest and personal vendettas rather than grand principles like the union’s claimed commitment to promoting equality and ending discrimination.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton and Edinburgh.

Any figures available to show how many single plate proprietors there are in these fine Cities?

Or are all Plates in the clutches of the evil Barons?

Only 20% Barons, to 80% singletons in Lincoln.

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Former taxi driver

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IDFIMH

I wonder if we can have a press release for all that.
GMB hypocrisy.

Flyer

Evil barons?

Is that your own view Jimbo, because I've never heard that one before!

Anyway, to take an extreme case, if a singleton gets a plate gratis and doesn't work the car but instead is able to milk several drivers, that's OK is it?

The GMB might think so, but I don't, so how's it for Jimbo

The numbers aren't really the point, it's the principle involved.

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Taxi Driver Online
www.taxi-driver.co.uk

So there we have a proper union that looks after the interests of the workers, rather than the bosses.

One day the likes of the GMB PDB might actually wake up and act for all drivers, not just a selected few.

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IDFIMH

The only way to achieve an end such as this is for all current GMB members to leave this incredibly misrepresentational union. Only then, when pennies run dry, will the real representatives wake up, and, because they need money, act in a manner that favours recruitment.
At this point "they", the GMB, may well determine that to retain members "they" have to properly act on their behalf.

Given the current "form" of this Generically Myopic Bunch this is such a fantastic leap of the imagination isn't it?

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The Seventh Saint

One can see your point of view but perhaps it might be unwise to let the financial "well," run completely dry? Perhaps there is an alternative solution that might achieve the same purpose, without diluting the membership?

I'm sure you can think of many other alternatives?

Regards

JD

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