Taxi Driver Online

Absolute total and utter tosh.

The members are the UNION, and the representatives are elected by each branch/workplace to represent their views.

Now if you have a point worth making that is based on basic honesty and truth then you may be in a position to debate issues raised.

However should you continue to come up with garbage like the above quote you highlight yourself beneath contempt and should be treated accordingly.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

Oh I know what it said he said, but that doesn't always mean he did.

Take the last O-license release, according to that the GMB has recuited many thousands of licensed drivers over the last few years.

At best that is utter tosh, at worst a pack of lies.

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IDFIMH

I'm saying 'they' are the local B&H GMB trade.

Would you rather they didn't try to make amends?

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IDFIMH

How many of your members voted for the OAP to be their leader?

How many of the B&H lads voted for the OAP to be their leader?

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IDFIMH

Tell me,
were you one of the sheep that followed Frank Shepherd of the boiler makers union.
Policy is made at a national/regional forum. Yes, through progressing members views upwards. Lesser beings, such as yourself, will not get support unless you conform to policy, if your GMB has a rule book you should read it. Policy is the cohesion that generates strength by creating unity. Changing policy is done through procedures that allow all voices to be heard. You seem to champion change through maverick outbursts but, as the debacle of the publicity shot demonstrates, this is not the way forward for any union let alone a modern one.
I'm not saying the GMB will do this, but most modern thinking unions will form policy with an eye on current legislation. Most modern unions will formulate a form of words that doesn't alienate potential members. Most modern unions would denounce the publicity shot of the GMB and have it removed immediately while disassociating themselves from the malicious content. Your Union seems then to consist of non-thinking mavericks who give not a damn about unity or integrity or its own future.

"basic Honesty" "represent their views" Ah so that's what the GMB publicity shot does. It honestly represents the views of the local members. So all B&H GMB members share these honest views? I see, that probably explains why the lies are still on the GMB website today.

You seem only to know unions from an activists point of view and care little about its public face and integrity, nor do you seem to give thought for the need to constantly recruit new members, again this sadly reflects the lack of education and training within the GMB.

Join the world, leave the GMB.

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The Seventh Saint

Maybe you would be better off stating how Terry was introduced to the B&H lads.

B. Lucky

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"Here's a simple solution. If you don't want to pay more for a premium service then wait in the queue, problem solved".
Skull on TDO

TF pi$$ed on his chips.

Yes I do want them to make amends.
But to me the "amends" would include the substitution of the publicity shot, that is still being displayed on the GMB site, with an apology to the many people impugned. Yes, carefull consideration should be given to the phraseology with regard to accountability but it can be done.
If the B&H GMB trade are/were not involved then they could/should point the finger and disassociate themselves from this person(s) whom I can only think of as a fool. From there the GMB executive should look to its rules re a discipline as well as look to the content of its current training and education packages. Credibility disappears with fact less rhetoric. Credibility is crucial for representation.
Stupidity, to me its nothing less, of this magnitude needs to be stopped. Has to be.

To me unions are as crucial as air and need to be perpetuated and strengthened to counter the strengths of the employers associations and political lobbys, to redress the balance so to speak. To achieve this, constant concern should be given to membership in terms of recruitment and retention. A shot in the foot like this produces phrases like "Bloody Unions, who needs them anyway?" and a lot worse besides. This does no union any good. I've known members leave good unions for less than this.

There is no pomposity intended within any of my posts. I am not a holier than thou type anyway. I seek only to state facts that are apparent yet seemingly ignored. Pride and defensiveness are not the right tools with which to approach any of the issues raised by this publicity document. You, figuratively speaking, need to accept the reality of what has happened, admit to the 'wrongness' of the events, identify processes to prevent it happening again and move on, hopefully minimising the damage.
Perpetuating the situation by allowing the article to remain on the website continues to do all concerned, the impugned and the unions not directly involved, a great disservice.

By the way, I find your posts quite even handed and helpful.

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The Seventh Saint

By a fool who has learnt his lesson.

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IDFIMH

I try my best Mr SS.

Anyway let's have a look at what the local lad is quoted as saying;

"Brighton & Hove has had a policy of giving contract work to vehicles as long as they are licensed regardless of which authority has licensed them. Many residents won't realize that there are lower standards elsewhere and it's a cause for serious concern for children's safety. It is also having an adverse effect on BrightonDrivers buying expensive Wheelchair accessible taxis that can't compete with cheaper older vehicles operated elsewhere.

BrightonGMB Taxi drivers have been urging the local authority to include vehicle age limits and to compel all drivers who transport children to have Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks in the tendering process. BrightonGMB Taxi drivers also wanted Brighton & HoveCityCouncil to keep records of drivers and vehicles used from outside the area to check that they are actually licensed and CRB checked."

Now I'm not so sure what is so bad about that, even if he was correctly quoted.

He doesn't name any area, nor any specific licensing department. But I will.

Your area's council license a certain minibus company that runs 15 year old vehicles. The drivers don't do any kind of knowledge that you do. And they only get paid minimum wage.

Now that's not your fault, and you and your mates shouldn't be tarred by the same brush. Which regretably happened.

The latter part of the press release where the ex council leader has a pop at you and your colleagues is quite simply a disgrace, and if I was in your position I would have the right hump too.

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IDFIMH

Of course if the GMB were actually members of the NTA they'd be aware that the situation has been / is being addressed in regards to the CRB aspect

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

But you wont let my type in.

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IDFIMH

Quite right too

CC

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

The age of the vehicle has nothing to do with the safety of its operation or the charge. The mechanical safety checks determine roadworthiness. Whether the vehicle be old or new its roadworthiness is determined by these checks. Regardless of age, but subject to roadworthiness, it is the local tariff that would determine the bid.
However, should the logic determine that the age of the vehicles should be an issue in determining rates, and consequently the bids, and, ultimately, just who gets the runs then this same logic has to be applied to B&H drivers so that only the newest vehicles get the school runs because they are newer and apparently more expensive. Not safer, just ,apparently, more expensive. The older vehicles that operate there have a questionable safety potential, not record I note. It seems someone has stolen the 'Precautionary Principle' of the neo-conservatives to attack a company. Start a war why not, I'm sure it's considered trendy.
It seems to matter not that the rate for the job is identical, but age, in B&H, is crucial, at least in this example.
Current reality is that it is the local tariff that determines the bid, not the age of the vehicle although I understand that those referred to could well use different criteria when submitting a bid.

On a very serious note, should yourself, the GMB or local authority doubt the mechanical safety checks conducted in an MOT or Taxi Test then one or all should petition the M.o.T. to reconsider their criteria. To use a Union forum to maliciously discredit a company is just not the way. It's like you and the GMB have been heisted by a business competitor. Provide leadership, do it right and justly then recruit. Leave the market to sort out which business gets what.




Done vehicle age limits re mechanical tests.
CRB checks. Everyone who has anything to do with children has to have a CRB check. Including the drivers of the company you refer to. There is no escape, even Mickey Mouse couldn’t work with children without a CRB check.
Brighton & HoveCityCouncil to keep records of drivers and vehicles used from outside the area to check that they are actually licensed and CRB checked He was correctly quoted and you see nothing wrong with that? I just can't believe it. You must know the stories that come out of Brighton about unlicensed, ergo no crb checks, ergo no insurance ergo..., drivers. Or are you supporting the statement because you believe if it can happen in B&H it can happen anywhere?
No local authority can issue a licence without at least the basic crb check being done. None!
The licensing bodies across the planet are failing to apply the legislation, but you see nothing wrong with that? Boggled is what I am. Boggled.
Your council don't trust my council so my council won't trust yours. Right, let's have a CRB check done for every Authority in the country. Yes, hands out of pockets pay up, it’s only fair and quite surreal. Yup, definitely boggled.




My area? Yes I'm from the South East. And yes Lewes District do licence the company vehicles you refer to. The licences are subject to mechanical safety checks just the same as those private hire and hackney carriage vehicles licensed by the Authority. And this occurs twice a year as opposed to B&H. In addition all of the drivers have to, HAVE TO, have a CRB check.
Are you seriously suggesting that people have to undertake the knowledge test to find a few houses and schools? With this criterion milkmen have been getting away with murder for years, police officers shouldn't wend their ways to crime scenes and, worst of all, the iceland and sainsbury delivery drivers should be forced to forfeit their food. S'easy. all is now sorted. Everyone, including the postmen and women have to undertake the B&H knowledge if they are to visit more than one address.
Okay, everyone should now be happy, undertake a knowledge test for anywhere (UK wide really isn't it, and a hefty bill) you are likely to pick up, especially for a school run. Any one with a vehicle aged over 1 year can not do school runs. Cool, this applies to all, oops except GMB members I presume.



Above you said he was quoted correctly, that would imply that the allegations were intended. If intended what is regrettable? The fact that there was a response?
The lies are still on the site by the way, and, confused though I am, I would contend because of this, that the GMB members do not find it regrettable in the least.



Reading the document you'll find that the 'Leader' quoted the GMB rep. So where does the hump stop?

Again, thank you for your input, as you can see it definitely raises questions and certainly derives at least some responses.

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The Seventh Saint

But the rust does give it away, and older vehicles haven't the same safety features as newer cars.

But the point is that do we really want to taxi/PH service where the winner is the mush who buys the cheapest sheds, and maintains them the least?

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IDFIMH

As someone who has never done a full time school run in my life, the competition aspect means nothing to me personally.

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IDFIMH