Taxi drivers' strike to go ahead tomorrow
A 24-hour planned nationwide strike by taxi drivers protesting over a new fares structure is due to go ahead tomorrow, a union boss confirmed tonight.
The National Taxi Drivers Union’s (NTDU’s) Tommy Gorman confirmed the removal of services would take place from 5am.
Mr Gorman said that his members had been left with ‘no alternative’ but to strike.
However, he said that essential services, such as people with hospital appointments, will be maintained.
“Everything has been put in place and it will go ahead at 5am,” he said. “We are hoping we will have full support other than those outside our control, around 3,000 drivers who are not members of any group.”
The three main drivers’ unions including the Taxi Drivers Federation, the NTDU and SIPTU representing around 14,000 of the 17,000 taxi-drivers nationwide have organised the action.
Mr Gorman said: “I hope drivers will respect the pickets on ranks at Dublin Airport and around the country. There will be no intimidation or conflict. If drivers are working, people have been told to let them do so.”
The dispute centres on the abolition of charges for carrying luggage and picking up passengers at Dublin Airport. The unions have been calling for Taxi Regulator Ger Deering to reconsider changes due to take place from September under the ’Driving Forward - Action Plan’ when a new national taxi fare is put in place.
Other objections being raised by the drivers relate to the nationalisation of taxi places, with all drivers being given new numbers which are not identifiable with a location.
Mr Gorman said the restructuring of fares has caused particular concern in Cork, Tralee, Killarney, Sligo, Waterford, Carlow and Drogheda which will face up to a 22% drop in their minimum charge.
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