Photo Essay: Taxi Drivers Call For Countrywide One Day Stoppage
national |
worker & community struggles and protests |
news report 
Friday March 20, 2009 16:45
by Michael Gallagher - Photographer
libertypics at yahoo dot ie
086 4048249
Patience, Good Humour and Anger
Protest number 7 during the Advisory Council meeting at the Deregulation Office in Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, by the taxi group, Taxi Drivers For Change.
They are hoping to see a countrywide one day stoppage of the taxi service on April 1st to highlight their declining incomes and other negative effects of deregulation on their industry.
www.taxidriversforchange.com
Eight images. (c) Michael Gallagher
Comments (6 of 6)
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It is the taxi unions that created this situation because for years they blocked Butt Bridge every time there was a move to issue new much needed licenses. If you try to block change all the time the world will change despite you and not in a way you like.
The purpose was to provide a better service, not destroy lives and livelihoods which is happening by over licensing the service.
Change is needed. Taxi drivers have been sold down the swannee by overpaid union bosses (again).
anti smoking ban , cheap booze at the supermarkets , possible imploding of the entire taxi industry ,rogues in high places ,plates awarded to all and
sundry ,very few spenders out at night has all contributed to the demise of the industry which once upon a time was thriving .
Taxi Joe . people dont forget the smug taxi drivers of the 80s and 90s when the 'plates ' were worth up wards of £80,000 .
We dont forget the rip off merchants with their taxi 's falling to bits ,mechanically and body work wise , the ignorant drivers who would leave you on the
opposite side of the road and their smugness in doing so ,and we wont even go into the rip off rates either , nowadays/nights your ''members' have been
known to get across that road come hell or high water ......... Sorry me oul Son ...Its our way or no way , to borrow from Mr Cowen and his memoirs .
Yes sure we have more taxis and we hear your cry oh its great for the customer but it's not what you think.
Now you pay more for the taxi you use just ask any poor sod who needs to travel up camden street inper to bumper taxi traffic.
While you are at it think about the many rapes that have taken place since deregulation and how safe our industry is now i worry about my children when they use taxis late at night.
If you enjoy gloating in anothers man's hardship it only shows the quality of the person you are.
No less than 32 taximen have commited suicide since deregulation and you think the life of those poor men were worth the 2o mins you waited on a fri or sat night?
If thats the value you hold on a mans life than once again you show the quality of the kind of person you are.
No man understands the problems of the taxi industry more than taxidrivers who were in this business 10 years ago.
We full well know what the problems were then and what they are now in this industry and just like it was 10 years ago nobody that has the power to create a blance wants to know the answers.
You may gloath all you want but life comes full circle and only god will judge us in the end only then will you see just how foolish your comments are.
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