| Mailshot continued THANK
YOU
I've never felt the need to write to my fellow cab drivers before, but now
I have. I have been a member of the S.P.L.T. since it was formed in May 1992 and just
recently needed to call upon my trade organisation as I had three trumped up charges
against me. As soon as the CPS decided to prosecute, I went to see Martin Cox, the
S.P.L.T.'s Secretary. He dealt with everything - solicitors, barristers and the financial
costs. If I had been on my own, I wouldn't have known where to start. My case was on the
6th April 1998 at Queen Victoria Street Magistrates Court. It was dealt with so
professionally that it was dismissed and all costs awarded to me. If I hadn't had a good
brief and strong trade representation, it could have gone totally 'pear shaped'. I'd like
to publicly thank the S.P.L.T., our Chairman Brian Rice and everyone else that helped. If
1 can give my fellow DAC drivers a tip, make sure you all belong to a trade organisation,
and from my experience, the S.P.L.T. isn't a bad choice!
G.Johnston (B9)
And speaking of Martin Cox, our congratulations
to him on his recent co-option on to the Mountview BoM…Ed
UNION MATTERS (CONTINUED)
Yes, you have the freedom to express your own views (Mailshot,
May Call Sign), the point I was making was that you seem to want to
deprive others of the freedom to make their views known by leafleting the EGM. After all,
in the beginning you spoke about ‘grey areas’. Have you considered that the
decisions voted upon and decided by an EGM or AGM of Dial-a-Cab and the management team
elected with the policies they advocate, do affect the rest
of the trade; ie our Chairman sits on the London Taxi Board and helps to negotiate the
trade’s tariff. If the radio circuits favour back-end loading of the meter fare so
that they can keep the run-in down and offer the account customer a cheap run-in,
perhaps to compete with the scabs who, as we all know, do not have our overheads,
isn’t this ridiculously cheap front-end tariff detrimental to the non-radio driver? |
Whether he is on the radio or
not, he is affected by the negotiating stance of the London Taxi Board. Some may say that
the T&G, for instance, is represented on the LTB but the LCDC is not, and
unfortunately, I don’t think the majority of taxi drivers take enough interest in
these facts for their own good. However, facts are facts. It is not ‘pointless’
to leaflet and lobby, it is part of the democratic process. People have to discuss and
form a view, they do not just stand up and address a meeting without having talked it over
and listened already to different opinions from all sides.
Everyone has a right to an opinion as to who are the gutter press. Mine are
those journalists and newspapers that pander to the basest instincts of the population by
encouraging love of money before love of community and people. Instilling xenophobia and
similar Neanderthal attitudes, attacking ordinary people doing socially useful jobs like
firemen, nurses and taxi drivers etc when they try to improve their lot and working
conditions and generally degrading the intellect of their readers. Some may say: "But
this is what people want". That has been the excuse of the whore down the ages. After
all, if a person has been to university and received an education in literature and
perhaps philosophy and ethics to become a writer, what other word describes the
journalists of newspapers like The Sun, Mirror, Star, Sport, Mail and Express etc, but
whores? Perhaps you can enlighten me? These people must, I am sure, know what they are
doing, but they carry on because they will do anything for money.
If you have any further questions, please ask and I will explain further.
Thank you for printing my last letter and I await your reply with interest.
Stephen Martin (Y85)
There is no reply this time, Mr Martin. We have both
made our points and I am afraid that your rhetoric has done little to change my view
just as I am sure my reply last issue did little to change yours. Just one point though,
it may be easier for Call Sign readers to understand your views on the ‘gutter
press’ if you tell us the papers you do read rather than |
those you don’t. Do
you read The Times who paid child killer Mary Bell for her story or perhaps The Sunday
Times who helped make a millionaire out of Andrew Morton’s tell-tale book on Princess
Diana? Whore is a dreadfully strong term to use for writers with the popular press just
because you personally disagree with their philosophies and I believe that you are
probably insulting the intelligence of 80% of the reading population. And so far as
keeping the meter down is concerned, I am sure that you have noticed the new, increased
run-ins and minimum prices…Ed
POSTAL BALLOTS
Reference Steve Shaller’s letter in the May Call Sign and your aside
re postal ballots: I must agree that the result of the PLC meeting would have been a lot
different if we had had a postal ballot conducted by the Electoral Reform Society. I have
mentioned this to Brian Rice and he told me that we had to have a show of hands according
to the rules of the Society. I cannot understand this as I thought that Government law was
brought in outlawing a show of hands and insisting on the secret ballot. I could sense the
aggression against those who raised their hands in favour of a PLC and I wonder if the
result was strictly legal?
Derrick Smith (K51)
We will never know whether the result would have been different and as such
we must accept the result as it stands. I must say that I felt no aggression from the main
body of men - just a small amount from the whistlers at the rear. I believe that the
Government banning of votes by a show of hands was for strike calls. For us to have a
postal or secret ballot would involve a rule change at an AGM…Ed
LOGOS
As a semi regular passenger, I feel that I must congratulate your
organisation on the door logos that I assume are now to be permanent. They are attractive
to the eye, colourful and generally help to enhance the look of your taxis. With a
courteous driver, I feel that you are on a winner. Well done…
Mike Fairweather, Ilford, Essex |
