Statement from Chairman, Len Martin.
Also included is Tom Watson's letter to The Mayor, which was sent last night.
Dear members,
I'm writing to you in advance of developments which will shortly be released to the media. But first let me say that you, the drivers, have been at the forefront of the campaign to bring TfL and Uber to book. Your commitment to saving our 350 year old trade is second to none. With great pride we are recognised as the 'gold standard' for taxi drivers worldwide. You are living proof of that.
But our livelihoods have been at threat from unfair and unregulated competition for too long; and by a "woefully inadequate" regulator, which refuses to take our concerns on board. We pride ourselves on keeping London moving. The fact that we have been forced to take industrial action over these recent months is a mark of just how bad things have got.
And we are winning the fight. After the first two demos, we saw a parliamentary intervention and met with MP Tom Watson to express our concerns. We handed over thousands of complaints against Uber. Days later Sir Peter Hendy resigned from TfL. This was no coincidence.
On the 30th of June we took to the streets again. With regret, we gridlocked central London. Not a single arrest was made. Two further industrial actions were planned.
At this point the UCG phones started ringing off the hooks.
Yesterday, Tom Watson MP, concerned both by the disruption to London's workers and by the plight of our members, requested a meeting with the UCG at Westminster.
After hearing what Mr Watson had to say, we decided to suspend all pending industrial action, in order to allow parliamentary process the chance of moving the fight forward. Of course, if this comes to nothing we will take to the streets again, gridlock the city, escalate our campaign and potentially take it to the airports. We will also consider a legal action. No stone will be left unturned.
Last night, Mr Watson wrote forcefully to Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, requesting that he enter into negotiations with us and that he address the appalling failures of TfL. A copy of this letter is included below.
Questions will also be asked of ministers in parliament and Mr Watson has committed himself to doing all he can to find a resolution to our legitimate concerns.
People said it couldn't be done, but you are winning the fight to save the trade.
We will keep you abreast of all developments as they unfold.
Yours sincerely,
Len Martin.
Chairman
United Cabbies Group.
Letter to Boris Johnson From Tom Watson MPTo
Mayor of London -
I have today met with Trevor Merralls (Campaigns Manager), Angela Clarkson (Secretary) and Len Martin (chairman) of the United Cabbie Group.
As I’m sure you know, UCG is the fastest-growing trade organisation for black cabs in London.
They told me of their increasing frustration at the failure of Transport for London (TfL) to deal with their legitimate concerns about Uber and TfL’s role as a regulator of taxi and private hire services.
I cannot be the only worker in London who is concerned about the increasing disruption to London's transport network by taxi drivers who feel they have no choice but to demonstrate because their concerns are not being taken seriously by TfL.
I'm sure it will not have escaped your notice that two Uber executives in Paris were this week indicted on charges that range from running illegal taxi services to illicit storage of personal data.
And you will also have read reports from America that suggest a senior executive at Uber said that the company should consider hiring a team of opposition researchers to dig up dirt on its critics in the media — and specifically to spread details of the personal life of a female journalist who has criticised the company.
You are a busy man but you are the person in charge of London. I'm sure with a bit of wisdom applied to this problem, a way forward can be found.
I have asked United Cabbies Group to postpone their planned future actions.
They have considered my proposal that they do so, in return for helping them get their legitimate concerns heard by a senior politician.
Looking at this from all sides, that senior politician is you.
Please take personal charge of this issue and deal with it. If you would like me to broker talks, I'll do whatever I can to help.
Best wishes,
Tom Watson
9 comments:
UCG are lions, all the rest are pussie cats
Boris had better deal with it then, and if he does its about time. I have everything crossed and just like the rest of us I hope for a positive outcome. If not then I'm sure the demos will just get bigger and bigger. Uber are scammers and just like the plonkers who drive for them and the people who are surged by them the politicians, so called intelligent people, are also being scammed. Not until they realise this will things start to move in our favour. Perhaps they are starting to realise, let's hope so.
AndyCabb
Good luck Len and respect to the UCG. Personally, although Tom Watson no doubt means well, I would be amazed if Mayor Johnson even bothered to read his concerns, let alone deal with them.
Allowing parliamentary process the chance to move the fight forward requires a huge amount of faith and trust in Tom Watson, and sadly, I don't share that trust at all.
Personally, I think its a mistake to take the pressure off when they are all under the cosh, but openly admit that I am prehistorically bias, when it comes to trusting what Members of Parliament have promised.
Restarting where we left off is an obvious choice later on, but I worry that with the uncertainties of TFL, Mike Brown about to take his official seat and the nominees of London Mayor and reshuffles at City Hall going on, this is the very worse time for that lot to be dealing with disgruntled Cabbies.
My main concern of course, is that "somebody" may have "got" to Tom Watson, to ask us to cool off at this particularly precarious time for TFL. In a fair, level playing field, trust and democracy should well be the way forward, and it would be an ideal time for Len to give them a chance. But they have never showed any gentlemanly play in the past, so I cant see them displaying any now.
Good luck Len, but watch your back with that lot mate.
Semtex.
It just goes to show the UGC have done a good job yet the LCDC AND THE LTDA always seem to jump on the band wagon when it should of been them with there so called 7000 members its still early days yet but such good work from a union that has a great deal of respect for our trade
Good stuff and if Bryn Phillip's can show everyone the Cameron & Osborne SMS regarding Ubend the pressure should really show them up for what they are.
Dear Mr Tom Watson MP,
It's really quite simple, a law was made in Parliament where you work, the No 1 democracy in the world, and this law is being broken every single hour,of every single day, that law is (The 1998 London Private Hire Act).
All we are asking for is JUSTICE,
All we are saying is, ENFORCE THE LAW
All we want to see is Direct Action against the law breakers now, not fancy letters and appeasement, just ENFORCE THE LAW ...NOW.
We should still be protesting and taking legal action ,why wait , this is just another way of trying to keep us quite for a couple of months, and in those couple of months it will get worse and then they will say it's to late they are already here were going to deregulate the trade anyone can pick up off the street no booking required.
Think this is a BIG mistake.
Was it not a short while ago that RMT were allegedly urging UCG to call off day of protest (14/7) as it was clashing with THEIR edm lobby of parliament ?
Then Tom Watson MP urges UCG to back off while parliament do their thang.
Hhhmmmmmmm.
TOUTING'S comment at 4:04am says it ALL
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