Braking hard: Dubai Taxis go off road

Hundreds of taxi drivers staged a sit-in Wednesday to protest unreasonable fines and lack of a regular monthly salary.

Most of the drivers were from Dubai Taxi, the largest of the five taxi companies in the city which has over 3,000 units.

"We are all participating. There are 800 of us here," said one driver. The turnout represents about one third of the morning-shift employees.

Drivers congregated at the taxi depot in Muhaisnah as early as 5am. Scores of cabs were parked all around and more were inside the complex with drivers warning that approximately 2,000 vehicles would not operate until their demands were met.

Rumours

Rumours of job action have circulated since last week.

"I am not working now, we have a strike," said one driver as he was flagged down in front of the depot by a customer.

"We cannot work like this. The RTA [Roads and Transport Authority] issues fines for every thing, they then take money for visa, health insurance and accommodation," said one driver.

"We are standing by the men on this. Our working conditions are unfair and the system is really bad," said a female cab driver who joined the sit-in.

Reports among the drivers’ community state that a large number of old cabbies have resigned and left to work for competing companies.

An Asian driver said: "We are prepared to continue for as many days as it takes to get a solution," said a driver who has worked for Dubai Taxi since 2002.

"We are dogs, not human beings," yelled another driver. "We’re not allowed to even keep a bottle of water in the car."

"If we have an accident, whether we get the green or red paper, we still get fined Dh2,000 no matter how little the damage," added a driver.

"I got fined for going to the mosque to pray while on duty," said another.

Ammar Bin Tamim, Director of Dubai Taxi, said the RTA met with the drivers for talks.

He confirmed there were hundreds of drivers involved but didn’t have a precise number. He said the talks were successful but did not disclose the issues.

"The drivers listened to us, they were happy, and they went back to work," he said.

Driver demands

• Respectable treatment
• A labour contract
• Fine investigation system
• Free accommodation
• Free health insurance
• Restructuring pay – with a n monthly salary, plus commission

Hard times

Taxi drivers work seven days a week without paid leave.

Commission is calculated after traffic fines, company penalties, visa fees, training fees, and medical insurance expenses are subtracted from the total fee.

"This protest is not about the fines … but we are telling the RTA that these are our problems and you have to have a solution.

"They [think] that [we] are needy people you have to use like tissue paper, clean your face and throw away, this is not the way, sir," said a distraught Indian taxi driver.

YOU SPEAK

• Are the taxi drivers justified in holding a sit-in?
• Will a salary system improve their situation?
• Shouldn’t they have a weekly day off?

Tell us what you think.
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