- 注册
- 2002-10-07
- 消息
- 402,219
- 荣誉分数
- 76
- 声望点数
- 0
A group of angry taxi drivers cut the power to the head offices of taxi dispatcher Coventry Connections before pushing staff members out of the building and yanking internet and other cables out of the wall Friday morning, according to the company’s president.
Coventry chief executive Hanif Patni said the unexpected attack on the building, located at 455 Coventry Rd., has shut down the city’s taxi dispatch system leaving the city’s fleets flying blind.
He said the attack was disappointing as the dispatcher had been in negotiations with the taxi driver’s union, Unifor, late into the night. The two sides appeared to find a compromise to end a three-month old labour dispute over a new contract with the Ottawa International Airport that has seen fees for picking up fares increased and removed the exclusivity that Airport Taxi branded cabs have had over collecting passengers at the airport.
Patni said the two sides had reached an agreement that both appeared to be comfortable with, however Friday morning’s “fire and violence approach” to the dispute has now put that in danger.
“You can’t go in and start destroying property,” said Patni. “This is thuggish behaviour.”
The union representing the taxi drivers has promised a massive protest in the city’s core Friday over the ongoing labour dispute. Unifor president Jerry Dias said Friday morning that he does not condone the attack on Coventry’s head offices and he was trying to find out why it happened. On Thursday, Dias promised that Friday’s protest would get heated and emotional.
“We are going to have one hell of a demonstration. This issue is going to be brought to a head because I’ve had enough,” he told the Citizen.
Dias said Unifor planned to bring in busloads of people from Ontario and Quebec to protest what he says is a situation that is completely out of control.
Ottawa police said they were well aware of the planned protest but wouldn’t comment on their planned response.
During Thursday afternoon’s rush hour, Airport Taxi drivers staged a surprise two-hour demonstration that began about 3:30 p.m. with the unionized drivers deliberately driving slowly and tying up traffic behind them as they proceeded southbound from the Airport Parkway to Bronson Avenue.
By 4 p.m. they had blocked Bronson at Sunnyside Avenue. That caused a massive traffic back-up that blocked the entrance to Carleton University. The situation was made worse with some placard-waving drivers walking on the road beside the taxis, further impeding traffic.
“We are not going anywhere!” drivers posted on their union’s Twitter site. “Rain or not! We are here to stay!”
Dias said Thursday’s protest was in response to the meeting with Coventry Connections. To end the labour action, the union made a proposal to Coventry Connections to abandon the open-market concept that allows any driver to pick up fares at the airport as long as they agree to pay the fee.
Friday’s protest is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Elias Banquet Centre near Mooney’s Bay.
More to come.
查看原文...
Coventry chief executive Hanif Patni said the unexpected attack on the building, located at 455 Coventry Rd., has shut down the city’s taxi dispatch system leaving the city’s fleets flying blind.
He said the attack was disappointing as the dispatcher had been in negotiations with the taxi driver’s union, Unifor, late into the night. The two sides appeared to find a compromise to end a three-month old labour dispute over a new contract with the Ottawa International Airport that has seen fees for picking up fares increased and removed the exclusivity that Airport Taxi branded cabs have had over collecting passengers at the airport.
Patni said the two sides had reached an agreement that both appeared to be comfortable with, however Friday morning’s “fire and violence approach” to the dispute has now put that in danger.
“You can’t go in and start destroying property,” said Patni. “This is thuggish behaviour.”
The union representing the taxi drivers has promised a massive protest in the city’s core Friday over the ongoing labour dispute. Unifor president Jerry Dias said Friday morning that he does not condone the attack on Coventry’s head offices and he was trying to find out why it happened. On Thursday, Dias promised that Friday’s protest would get heated and emotional.
“We are going to have one hell of a demonstration. This issue is going to be brought to a head because I’ve had enough,” he told the Citizen.
Dias said Unifor planned to bring in busloads of people from Ontario and Quebec to protest what he says is a situation that is completely out of control.
Ottawa police said they were well aware of the planned protest but wouldn’t comment on their planned response.
During Thursday afternoon’s rush hour, Airport Taxi drivers staged a surprise two-hour demonstration that began about 3:30 p.m. with the unionized drivers deliberately driving slowly and tying up traffic behind them as they proceeded southbound from the Airport Parkway to Bronson Avenue.
By 4 p.m. they had blocked Bronson at Sunnyside Avenue. That caused a massive traffic back-up that blocked the entrance to Carleton University. The situation was made worse with some placard-waving drivers walking on the road beside the taxis, further impeding traffic.
“We are not going anywhere!” drivers posted on their union’s Twitter site. “Rain or not! We are here to stay!”
Dias said Thursday’s protest was in response to the meeting with Coventry Connections. To end the labour action, the union made a proposal to Coventry Connections to abandon the open-market concept that allows any driver to pick up fares at the airport as long as they agree to pay the fee.
Friday’s protest is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Elias Banquet Centre near Mooney’s Bay.
More to come.
查看原文...
