STORY
No time has been set for a return to work, but some drivers say they won't participate in walkout
Ken Gray
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, November 12, 2002
Chris Mikula, The Ottawa Citizen
Cab drivers want the city to change a plan to set a seven-year age limit on taxis, stop the issuing of 65 new plates and ease off on an alleged crackdown on driver infractions.
Ottawa's cabbies plan to walk off the job at 10 a.m. today and no one knows when they might come back.
Unlike previous taxi protests, when service was pulled for a day or an evening, Ontario Taxi Union president Yusef Al Mezel said drivers won't return until their three major demands are met.
First, they want the taxi age limit raised from the proposed seven years to eight years.
Second, the cabbies don't want 65 new plates issued by the city. To do so would reduce the value of plates for the city's current 1,000 taxis.
Finally, they want assurances that an alleged crackdown on taxi driver infractions won't continue.
In addition, the union has instructed its lawyer to prepare a suit against the city for any damages arising from the city forcing safe taxis off the road because they are seven years or older, Mr. Al Mezel said. He expects the suit to be ready within two weeks.
The strike will cost Ottawa taxi drivers about $250,000 a day in business, the union president said.
"The drivers are suffering and somebody has to listen," Mr. Al Mezel said. "We need the support of the public."
Government employees, high-tech workers and the elderly are the groups most likely to be adversely affected by the protest, he said.
Emergency protective services committee chairwoman Diane Deans said the city won't budge on the three union positions.
"If they expect the city to back down, they will be off work for a very long time," Ms. Deans said.
The taxi union had petitioned the committee and council asking for a seven-year taxi limit last year, Ms. Deans said. Her committee had previously proposed six years.
The committee relented, Ms. Deans said.
"At the time, they were happy," she said. "Now they are back. We are not going to give in."
Three-quarters of council and committee members would have to vote to amend the taxi bylaw and Ms. Deans said the votes are not there.
"This is a safety issue," Ms. Deans said. "We believe we are serving the public interest."
The councillor is concerned that the union is against adding new plates. Twenty-five of those plates are for cabs for the disabled, she said.
"I'm aghast," she added.
Ms. Deans said a number of cabbies have called to say they are not participating in the protest.
Mayor Bob Chiarelli said the city has raised the age of taxis from three years -- originally set down by the Ottawa transition board -- to seven years.
"I think they've got a good deal," Mr. Chiarelli said.
The current agreement was negotiated in conjunction with the taxi union, Mr. Chiarelli said.
The mayor also pointed out that the age limit for taxis in Toronto is five years.
"We feel we have been extremely reasonable," Mr. Chiarelli said.
The walkout follows what taxi drivers called a city crackdown early Sunday mostly on parking infractions by taxi drivers.
That same day, several drivers protested the crackdown at the Elgin Street police headquarters.
Michael Flainek, the city's director of traffic and parking operations, said 17 tickets were handed out to taxi drivers Saturday night instead of the usual 10 in the Byward Market area.
The weather was mild and "the market was unusually busy," said Mr. Flainek, explaining the increase in infractions.
"There was no targeting of the taxi industry," Mr. Flainek said.
Drivers claimed the number of tickets issued to cabbies in the market on Saturday evening was actually 40.
No time has been set for a return to work, but some drivers say they won't participate in walkout
Ken Gray
The Ottawa Citizen
Tuesday, November 12, 2002
Chris Mikula, The Ottawa Citizen
Cab drivers want the city to change a plan to set a seven-year age limit on taxis, stop the issuing of 65 new plates and ease off on an alleged crackdown on driver infractions.
Ottawa's cabbies plan to walk off the job at 10 a.m. today and no one knows when they might come back.
Unlike previous taxi protests, when service was pulled for a day or an evening, Ontario Taxi Union president Yusef Al Mezel said drivers won't return until their three major demands are met.
First, they want the taxi age limit raised from the proposed seven years to eight years.
Second, the cabbies don't want 65 new plates issued by the city. To do so would reduce the value of plates for the city's current 1,000 taxis.
Finally, they want assurances that an alleged crackdown on taxi driver infractions won't continue.
In addition, the union has instructed its lawyer to prepare a suit against the city for any damages arising from the city forcing safe taxis off the road because they are seven years or older, Mr. Al Mezel said. He expects the suit to be ready within two weeks.
The strike will cost Ottawa taxi drivers about $250,000 a day in business, the union president said.
"The drivers are suffering and somebody has to listen," Mr. Al Mezel said. "We need the support of the public."
Government employees, high-tech workers and the elderly are the groups most likely to be adversely affected by the protest, he said.
Emergency protective services committee chairwoman Diane Deans said the city won't budge on the three union positions.
"If they expect the city to back down, they will be off work for a very long time," Ms. Deans said.
The taxi union had petitioned the committee and council asking for a seven-year taxi limit last year, Ms. Deans said. Her committee had previously proposed six years.
The committee relented, Ms. Deans said.
"At the time, they were happy," she said. "Now they are back. We are not going to give in."
Three-quarters of council and committee members would have to vote to amend the taxi bylaw and Ms. Deans said the votes are not there.
"This is a safety issue," Ms. Deans said. "We believe we are serving the public interest."
The councillor is concerned that the union is against adding new plates. Twenty-five of those plates are for cabs for the disabled, she said.
"I'm aghast," she added.
Ms. Deans said a number of cabbies have called to say they are not participating in the protest.
Mayor Bob Chiarelli said the city has raised the age of taxis from three years -- originally set down by the Ottawa transition board -- to seven years.
"I think they've got a good deal," Mr. Chiarelli said.
The current agreement was negotiated in conjunction with the taxi union, Mr. Chiarelli said.
The mayor also pointed out that the age limit for taxis in Toronto is five years.
"We feel we have been extremely reasonable," Mr. Chiarelli said.
The walkout follows what taxi drivers called a city crackdown early Sunday mostly on parking infractions by taxi drivers.
That same day, several drivers protested the crackdown at the Elgin Street police headquarters.
Michael Flainek, the city's director of traffic and parking operations, said 17 tickets were handed out to taxi drivers Saturday night instead of the usual 10 in the Byward Market area.
The weather was mild and "the market was unusually busy," said Mr. Flainek, explaining the increase in infractions.
"There was no targeting of the taxi industry," Mr. Flainek said.
Drivers claimed the number of tickets issued to cabbies in the market on Saturday evening was actually 40.
