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Report on The Australian Industrial Relations Commission as to the status of Australian Bailee Taxi Drivers.
It is regrettable that at the hearing of the Australian Industrial Commission hearing held before the full bench of the Commission that the status of Taxi Drivers in Australia will not change for the better if at all. The full transcript of the proceedings can be found here. Excellent submissions were made by the A.T.D.A. President as well as the Media Manager of the N.S.W.T.D.A.
Both are to be congratulated on excellent representations on the behalf of the Bailee Drivers of Australia. The Legal Representative of the T.D.A.V. made a small additional submission as to having drivers not covered by any contract to be included as being declared as being covered in the draft award.
It is not known at this stage as to if this will be granted by the A.I.R.C. as at present there still is in existence a protracted legal argument still running as to what the real status of a bailee driver is and until that is settled the A.I.R.C. consider this matter outside their jurisdiction.
A New Direction for Taxi Drivers
The Australian Taxi Drivers Association has determined to set a new direction to develop respect and self - respect for all taxi drivers. Far too long we have been disunited and disadvantaged - and there is a circularity in that situation. There are over 60,000 taxi drivers, and, separately we are worked over and picked upon by all other participants in the industry.
Given that we pick up about thirty passengers a shift, and generally work a twelve hour day; the relationships are mostly O.K. To be sure, not many other workers can predict that, in a year they will be robbed by fare evaders eight times, and physically assaulted at least once in every three years. It's comforting that there is only one murder a year. But passengers are the only source of income, and the service we give is our only product.
Notwithstanding the media beat - ups, the average of unsubstantiated, complaints from passengers are one in 13,000 trips in Sydney. One complaint every two years per driver. We are the only reliable and available 24/7 Public Transport mode.
The N.S.W. Ministry of Transport statistics show a "serious complaint" as an effective one in 500,000 trips. It shows a decrease in complains against drivers as three times greater than a decrease in complaints against Networks. Good Work people !!
We are an industry of first choice and of last choice. Taxi driving is a great start for new workplace entry, and for many it's the only exit choice after displacement from 'regular" work. For some it does become a career. For perhaps most, they are only driving "in-between" having a proper job. Upon one quarter of drivers can ever be 'owner -drivers'--three quarters will always remain 'bailee-drivers'. But all of us have the same issues and problems and solutions. The reality is that, fro most, its a job that pays about $13.00 an hour cash-in-hand. If you work the unregulated hours that are available, you can make up to $1,000.00 a week. If you want a family, a life, and drive safely you earn about $120 a day average. What you don't get are annual paid holidays, sick pay or public holidays off. Overtime is your own time, and the risks of non-payment of fares a certainty.
It is time to effect change. The change will come only from united action by taxi drivers, for taxi drivers and this is our objective: A fair share of a fair fare in a safe driving workplace.
It's a simple enough slogan, but there is a complex underlying structure, which requires action at many different levels. That Australia is a Federation of States, with differing rules and regulations makes the task more complex. The fact that one monopolistic player currently dominates the industry makes the task more able to be done, and gives us greater public support.
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BUT WE WANT THESE BASIC RIGHTS IN OUR OWN LIFE TIME!!! There just might be a chance that this might just happen. Welcome to The Cab Drivers Association of Queensland Welcome to the Taxi Drivers Association of Victoria Website under Construction |
To achieve this we need to be UNITED.THE UNIFICATION PROCESS IS STARTING |
The Ministry of Transport N.S.W. has released a draft paper on the Minimum Specifications for Taxi Security Systems. For the most part these draft standards will assist the security of taxis in N.S.W. They do not address that which should be the real issue--the safety and security of taxi drivers.
To read the document released by the Ministry please click here
Our Reply addressing the issues overlooked by the Ministry is found here.
In assessing the proposal of the Ministry it is important that you read both these documents and it would be interesting to hear your comments on the same. Please forward them by clicking here
A Very Serious Issue Please Read
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