Taxis to strike during Ryder Cup

spockety

http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0816/taxi.html

Taxi drivers meeting in Dublin tonight have voted unamimously in favour of industrial action to coincide with the Ryder Cup.

The proposal - which was put to a meeting of up to 1,000 drivers at the National Stadium - would still have to be ratified by the executive of the three main taxi unions.

Drivers also voted to refuse to pay Aer Rianta a €500 fee to use the airport taxi rank.

Ste.phen

I think now would be a good time to buy shares in Aircoach

Bluetonic

I think the thread title is very misleading.

Having listened to the debate this morning I think a strike for the Ryder Cup is still a long way off.

mikemac

Somehow I doubt that they will strike for the Ryder Cup
I'm using the example of the Galway taxi drivers during race week as an example

So far they have only been on strike during weekdays. Why not strike on Saturday night to achieve maximum effect?
They won't as it they would lose too much income.

bringitdown

Muppets on the Ryder Cup count ... fat cat American fares will not be missed I'm sure - they won't do it.

Drivers also voted to refuse to pay Aer Rianta a €500 fee to use the airport taxi rank.

Well I can agree with them on that, that is an archaic system/fee

frankdrebin

The taxi drivers are a DISGRACE. My blood boils everytime this topic comes up. The new fare structure has been rolled out having consulted both sides (drivers and passengers) and the greedy drivers still want more.

I have started to use buses instead of taxis these days. I cant even bear talking to them with their Joe Duffy speak.

The ryder cup is the biggest sporting event ever to come to Ireland. If the avaricious taxi drivers vote to strike, it will cause chaos during the event and look very bad on Ireland as a host.

crosstownk

frankdrebin wrote:

The ryder cup is the biggest sporting event ever to come to Ireland. If the avaricious taxi drivers vote to strike, it will cause chaos during the event and look very bad on Ireland as a host.

I agree - and it appears that they have voted in favour of strike action.

These guys couldn't care less how Ireland is viewed internationally as the host nation for the Ryder Cup. They are only thinking of themselves in the usual greedy manner that is characteristic of taxi drivers nowadays.

Guy:Incognito

bringitdown wrote:

Well I can agree with them on that, that is an archaic system/fee

In fairness is the airport not the property of aer rianta? Surely if they want to charge taxis to trade on their land thats their perogative, no? If your house was some sort of tourist hub that would supply hundreds of taxis with fares everyday, would you not want a slice of the fee. If the airport wasnt there they wouldnt get the fares in the first place. They are being handed customers. How many business would pay to have customers guarenteed to spend money deposited on their premises?

bringitdown

Stekelly wrote:

In fairness is the airport not the property of aer rianta? Surely if they want to charge taxis to trade on their land thats their perogative, no? If your house was some sort of tourist hub that would supply hundreds of taxis with fares everyday, would you not want a slice of the fee. If the airport wasnt there they wouldnt get the fares in the first place. They are being handed customers. How many business would pay to have customers guarenteed to spend money deposited on their premises?

I take your point, would have seen it as public property TBH and I know they don't queue up there for the laugh ... finding it hard to 'defend' taxi drivers on this point - cause I cant stand 'them' ...!

loyatemu

well the taxi drivers are also providing a service to the airport - if there were no taxis at the airport it would badly impact on passengers. i don't think aer rianta should be charging them, but neither should they (the drivers) be able to charge passengers extra.

JesusWasGay

Igy wrote:

I think now would be a good time to buy shares in Aircoach

Isn't Aircoach a private company?

MarkoP11

Aircoach are owned by First Group and are listed on the London Stock Market

If the metro is ever built it will be curtains for aircoach and the taxi's and no longer will we be fleeced to get to the airport

mikedragon32

spockety wrote:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0816/taxi.html

Taxi drivers meeting in Dublin tonight have voted unamimously in favour of industrial action to coincide with the Ryder Cup.

The proposal - which was put to a meeting of up to 1,000 drivers at the National Stadium - would still have to be ratified by the executive of the three main taxi unions.

Drivers also voted to refuse to pay Aer Rianta a €500 fee to use the airport taxi rank.

A meeting of up to 1,000 drivers.

AFAIK there are in excess of 15,000 licenced taxis in Dublin alone, so I would find it hard to imagine it was a representative group, as generally the ones who go to these meetings tend to be the more bolshy of the drivers.

I can't see most taxi drivers wanting to miss out on plum fares from Dublin to the K Club, even if it is fat Americans who don't tip.

One of my brothers-in-law is a taxi driver (he's one of the few good ones, didn't strike on the last couple of occasions) and he's already said that he'd just take the plate off and offer himself and car for private hire for the day if needs be.

Sleipnir

mikedragon32 wrote:

and he's already said that he'd just take the plate off and offer himself and car for private hire for the day if needs be.

Well, that would be illegal.

the subject of Aer Rianta and the Taxi drivers is very disappointing.
The extra revenue earned by Aer Rianta if this deal goes through, is it actually going to make much of a difference? Also, they are interdependant services, the airport relies on taxis almost as much as the taxis rely on the airport.

If there were no taxis serving the airport, then Aer Rianta would be forced to provide far better private bus services.

All in my own opinion of course..

westtip

crosstownk wrote:

These guys couldn't care less how Ireland is viewed internationally as the host nation for the Ryder Cup. They are only thinking of themselves in the usual greedy manner that is characteristic of taxi drivers nowadays.

Just like the rest of us who see the opportunity to make a quick buck. It is a tough job being a taxi driver and fair play to them taking this opportunity their responsibility is to their families and bank managers - not to being "ambassadors for the country". After all the green keepers at the K Club are looking for more money - now what does that happen to coincide with. Everyone is on the make these days if they can be, it's the nature of the beast known as the "Celtic Tiger" why shouldn't the taxi drivers make hay from the Ryder Cup, after all the Government will coin in a fortune from the event in VAT receipts and Murdochs empire will clean up with TV subscriptions. Go for it it Taxi Drivers, hawkers of coffee at €3 a cup, burger sellers and the rest of ye. Grab what you can whilst you can - it won't last forever.

Ste.phen

MarkoP11 wrote:

Aircoach are owned by First Group and are listed on the London Stock Market

If the metro is ever built it will be curtains for aircoach and the taxi's and no longer will we be fleeced to get to the airport

Perhaps that was the rationale for them opening their intercity routes?
(Aircoach that is)

jlang

MarkoP11 wrote:

If the metro is ever built it will be curtains for aircoach and the taxi's and no longer will we be fleeced to get to the airport

Don't think so. I'll certainly continue to use it, if it keeps up the same service. Sitting in comfort on a nice bus where the driver puts away your bags and then drops you near the door of the terminal compared with having to go to the same bus stop, get a 46A into town, walk up the Green and down to the Metro platform and then get off the Metro at the hotel in the airport and still have to walk to the terminal, all this with your bags. A bus and a probably standing-up metro ride and two extra walking stints with bags - don't think so.

I never mind paying extra for the Aircoach because going to the airport is only a couple of times a year and when added to the cost of the holiday, a few euros is of no consequence. Similarly, taxis to/from the airport are easy enough to justify, almost regardless of the cost.

copacetic

mikedragon32 wrote:

A meeting of up to 1,000 drivers.

AFAIK there are in excess of 15,000 licenced taxis in Dublin alone, so I would find it hard to imagine it was a representative group, as generally the ones who go to these meetings tend to be the more bolshy of the drivers.

I can't see most taxi drivers wanting to miss out on plum fares from Dublin to the K Club, even if it is fat Americans who don't tip.

One of my brothers-in-law is a taxi driver (he's one of the few good ones, didn't strike on the last couple of occasions) and he's already said that he'd just take the plate off and offer himself and car for private hire for the day if needs be.

esp since 1000 is what they expected and only 250 or so turned up..

mikedragon32

Sleipnir wrote:

Well, that would be illegal.

Not if he also holds a Limo licence.

Chris_533976

If the taxi drivers want to be asses and strike, let them.

Let them strike for months, they'll run out of money eventually and will have to go back to work. Bloody leeches.

Transport21 Fan

Taxi drivers have been creaming it off us for years. Back in the 80's when most of us were broke you could always tell the taxi drivers house in a working class estate as it would be the only one with a digital TV dish on the roof and the whole family were the only people you knew who had diabetes from sitting on their arses all day and night ramming jumbo batterburgers down their gobs. Most of them made Liam Lawlor look like a model citzen in terms of their taxation responsibilities.

They won't strike and if they do good, hate Golf and I am sick of hearing about this stupid Ryder Cup as if it is the most important event in Irish history since Catholic Emancipation.

Wishbone Ash

Transport21 Fan wrote:

They won't strike and if they do good,

Bit of a contradiction???

Transport21 Fan wrote:

hate Golf and I am sick of hearing about this stupid Ryder Cup

You have undermined any credibility you had with that comment. What has your personal view of golf got to do with a proposed strike? I am not a fan of golf and have little interest in the Ryder Cup, however I respect the fact that for many people it is the most important and prestigious sporting event staged here.

Villain

The thread title is misleading, this is one avenue the Taxi unions are looking at, nothing has been decided and I don't believe the unions will look to strike during the Ryder Cup, they know Ger Deering isn't for moving.

Victor

I wonder if DAA should charge taxi drivers the full passenger handling charge (excluding landing charges) that they charge airlines?

Deleted User wrote:

If there were no taxis serving the airport, then Aer Rianta would be forced to provide far better private bus services.

Dublin Airport Authourity (no longer Aer Rianta) don't fly planes and don't drive busses* and taxis.

* They do have contracts with bus operators to provide shuttle services within the airport campus.

Deleted User wrote:

The extra revenue earned by Aer Rianta if this deal goes through, is it actually going to make much of a difference?

What extra revenue?

jlang wrote:

compared with having to go to the same bus stop, get a 46A into town, walk up the Green and down to the Metro platform and then get off the Metro at the hotel in the airport and still have to walk to the terminal, all this with your bags.

Or you could get the 746.

Ste.phen

Victor wrote:

Or you could get the 746.

To be fair, the 746 isn't exactly the most reliable route DB have.
~1 an hour if I remember correctly.

gibbie

I don't care if Aer Rianta is charging taxi drivers, but I do think that if a taxi driver is allowed to pick up at the airport, they MUST allow credit cards. I travel a lot for business and it really burns me that to get a taxi home after a business trip, I have to pay a cash fare. It's about €30, which isn't that much, but it takes forever for me to get reimbursed by the company, and if I do it a couple times a month. I live in South Dublin City, but what about those who live further out, or those coming in for the day on business?

What it says to me is that Dublin isn't open for people coming on business. It's time the taxi drivers entered the 21st century