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Wishing you all a safe and profitable Christmas, and New year .Tis the season of goodwill to all,lets hope the lowlifes agree.

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS SUBJECT HAS NOW BECOME A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN.the figures recorded to date for the month of december are.......12 assaults/robberies ........1 fatality(THE ROBBER) . January has already seen 1 knife attack/robbery and 1 vehicle stolen as a result of robbery. Remember any incident involving hackney or private hire drivers can be reported on this web site under the above topic,which can be accesed via the taxi-today home page/general issues.GUYS AND GIRLS THIS IS ONE ISSUE ON WHICH THE TRADE SHOULD UNITE----PLEASE ASSIST BY POSTING INFORMATION OR BY DEBATING. DONT BURY YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND,SPEAK OUT

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE REPORTED FIGURES FOR JANUARY 08........01/01/08--21/01/08         

ASSAULTS WITH A KNIFE  = 4.  ASSAULTS WITH A GUN = 3 . ASSAULTS BY OTHER MEANS = 2

ROBBERIES = 5. THESE ARE GRIM FIGURES,AND SHOW THAT THIS IS STILL ONE OF THE MOST

DANGEROUS JOBS IN THE COUNTRY.THE GMB PDB HAS STARTED ITS NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO ERADICATE,THESE INCREASING ATTACKS ON HONEST HARD WORKING DRIVERS. WE RELY ON YOU TO PROVIDE US WITH  THE INFORMATION TO FURTHER THIS CAMPAIGN PLEASE REPORT ANY INCIDENTS THAT YOU ARE MADE AWARE OF.WATCH FOR PRESS RELEASES,AND NEWS REPORTS. 

As a result of the Press release below Terry has done five radio interviews and got some press coverage. Thanks to al of those who have helped out so far. The next step will be the leaflet and working out the next step after their distribution

 

Safety precautions needed as licensed mini cab drivers say ‘enough is enough‘ as 9 drivers are killed in 45 serious attacks by passengers since April 2007

GMB, the Union for licensed mini cab drivers, is planning a lobby at the Department of Transport to step up the campaign for CCTV cameras to be in stalled in all mini cabs following a spate of serious attacks on drivers that left nine of them dead at the hands of their passengers.

The introduction of CCTV camera in mini cabs in Sheffield has led to a 72% reduction in attacks on drivers. Bradford Council allows advertising on cabs for the sole purpose of funding CCTV in cabs.

GMB research shows that in April 2007 a mini cab driver in Sheffield as killed in a gun attack by a passenger that he was carrying at the time. A few days later another mini cab driver as killed by a passenger in Keighley, Yorkshire. In May a driver in Gravesend was run over by his own cab and killed by his passenger. In July two more drivers, one in Essex and the other in Huddersfield, were killed by their passengers. In September two mini cab drivers in Sunderland were killed by their passengers. In November the same happened to a driver in Nottingham and in December a driver was killed in a knife attack in Berkshire.

Overall in the same period there were 45 serious assaults with knives, guns, hammers, screwdrivers and fists which resulted in the nine fatalities in the towns listed above. These reports were pulled together from reports in the local press by GMB Professional Driver Branch.

Terence Flanagan, GMB Branch secretary of the Professional Drivers Branch said, “The GMB Professional Drivers Branch has decided that immediate action must be taken as a result of the severe risks to their lives and limbs those GMB members who drive mini cabs face on a daily basis.

GMB intends to set up a lobby of the Department of Transport and to draw public attention to this problem with events on Workers Memorial Day (28^th April 2008).

GMB want the public authorities to ensure that funds are available via tax incentives and other methods to enable CCTV to be fitted in all licensed mini cabs and that shields are placed between the driver and the passengers as already happens on black cabs and busses. In addition GMB want mini cab firms to provide coaching and real training in how to spot trouble in advance and to deal with it when it occurs.

This is not pie in the sky. CCTV has already been introduced in Sheffield and has led to a 72% reduction in attacks on drivers. The installation of CCTV will have the added benefit of protecting passengers such as women travelling on their own who have themselves been subject to attacks by illegal unlicensed drivers.”

Ends

Contact: Terence Flanagan, GMB Professional Drivers Branch Secretary on 07958 275339 or GMB Press Office: Steve Pryle on 07921 289880 or Rose Conroy on 07974 251823.

Notes to Editors: The information on the 45 attacks on licensed mini cab drivers between April 2007 and December 2007 was collated by the GMB Professional Drivers Branch. The source was reports in local media across the UK. The Branch may have missed reports of attacks. The Branch has continued to updated the data and will publish the results on a regular basis.

 

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GMB Press Office 22/24 Worple Road London, England SW19 4DD Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy.

With deepest regret i advise you of the first murder this year.FOR FULL DETAILS go to.

www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk                                       

FURTHER TO THE PREVIOUS POST .....POLICE ARREST MAN FOR THE MURDER.THE MAN WILL APPEAR AT INVERCLYDE SHERRIFS COURT ON MONDAY11/2/08

Evidently this issue is of no interest to anyone outside the GMBPDBs what a reflection on the industry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED YOU FALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS A LONDON DRIVER BASED AT CRYSTAL PALACE SE19.WAS ROBBED AT GUNPOINT LAST WEEK- END .THE DRIVER WAS UNHURT BUT BADLY SHAKEN,AND LOST £260 PLUS HIS COMPANY PDA. IT WAS LATER ESTABLISHED THAT THE SAME TYPE OF THEFTS HAD OCCURRED IN THE SE8 AREA OF DEPTFORD BETWEEN XMAS AND THE END OF JANUARY THE.FIRST INCIDENT,BEING CLASSED AS OPPORTUNIST WITH NO WEAPON USED THE THIEF TOOK THE PDA AND RAN OFF THE COMPANY OWNER DECIDED TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE THIEF WHO AMAZINGLY RESPONDED AND AGREED TO RETURN THE MACHINE FOR A REWARD,AS NO ONE HAD BEEN HURT THE OWNER DECIDED TO PAY THE AGREED FEE WITH NO FURTHER ACTION..THE THIEF DULY MET WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMPANY AND THE EXCHANGE WAS MADE.

THE MOST AMAZING THING IS THAT THE SE19 ROBBER TELEPHONED THE FIRST OWNER AND ASKED IF HE WANTED TO BUY A PDA,THE OWNER AGREED AND A MEETING AT HIS OFFICE WAS ARRANGED.THE OWNER RANG AROUND COMPANIES LOCAL TO HIS OFFICE WHO WERE USING THE SAME APPARATUS AND WAS INFORMED OF THE ARMED ATTACK .ONE COMPANY STATED THAT ONE OF THEIR DRIVERS HAD BEEN ROBBED AT GUN POINT.THE THIEF ATTENDED THE FIST COMPANIES OFFICE AND TRIED TO DO A DEAL OBLIVIOS TO THE FACT THAT ANYONE ELSE WAS INVOLVED....THE POLICE WERE ASTONDED AT HOW STUPID THE THIEF WAS EPECIALLY AS THE ROBBED DRIVER WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY HIM FROM THE EXCELLENT IMAGES ON THE CCTV SYSTEM.
POLICE EXPECT AN EARLY ARREST DUE TO THIS ,AND THE FACT THAT THE THIEF TOOK A CAB TO HIS ROAD IN SE8........

SOUTH LONDON CABBIES ARE ADVISED TO TAKE EXTRA CARE TONIGHT AS YET ANOTHER ARMED ROBBERY TOOK PLACE IN CROYDON LAST NIGHT. The driver is very shaken following being pistol whipped by a gunman and two accomplices in the croydon area having picked up the two men from sw16 and meeting a third (the gunman) near to west croydon station.The three assaulted and robbed the driver of cash ,pda,mobile phone, and stole his vehicle valued at £10,000

A spokesman from his agency,stated that the driver has been loaned a peugeot 807 for an indefinate period by the company until he is able to sort things out.the agency have also donated a  generous sum towards his losses ,(sounds like a nice company)

Hope we can use the local press to highlight the sht drivers have to face. The issue, the arrest, the court case. If this goes unreported these sht cnuts will think that cab drivers are fair game for ever and a day

Of course this and and subsequent incidents will be highlighted at our Meeting in the House of Commons on 28 April, it is now confirmed Paul Kenny Gen Sec GMB will be speaking at this meeting, attendance at this meeting is NOT restricted to GMB members! we expect many GMB MPs to be in attendance. Why not support our demands for Driver safety? Full details to be posted closer to the event.

Has any independent managed to organise such an event??? of course not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED YOU FALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just noticed there is not one post on this issue from any Driver not a GMB member, surely an indication of some sort????????????????????????????????????????

PROTECTION FOR DRIVERS WERE ON IT ALONE IT SEEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enormous amount of work so far but much more to do ensuring this is done properly.

The next task must be the publicity. Once it is common knowledge in the trade then there can be no excuse for those who claim to want an improved industry, who know in advance, not to help out.

Workers Memorial Day has understandably been dominated by the building industry to date but it is clear that the attacks on drivers means we will be doing our bit as well on the day from now on because the attacks on drivers must be highlighted and our demand for camera’s, training etc made clear.

Making the finance available for every driver to be able to install CCTV, and to go on training courses without loss of earnings is the key.

It is only a shame that if those anti union bigots within the industry who won't help out had the intelligence to understand the importance of union organisation we would have had a far more effective set up to ram this message home throughout the country.

 

 

Yer having a laugh aint yer mate theyd rather be out torturing animails for their perverted gratification in some instances!

Never mind we will do the work protecting the innocents within the industry, what grates with me is that the biggots will benefit from our work whilst decrying it!

Glad you mentioned training for sure the key to that vital issue is of course no LOSS of earnings, as of course the scheme you are currently involved in could produce. Standards in this industry need vast improvement from driving skills to confrontation avoidment we will of course push this forcefully in the coming year!

As for your comments about inteligence a swift glance at these sites is oh so revealing, bottom of the pile and determined to stay there some of them, thankfully we are now recruiting strongly and to me the future with organisation should change with UNIONISATION!

EDUCATE ORGANISE AGITATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even when the unions were a bit stronger there were always the pig ignorant freeloaders who took the wage rise that everybody else got for them.

We have been regarded as the lowest of the low since the days of the Sedan chair and so ignorant and gutless that as private hire and Taxi drivers we couldn't even get ourselves organised for our own narrow vested self interest (never mind genuine trade unionism)

They also said that about the Gas workers, the Dockers and other so called "unskilled workers at the end of the Victorian era. The likes of the young Will Thorne, Ben Tillet but above all Eleanor Marx proved them wrong on that front.

The work of the TGWU in the black cab industry many years ago and more recently the work the GMB has done has proved that things can change for the better in this industry despite the best efforts of the anti union brigade to keep the industry divided and held back.

It is true that there are some very sad creatures in the industry; you only have to look at some of the posts on here. But I have seen men and women in this industry stop work when one of their colleagues was attacked and send a delegation to the police station. There are enough reports of stoppages over localised issues on here to prove that private hire and Taxi drivers have got the guts, heart and intelligence to behave like genuine trade unionists.

Once these people start joining up and getting active the ranting of the two bob job anti union illiterates on here will become less and less relevant

Our campaign is obviously taking off spent an hour this morning doing TV interview with BBC on driver safety. Also discussed the possibility of doing a special programme solely on this issue. Hopefully BBC will cover our event on workers memorial day 28April in the House of Commons!

ORGANISE EDUCATE AGITATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

just like to add to this  debate, was at a meeting last week in rossendale  organized by our local council who in turn invited the police and certain  companys who specialise in cctv in taxis, this was due to reported innciedents on our cab drivers  , allthough must say thankfully its not on the same scale as the bigger areas such as london etc, to whom i exstend my sympthany, after some debate the council have aggreed to look at some sort off funding for the drivers  , with a conclusion promised soon, they regonised not only is the driver protected but also the customer for one,ce i think common sense will prevail after all what cost can you put on safety for all

Thats a start now nationally the GMB say Drivers should not have to pay for it, this will of course be part of our meeting in the House of Commons on April 28th you coming? By the way keep us posted please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ORGANISE EDUCATE AGITATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

would have loved to have attended terry,  but im on a one,ce in a lifetime visit to new zealand to visit my son in april, dont rekon il get the chance again mate so sorry  il have to decline, goes without saying ill keep you posted

Glen once in a lifetime indeed enjoy it.

As for the meeting April 28th any of your Association most welcome,sure we could have interesting time!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ORGANISE EDUCATE AGITATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!