RMT: Open, Transparent And Member Led: A Driver's Charter.

Part 2

What we've got now

Policy

Our members have developed policies on many issues that affect licensed taxi drivers. The introduction to this Charter briefly describes our position on issues such as plying for hire, the distinction between the licensed taxi and ph trades and enforcement.

Parliamentary Support

The RMT Parliamentary Group currently comprises 23 Labour MPs, including John McDonnell MP who is the Convenor.

The Group meets in Parliament approximately every two months to discuss how best to take forward the union’s campaigns and the programme of work that is carried out in liaison with RMT 

Head Office.

This group played an important role in blocking legislation that would have had a damaging effect on London drivers' right to ply for hire, please see below.

Pedicabs

The London Local Authorities Bill was recently debated in the House of Commons. It contained a clause that would have granted provision for a licensing system and ranking facilities for pedicabs, undermining the highly regulated taxi trade.

Months of campaigning by the RMT, along with the support of the our parliamentary convenor John McDonnell, forced the sponsors to withdraw the offending clause.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said;

“The idea that someone on a lashed together pedicab should enjoy the same rights as a taxi driver who is tightly regulated on the grounds of both safety and knowledge is one that RMT has fought tooth and nail alongside our parliamentary convenor John McDonnell.

Everyone in the taxi trade knows that it is the RMT that has led the way in this fight and it is the hard work and determination of our members, using the full resources of the organisation, which has secured this important victory.”

Airports

The RMT is committed to “fair play” at airports for licensed taxis within the rules governing plying for hire and set out in statute.

We have ongoing legal action against a private company at Heathrow airport that is organising taxi work which takes customers away from the ranks.

The RMT is campaigning for a “first cab, first job” system which ensures an equal distribution of work amongst all taxi drivers working at airports.

Law Commission

The Law Commission is currently reviewing Taxi and Private Hire Services and is due to present their final recommendations in late 2013.

This review could have serious consequences for the licensed taxi trade including the introduction of a deregulated, one-tier system and ph vehicles being allowed to use the term 'taxi'. However, we believe the review also presents us with an opportunity to protect licensed taxi drivers' working conditions and improve public safety.

The RMT has insisted that the regulations imposed on taxi drivers and their vehicles have been successful and that public safety has been well protected. We have therefore called for the regulations to further differentiate between the taxi and ph trades by creating a legal definition of 'plying for hire', the distinguishing feature of your trade.

We have also proposed that the new legislation should ensure that; taxis are distinct and easily identifiable, the rules that govern enforcement are simplified, the source of funding for enforcement is confirmed and a clear boundary is defined between primary legislation and local licensing policy.

Our members maintain that legislation delegated to local authorities has allowed the roles of licensed taxis and private hire vehicles to become blurred without authority from Parliament. We have called for the new regulations, where possible, to be created in primary legislation in order to prevent local authorities introducing policies to suit their interpretation of the law.

Support for the issues detailed above has recently been formalised by a General Grades Committee resolution that will ensure the full resources of the RMT, including the RMT Parliamentary Group, are used to secure a favourable outcome for our members.