TOP LEVEL SACL MEETING 9AM TUES 23 OCT 07 - DRAFT AGENDA
Committee members,
Committee members,
Herewith is a suggested draft Agenda for your comments, please.
The SACL top management meeting has been the initiative of the NSW TDA resulting directly from proposed Direct Action.
The SACL top management meeting has been the initiative of the NSW TDA resulting directly from proposed Direct Action.
The SACL, Colin Grove, expects us to suggest issues arising for discussion (as he asked and as reported on Friday).
He will also no doubt expect the NSW TDA to be strong minded, clear and determined in its aims and goals, and businesslike. The Agenda should assist that.
CONTEXT OF MEETING AND OUTCOMES
SACL top management is very aware that :
- driver feelings are high as a result of the Capsicum incident.
- that drivers at the Airport are prepared to take Direct Action
- that the NSW TDA is prepared to organise Direct Action, but prefers to resolve issues in discussion
- that the NSW TDA is concerned to ensure that Capsicum need never again be used with taxis at the Airport.
- and therefore the need to minimise or eliminate any and all underlying circumstances at the Airport that could possibly give rise to such situations.
CONTEXT OF MEETING AND OUTCOMES
SACL top management is very aware that :
- driver feelings are high as a result of the Capsicum incident.
- that drivers at the Airport are prepared to take Direct Action
- that the NSW TDA is prepared to organise Direct Action, but prefers to resolve issues in discussion
- that the NSW TDA is concerned to ensure that Capsicum need never again be used with taxis at the Airport.
- and therefore the need to minimise or eliminate any and all underlying circumstances at the Airport that could possibly give rise to such situations.
The best outcome from this meeting for drivers, NSW TDA and SACL is top management :
- made clearly aware of those specific factors giving rise to stress among drivers,
which are Airport matters, in the control of the Airport, and that many of these can be minimised and / or eliminated
- and SACL top management to issue instructions and ensure that such stress related Airport matters are urgently resolved
Accordingly, the following issues are suggested as Agenda topics for meeting discussion.
They are culled from Ernie's letter, Faruque's email and Brian's thoughtful suggestion yesterday.
(There are many other matters concerning the Airport not listed. The ones below are those that frequently create stress at the airport and could result in violent incidents. And which, if addressed and resolved reduce stress situations and the possibility of violent incidents)
DRAFT AGENDA -- 9AM TUESDAY 23 OCT07.
WILSON STAFF
(Complaints of bullying and cajoling Taxi Drivers. Drivers ordered to carry more than their prescribed number of passengers, to carry babies without safety capsules, confiscated driver personal effects, entry by passengers blocked to taxis, lack of normal courtesy in dealings with taxi drivers. To minimize disputes kerbside staff should to wear clearly identifiable markings. Training improved, with better understandings of the roles and limits of Wilson staff and the nature, role and work of taxi drivers.)
AIRPORT FINES
(Airport taxi fines are hugely excessive, disproportionate, unnecessary, often arbitrary and a major source of taxi driver grievances.)
E- TAG PROBLEMS
(Contingency arrangements for rejected E-tags, such as deferred toll payment scheme, or voucher payment, is essential to contain the E-tag furore . Taxis called at the end of the day to be exempted from the toll if the supply of passengers is exhausted.)
MoT TAXI INSPECTIONS
(MoT taxi inspections are not a driver responsibility. Such inspections irritate drivers queuing for fares, and should be carried out at taxi bases, not the Airport.)
TRAFFIC ISSUES
At both domestic and international airports, in holding bays, escape routes, passenger pick up, set off.
Right lane of the down ramp from domestic Qantas departure to the entry corridor for taxis to reduce the ramp congestion and facilitate holding area entry. That the Shiers Ave entry point to the domestic corral be moved before the Sir Reginald Ansett Dr for safety and traffic flow. )
JOINT COMMUNIQUE
SACL GENERAL MEETING WITH DRIVERS
(To ascertain directly from drivers their views on the most urgent stress related problems desirably resolved at the Airport.)
SACL NUMBER
(After hours SACL telephone number for contact by NSW TDA in the event of Emergencies. )
(NOTE: Both SACL and NSW TDA seem to be of the view that the details of the Capsicum incident are probably a matter between the Police and the driver and perhaps the Court. And that at this stage it is neither possible nor desirable to discuss the details or rights and wrongs of that incident. )
Cheers,
Ted
- made clearly aware of those specific factors giving rise to stress among drivers,
which are Airport matters, in the control of the Airport, and that many of these can be minimised and / or eliminated
- and SACL top management to issue instructions and ensure that such stress related Airport matters are urgently resolved
Accordingly, the following issues are suggested as Agenda topics for meeting discussion.
They are culled from Ernie's letter, Faruque's email and Brian's thoughtful suggestion yesterday.
(There are many other matters concerning the Airport not listed. The ones below are those that frequently create stress at the airport and could result in violent incidents. And which, if addressed and resolved reduce stress situations and the possibility of violent incidents)
DRAFT AGENDA -- 9AM TUESDAY 23 OCT07.
WILSON STAFF
(Complaints of bullying and cajoling Taxi Drivers. Drivers ordered to carry more than their prescribed number of passengers, to carry babies without safety capsules, confiscated driver personal effects, entry by passengers blocked to taxis, lack of normal courtesy in dealings with taxi drivers. To minimize disputes kerbside staff should to wear clearly identifiable markings. Training improved, with better understandings of the roles and limits of Wilson staff and the nature, role and work of taxi drivers.)
AIRPORT FINES
(Airport taxi fines are hugely excessive, disproportionate, unnecessary, often arbitrary and a major source of taxi driver grievances.)
E- TAG PROBLEMS
(Contingency arrangements for rejected E-tags, such as deferred toll payment scheme, or voucher payment, is essential to contain the E-tag furore . Taxis called at the end of the day to be exempted from the toll if the supply of passengers is exhausted.)
MoT TAXI INSPECTIONS
(MoT taxi inspections are not a driver responsibility. Such inspections irritate drivers queuing for fares, and should be carried out at taxi bases, not the Airport.)
TRAFFIC ISSUES
At both domestic and international airports, in holding bays, escape routes, passenger pick up, set off.
Right lane of the down ramp from domestic Qantas departure to the entry corridor for taxis to reduce the ramp congestion and facilitate holding area entry. That the Shiers Ave entry point to the domestic corral be moved before the Sir Reginald Ansett Dr for safety and traffic flow. )
JOINT COMMUNIQUE
SACL GENERAL MEETING WITH DRIVERS
(To ascertain directly from drivers their views on the most urgent stress related problems desirably resolved at the Airport.)
SACL NUMBER
(After hours SACL telephone number for contact by NSW TDA in the event of Emergencies. )
(NOTE: Both SACL and NSW TDA seem to be of the view that the details of the Capsicum incident are probably a matter between the Police and the driver and perhaps the Court. And that at this stage it is neither possible nor desirable to discuss the details or rights and wrongs of that incident. )
Cheers,
Ted
