Sunday, October 28, 2007

TOP LEVEL SACL MEETING 9AM TUES 23 OCT 07 - DRAFT AGENDA

TOP LEVEL SACL MEETING 9AM TUES 23 OCT 07 - DRAFT AGENDA


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, 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.

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

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Constructive Dialogue vs. Industrial Action

NSW TAXI DRIVERS ASSOCIATION
FOR BAILEE DRIVERS, OWNER DRIVERS AND LESSEE DRIVERS
Inc. No. 9882558 ABN: 98 653 928 763

PO Box 322, Alexandria NSW 2015
Mobile: 0431 585 944 or 0432 665 822

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nswtdaforum Thursday 18/10/07




Media Release
Constructive Dialogue vs. Industrial Action



Following the unfortunate altercation between a taxi driver and a member of the police services last Tuesday morning (16/10/07) at the Sydney International Airport taxi rank, the NSW Taxi Driver's Association (NSW TDA) and its members, have resolved to remain united and therefore seek to find a peaceful solution.

The NSW TDA is encouraged to this end after contact was made with Mr. Russell Balding, the CEO of the SACL, who indicated an agreement to enter into urgent discussions to avoid any potential industrial action affecting the airport operations.

A formal meeting is scheduled at the first available opportunity between the parties. We are hopeful that these discussions will prove fruitful in resolving both the immediate issue and open the doors for dialogue on a range of grievances related to the transport operations at the Airport.

We also urge all taxi drivers to maintain their cool and continue the patient and united watch over the current developments.


Faruque Ahmed
Media Manager
Mobile: 041 091 4118

TAXI DRIVER CAPSICUM SPRAYED AT AIRPORT.

NSW TAXI DRIVERS ASSOCIATION
FOR BAILEE DRIVERS, OWNER DRIVERS AND LESSEE DRIVERS
Inc. No. 9882558 ABN: 98 653 928 763
PO Box 322, Alexandria NSW 2015
Mobile: 0431 585 944 or 0432 665 822

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nswtdaforum Tuesday, October 16, 2007



Media Release
TAXI DRIVER CAPSICUM SPRAYED AT AIRPORT.


A serious incident has occurred today at the International Airport involving a taxi driver. Police sprayed a taxi driver doing his job at the Airport with capsicum spray.

Such an incident has never occurred before. Sydney taxi drivers are deeply concerned. The details and the reasons for this incident are not yet clear.


The NSW TDA is most concerned about the taxi driver and his welfare. The NSW TDA is also alarmed by the excessive use of force.

There have been and continue to be a number of matters of concern to taxi drivers at the Airport.

The NSW TDA has arranged an urgent meeting with the Airport authorities on Thursday 18 October to immediately discuss and resolve the serious and unfortunate incident that occurred today. It will also seek to resolve other outstanding issues at the Airport.


Faruque Ahmed
Media Manager
Mobile: 041 091 4118

Monday, October 1, 2007

Media Release Monday, September 24, 2007

NSW TAXI DRIVERS ASSOCIATION
FOR BAILEE DRIVERS, OWNER DRIVERS AND LESSEE DRIVERS
Inc. No. 9882558 ABN: 98 653 928 763
PO Box 322, Alexandria NSW 2015

Mobile: 0431 585 944 or 0432 665 822
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nswtdaforum

Monday, September 24, 2007



Media Release


During the Annual General Meeting held by the New South Wales Taxi Drivers Association on Sunday September 2nd 2007, a crucial decision was made by the membership present to totally expel two founding members of the association.

These members Mr. Michael Jools and Mr. David Bradley were removed from the books of the association having held senior administrative roles in the past.

The case of Mr. Jools being that of President of the association due to serious administrative breaches within the association. Mr. Jools was originally suspended from the role of the executive committee of the New South Wales Taxi Association back in December 2006 for disruptive and undesirable conduct at committee meetings. The committee decision for his expulsion was endorsed by the membership in a majority vote at the Annual General Meeting on September 2nd.

David Bradley’s expulsion came about due to him being voted out of his previous executive role back at the Annual General meeting in August 2006. Having thus being voted out and being in control of the association’s website which is a registered domain name he has refused on repeated requests to release the domain name of the website to the appointed and elected website managers and allowed for derogatory publications to appear on the associations website confusing members as to the progress and activity of the same.

All interested parties are hereby notified that neither Michael Jools or David Bradley are in any way, since the meeting of September 2nd 2007. associated or directly involved with the New South Wales Taxi Drivers Association. Any correspondence from Michael Jools on the New South Wales Taxi Drivers Association letter heads to be considered fraudulent.
The following are the results of the Annual General Meeting held on 2 September 2007 at the Granville RSL club.
1. President: Geoff Coates
2. Vice President: Anne Turner
3. Secretary: Ted Hirsch
4. Treasurer: Ernie Mollenhauer
5. Media Manager: Faruque Ahmed
6. Website Manager: Jimmy West
7. Membership Manager: Gurdev Singh
8. Bailee Representative: Bob Zivojinovic
9. Bailee Representative: Peter Chiarello
10. Owner Representative: Ray Prasad
11. Lessee Representative: Michael Singh
12. Minutes Secretary: Brian Ridge

Faruque Ahmed

Media Manager
Mobile: 041 091 4118
Email: union_faruque@yahoo.com.au