subscribe to your circuit… more fool them I say. months that they are prepared to take militant Some time later, all the unions at Heathrow
Just for once, like the recent massive joint trade action to defend their trade and their livelihoods. combined to put a poster up on the walls of the
demo that was held in February in Central In February, hundreds of cabs blockaded central canteen at Heathrow claiming a joint tradeʼs
London, all the trade unions came together London in protest at moves to allow minicabs victory. One name was missing from this poster
and there was a mass outcry at what Heathrow to operate from a rank in Leicester Square. Our
and that name was the RMT, so everyone took
were planning to do. But it wasnʼt till Bob Crow members are not going to take these Heathrow
the credit for Bobʼs brilliant work, except of
from the RMT Union got actively involved, did plans on the chin.”
course Bob and the RMT. There is a video of
things really get moving. Born in 1961, Bob
Bobʼs rallying speech if you check it out at http://
Crow joined the underground at 16 and worked Absolutely brilliantly said and this is from
www.rmtv.org.uk/news-bulletins/rmt-taxi-drivers-
on heavy track repair duties among his early someone who is not involved directly in the
12july09.aspx
jobs. The boy from Woodford in Essex became taxi trade. Bob went and visited the Heathrow
a union activist and quickly worked his way Taxi Feeder Park on Thursday July 9
th
and the
In a recent statement from BAA, Paul McCarthy
through the ranks of what was then the National RMT basically gave BAA a 24-hour ultimatum
Head of Business Strategy Travel services,
Union of Railwaymen. The success of his strong to back down from their audacious plan. BAA
said: “Following on from my presentation
arm methods on the Tube won him leadership when hearing that Bob Crow was now involved,
to representatives of HADTU and other
of the RMT in 2002, and his current salary is in laymanʼs terms, literally cacked themselves
representatives of the taxi trade on the 1st July
estimated at £70,000. Crowʼs negotiating style and within those 24 hours they backed down if
2009 where I shared Heathrowʼs intention to
is fairly simple in that you threaten to strike fi rst only temporary…There was even a helicopter
trial a pre-booked passenger car service, and
and then negotiate later. Bob went on record fl ying over and a police car was spotted as Bob
the subsequent meeting on the 10th July 2009
and said the following… did his rousing speech. There is no doubt in my
mind that this was because of Bobʼs infl uence. A
with those same bodies, I am writing to confi rm
“This plan to deregulate the traditional taxi rank few days later, Bob said more:
for the avoidance of any doubt that the trial has
system at Heathrow is a kick in the teeth for those
been scrapped. Please forward this to your
thousands of men and women who have spent “RMT knows every trick in the company book
colleagues as you see fi t.”
years doing the knowledge and who now fi nd that and we can spot delaying tactics a mile off.
they are being squeezed out by the minicabs. BAA have made it crystal clear that their plans
So no mention of the RMT from them, which
If this system, which makes a mockery of the are only ʻdelayedʼ and not scrapped. This is
proves as soon as they found out Bob Crow was
pre-booked status of minicabs, is introduced at not unusual when a company is forced on the
getting involved they bottled it and at the time of
Heathrow there is little doubt that it will be rolled back foot and we wonʼt fall for the old “rope-a-
writing this article the RMT is still not recognised
out at other airports and possibly rail terminals. dope” tactics. We will now be strengthening our
as a Taxi Trade union at Heathrow, even though
The consequences would be disastrous for the organisation and our campaign in the weeks
it is believed to be already the second largest
licensed cab trade. RMT will give full backing to ahead to ensure that this temporary delay in
trade union for taxi drivers now! One way of
black cab drivers fi ghting these plans and our fast- opening the door to Addison Lee and One
making money BAA, is at Heathrow to charge
growing taxi branch will play a leading role in co- Transport is turned into a long-term victory with
every vehicle who sets down at the airport a
ordinating action. Cabbies have proved in recent the plan killed stone dead.”
quid like they do at Luton Airport and even
us cabbies have to pay this…but as I charge
£150 from Central London to Luton Airport in
my Merc, a quid ainʼt the end of the world is it
Guv? Incidentally, back at Weaselcabs, there
was also a small demonstration outside their
offi ces and they even had to employ bouncers
to protect Mr Riesel and his £50,000 company
car. Due to this recent trade dispute, LTI (soon
to be LTC) resigned, along with Brian Rice from
Dial-a-Cab from the London Taxi Board (LTB) of
which Geoffrey Riesel is vice chairman. I even
hear there is now a new name on the ranks for
One Transport and that is One Cars…say that
quickly several times in a row! Itʼs got to be in a
cockney accent though geezers!
Be lucky Guvʼnor and donʼt forget to keep those
manual and electric doors locked.
Copyright Sheldon Collins 2009
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