PROTEST PLIGHT
REPS FROM GLASGOW BRANCH OF ADCU ACCUSE G4S SECURITY OF DISCRIMINATION AND THREATEN PROTEST
Trade reps of the Glasgow Branch of the ADCU are claiming that G4S secu- rity guards at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC) are acting with discrim- ination while selectively deciding which private hire drivers to permit access to the site and which to deny. This follows reports that the union has received from their members claiming that G4S security staff at Glasgow’s SEC and Ovo Hydro venue are denying private hire drivers access to the pick- up and dropoff zone of the campus during live events. The Chair of ADCU’s Glasgow Branch, Eddie Grice, said: “We are receiving extremely concerning reports from our members regarding site access for PH drivers to the SEC. A pattern of racial discrimination seems to be forming where drivers from BAME backgrounds are being denied access to the pickup and dropoff zone while non-BAME drivers are telling us that they are being allowed in without a problem. “We were ready to challenge G4S, the SEC and Ovo Hydro about PH drivers being denied access to the site when the reports first started coming in, but when we discovered that a discrimina- tory pattern was emerging we were absolutely appalled. This is a situation that cannot and will not be tolerated. “Our members are mobilising and preparing to stage a protest at the SEC if the situation is not resolved and if G4S do not apologise for discriminatory treatment that drivers have received. “If a satisfactory response is not received from G4S and the SEC then we stand prepared to stage high- impact industrial action.” Mohammed Umer, a member of the union said: “I was dropping off a pas- senger at the Steps concert, but was not allowed in to drop off my passen- ger and was ordered by security to drop off on the main road instead. “That just isn’t a safe location. First, it’s a double yellow, but also the driver side
DECEMBER 2021
of the car opens into busy traffic and the other side against a wet, grassy hill. The local authority surely needs to look at the safety of that. “When I tried to go in, the security started shouting at me, very aggres- sively, telling me I couldn’t get in. “But, later on a friend of mine, who in police language would be classed as IC1 white, was allowed access. He has this on his car’s CCTV. “I can’t say for sure what is going on, whether it’s discrimination or whether it’s a management issue or whether it’s just poor training, but what I do know is that it’s just not right. “It just makes me sad that the Hydro can’t get its house in order and stop pro- filing people based on job or colour.” The union also says that PH drivers being denied access gives rise to vari- ous legal and licensing concerns as well as the discrimination claims. Mr Grice said: “The licences held by
drivers have a condition attached that states that they shall be bound to fulfil hire requests, which have been accept- ed, at the time and location specified. “So, if drivers have accepted a pre- booked journey request at the SEC or Hydro, then per the licence conditions, the driver is bound to show up and carry out that journey. “If they are then being denied access to the site then, strictly speaking, G4S and the SEC are causing the driver to be in breach of licensing conditions. “That’s not all though, guidance from the Health and Safety Executive on public transport for public events states that ‘safe and convenient’ access should be maintained for transport providers. There is case law that says private hire cars are a form of public transport, so this raises the question: why are G4S denying some private hire drivers safe and convenient access to the SEC?”
PH DRIVERS PROTEST SOUTHAMPTON CITY COUNCIL’S DOOR SIGNAGE POLICY
PH drivers gathered outside South- ampton City Council’s (SCC) headquar- ters to protest at the council’s decision to keep its current door signage policy which forces drivers to keep the names of operators on their doors Their objection is that it prevents them from working for multiple operators. PH driver, Ali Haydor, said: “Our demand is simple, remove the restraint on how we trade or give us worker status”. Responding to Mr Haydor, a council spokesperson said: “After reviewing all the representations, members decided that vehicles should continue to display SCC livery so that PHV drivers and users can have confidence in the licensing and safety of transport. If individuals have further concerns, there is a method of appeal for licence conditions.”
Ian Hall chairman of the Southampton Hackney and Private Hire Association (SHPHA) said his members agreed with the council decision. He said: “PH door signs, displaying operator and company names, should remain on the doors of a licensed vehicle, otherwise you will have unidentified PHVs working for many different app-based companies which will result in the more profitable job accepted ahead of the one to which the driver has already committed “The consequence of that is that some vulnerable person is left without trans- port time and again - the pressure from the big app companies to remove door signage is all about their profit margins and price surging and nothing at all to do with the principles of the legislation – public safety.”
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