TUSC councillors back taxi struggle


Tessa Warrington and Wayne Naylor, Leicester TUSC

100 RMT members packed Leicester town hall last Wednesday evening at the city council’s planning control meeting. The council had granted temporary permission to a private hire taxi-cab company to operate in the area around the train station, an area already licensed to the self-employed RMT hackney cab drivers.

In six months the private hire company has contravened parking regulations, contributed further to major congestion and violated their insurance policy in order to gain more custom at public risk. Not only this, but it has taken vital business from the self-employed RMT members and undercut their ability to earn a living.

Councillors Wayne Naylor and Barbara Potter are members of Leicester Independent Councillors Against Cuts, which recently joined TUSC. Wayne spoke for them on behalf of the RMT members at the meeting, and assured them that TUSC in Leicester will continue to support the workers with their grievance.

A lobby has been organised of the next full council meeting on 18 September. We are also building towards the Leicester People’s Budget Conference on 25 October, where Leicester RMT members have been invited to lead a session on city transport issues.