Cab drivers on hunger strike in London.
More than 100 taxi drivers have started a hunger strike and are boycotting Heathrow airport. Yesterday, the protest action began at the main entrance of the Heathrow airport in east London.
About six months before, the biggest taxi companies paid the airport for the right to work the busiest cab ranks, and the drivers from the smaller companies say that they have been shut out. They claim that their demands to have their conditions improved haven't been met.
“We are desperate now; we do not see any other choice rather than start a hunger strike. We just want to be heard.” – says the hunger strike activist, 33-years old cab-driver John Campbell.
“I’ve been working as a taxi-driver for over 20 years, the salary was not that high, but I could pay for living and even save some money. Now it has just become so bad that I can hardly maintain my family, “– claims 46-years old Richard Collins. “It is a monopoly that we cannot compete with. We need justice. We need our rights” – Mr. Collins says. “And for now, we won't be moving our taxis nor start eating until our demands are met.”
The talks between protesters and airport broke out when demands to raise the minimum fare from 10£ to 25£ were declined by the airport.
Meanwhile, the airport general manager Robert Shaw said that the protesters refused to participate in further negotiations: “We received their demands and replied that it is possible to discuss the taxi stands relocation, but we cannot raise the minimum fare due to our passengers complaints: sometimes they are charged for 25£ just for 100 meters”.
Mr. Shaw planned to meet a union representing the group next week to try to resolve the issues.