Taxi regulation

A few months ago, I got a taxi from Dublin City Centre back home to northside.

I was talking to the lovely fella, lets call him Tom, about the whole taxi regulation thing and striking. A strike was coming up that weekend and he said he wouldn't be attending. His reason was he felt it was uncalled for and that taxi drivers brought it upon themselves.

Tom had been a taxi driver when it was fully regulated. Back when you had to queue for 2 hours on a Friday or Saturday night in Dublin for a taxi. Back when you called for a taxi at 7am and at 8.30am you were ringing for the 4th time to be told it would still be 10mins. Something had to change and did.

These strikes and most people marching never care about the customers. They care about themselves. When it was regulated they minted it. The customers suffered but they didn't care. When it became easier to get a plate, the customer rejoiced as it was now a much better service. Prices went up over the last few years to compensate for loss of earnings but its easier than ever before to get a plate, that itself is wrong.

Tom told me he knew people who worked 3 or 4 days a week during full regulation and that kept the family going. If they were going on holidays or needed extra money for Christmas they would work 5 or 6 days. he knew drivers that had massive houses from 3 days work.

When the news of regulation was coming in, taxi unions and drivers were approached to agree on a way forward. They refused all proposals put before them and hence what we have today was put in place. The main idea mooted to them was that each taxi driver would be issued with another plate - each of them would have two plates. They could sell that plate onto anyone and double the amount of taxis in Dublin and elsewhere. Tom told me that lots of drivers liked that idea as it would help control the numbers. Lots didn't like it as it would mean they may have to work 5 days now to earn their keep. Taxi and union heads refused and so the regulation was opened up.

Tom left the taxi business and went on the building sites during the boom. He's now near retiring age and is back in the taxi game just for something to do. He works day time hours just to have some social interaction and to "keep out of the wife's hair". He has no sympathy for the current situation as he was saying it was too controlled with no proper rota system or care for customers. He felt the two-plate idea was great but his voice, and the voice of many colleagues, wasn't heard or listened to by those apparently representing them.

If they hadn't been so pig-headed before, things could be so different now.

Another Irish Rail Strike

I heard yesterday on the news (yes, I'm a bit behind everyone else) that an unofficial strike had been averted in Cork. However, services between Cork and Dublin and the commuter lines in Cork were affected by this strike. Yet again, it was the rail inspection and maintenance staff that caused this stoppage.

I ask - when will this crap stop? It was unofficial. No stoppage should have occurred. Why do the ordinary people suffer because of a disagreement between management and workers? Why is it that when people are in a union and have a gripe, rather than talking properly over the issue downing tools is their first action? And if deemed wrong NOTHING EVER happens them.

If this disruption was wrong I want to know what will happen the man who caused the problem. Why is it, that one man can cause trouble for 100's and get away with it? Why does his union back him? Answer: Unions in Ireland are weak ass bodies who do nothing at all expect cause people pain. Period.

Please, oh please something needs to be done to ensure that unofficial strikes and disruptions to people does not occur.

Irish Rail apologised for the inconvience caused. Nothing from the unions or the prick who caused the problem. I'm sure those affected who were late to meetings, late home, or had to fork out for taxis or other methods of transport are really grateful for the apology.

I hate unions.

More Striking - Getting Boring!

So, they are all at it now. Aer Lingus staff are going on strike as well. Jee wizz. I do wonder how these people would cope if they worked for a private company where your job is important. I mean, look at what happened in Shannon with the Aer Lingus route. Maybe call their bluff and let other airlines take the routes that they are so happy to let go idle.

I was also reading a very interesting letter in the Metro. A girl in Dublin was saying that she bought a ticket for Dublin bus in advance. Because of the strike now, every bus that goes past her place is full and so she has to taxi it. Should she get her money back? I feckin think so...and take it out of the unions or Dublin bus workers coffers.

Feckers the lot of them....they may make my list yet !

Unions - Do we really need them?

This whole bus dispute in Dublin I have to say is really annoying me. I think it is completely uncalled for and is yet again a sign of how many Irish hide behind unions when they can't be arsed working. Yes, I said can't be arsed.

Personally, I think Dublin bus are well within their rights to ask the drivers change in the city centre. If there was no precedent then fair enough but I have been on enough buses in Dublin and seen drivers change in the city centre - so what is so special about those from Harristown?

In order to succeed in any business you must be prepared to experience some level of discomfort at some stage in your company. Its life, get on with it. It happens us all. Unfortunately in Ireland when any company who has a union behind them tries to change something, some idiot decides to call a strike because it might cause them a little discomfort. Of course when they decide to do this its never them nor the union who suffer its ALWAYS the consumer. 60,000 people they reckon are affected in Dublin the last few days.

I wait for the day for another unofficial strike. When these happen I always hope that the idiot who called the strike gets sacked if its found it shouldnt be called. Why should the consumers always suffer yet this idiot keeps their job. So come on union folk do what you are really there for and protect people. If its unofficial and is deemed unwarranted I ask you to make an example of the person who called the strike. It might stop others.

Unions are a great idea. I'm not against them. What I am against are the people running them. These people seem to have a huge chip on their shoulder and just want to show every now and again that they have some power, and do everything they can to annoy as many people as they can. They never see the bigger picture.

The new bus routes are needed in Dublin. They need to be introduced. Dublin Bus have gone through the correct channels to get it ratified. They have deferred these new routes twice but these are needed now. What can't unions move with the times? The fella that was suspended for refusing to work the new routes was rightly suspended. If my company went through the right channels and had to make a change for the right reasons and I refused I'd be given two options - leave or be pushed. That's it. And if this strike ends with these drivers getting more money for the new routes that will be disgusting.