70 Uber drivers have been charged in undercover sting, in cracking down on illegal taxis

A massive wave of cases is set to hit the busy provincial bylaw court.

“We’ve set 70 or so for trial and they keep coming in,” said defence lawyer Paul Moreau, hired by Uber to handle them. “This is sucking up an enormous amount of resources. They’re having to adjourn other cases to make room for this.”

In the first case, heard earlier this fall, the driver was acquitted. The City of Edmonton appealed to the Court of Queen’s Bench and that decision is pending. The second driver was convicted Wednesday. But that case will also be appealed, said Moreau.

The third and fourth cases started this week. Both are tied up with complicated legal debates about the admissibility of evidence: an emailed receipt from Uber to the undercover investigator and the details of what an Uber driver said to the investigator. The investigator, a retired police officer, secretly recorded the conversation without getting approval from a judge.

Four different commissionaires are handling the files, in some cases ruling on essentially the same facts with slightly different arguments at the same time, said Moreau. “This is a really bizarre situation. … I feel like I’m living a movie, only it’s Groundhog Day.”

In the 1993 movie, Bill Murray plays a weatherman who finds himself forced to repeatedly relive the same day.

City officials have consistently refused to say what actions they’ve taken against illegal taxis, except to complain Uber stymied their crackdown by cancelling their investigators’ accounts.

Moreau said in his first case, bylaw officers used the Uber app only to find drivers. Then a young female city employee approached the driver, said her app was broken and offered $20 for a ride. The driver testified he said no, but let the young women into the car while they tried to fix the app. The city employee testified he said yes. Uniformed municipal enforcement officers swooped in as soon as she entered the car.

The second, third and fourth cases all involved a retired police officer who set up an account under a fake name and took 53 rides.

Garry Dziwenka, head of the city’s vehicle-for-hire division, said his officers now issue tickets in batches to avoid constantly having their Uber accounts cancelled. Drivers face $1,400 fines.

Deterrent

As for using court resources, “we take enforcing our vehicle-for-hire bylaw seriously. … We’re hoping it’s a deterrent,” he said, noting changes to the vehicle-for-hire bylaw that returns to council Jan. 26 will increase the fines for driving an illegal taxi to $5,000.

Driver Eyob Mandefro had been with Uber three months before the undercover investigator climbed into his car last April. He received a ticket, but won’t stop driving, he said during a break in the court proceedings. Uber is handling the fine and all the legal details.

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Is The Knowledge Of London-In Its Current Form-Taking Too Long ... by Mike Hughes

OK I'm probably going to get flack for this but here goes.

Before going further, and for those who don't already know my history, let me explain that I am in a unique position to see what has happened to the KOL over the past 39 years. I've done the knowledge twice. My first was in 1976 when the blue book had a pink cover with 468 (or was it 486 can never remember the exact order of the last 2 digits) when you signed on, were given a first appearance date 104 days later eventually progressing through 56, 28, 21 and 14 day Appearances until you got your Req. Suburbs took 6 weeks.

Second time I got my badge in 2004. But I was on the last of the 400 runs with a simple(r) map and written test. The talk on this was in November 2001 - I'd already started doing the runs. 

That's 2 systems I've personally done. However my COP for the second time around was one of the early students on the 320 run system. I've therefore seen all 3 systems in use.

There's been some exchanges on Twitter by people claiming that the 320 system must be simpler as there's less runs. The reverse is actually true. Let's look at some long distance races. The most well know is the marathon but there's also the 5000 and 10000 metre races. Using the argument about the numbers you could say that two 5000 metre races are twice as difficult as one 10000 metre race, yet when you look at the total distance run it is exactly the same. The same is true of the latest system of the KOL. When it was revised they removed the duplications, combined several runs together and in fact added in more rums to the outer areas of the 6 mile limit. (I interviewed Mr Howell, the examiner who put all this together, for Taxi Talk magazine so my source is, I believe, the best you can get).

But - and let's make that a big BUT - in addition to lengthening the runs they also added in a tougher map/written test. 

This all means that unlike the days of the pink covered blue book when you could get started in the process very quickly, the time it takes to get to the written test stage is considerable - taking a minimum of 6 months for the most determined students to well over 12 months for the average student. In fact by the time they are able to pass the map test they've probably done more than 80% of the work required to do the job competently.

It's only then that they start on Appearances. To be fair the marking system has been revised to show far more transparency than the totally dark system existing in the 70's. However the calibre of the examiners has also changed. In the 70's the examiners were nearly all retired police officers - drivers were making too much money to give their badge up to become an examiner in those days. 

This meant that by and large the examiners would go out for their trips around London looking for new points once a week, but would not be seeing things on a daily basis, This meant that they would often reuse certain points and the schools would put out these points as 'bankers' that you could learn to increase your chances of scoring. This doesn't take into account the 'super' examiners such as Mr Finlay, Mr Orme,etc who could always come up with new points - there was just no way you could get past them if you really didn't know it.

Today's examiners are often working taxi drivers. They are able to combine looking for new points with work and will be ready to ask these of the students. As a quick aside the Chief Examiner, Ms Danvers, was an Examiner in the early 2000's. She appears to have an almost photographic memory and her knowledge is amongst the best ever. Trouble is she expects everyone else to be able to do the same - allegedly!

So that explains why the KOL is now tougher than ever and why it takes so long, compared with the 70's and earlier.

Yet the trade needs an influx of drivers to keep pace with the increase in demand. I know some of you will cry that there's already too many drivers, but IMHO that's not true. There are too many people offering a 'taxi type' service. I mean of course the number of PH drivers. I won't go into the whole argument about them other than to say I think it's disgraceful that the entry standards are way too low (none) and the enforcement of the PH rules is, for all practical purposes, non existent. We need taxi drivers who are hungry, or dedicated enough to be there late at night, and at weekends when the public demand is at its greatest - and the law breaking by touts is also at its greatest. 

In my opinion the KOL should, for most students, take between 12 and 24 months with the average being around 18 months, the good will do it quicker while the less able will take 24 months or more.

How do we achieve this? That's an easier question to ask than answer, with no easy way to answer it without being accused of 'dumbing down' the knowledge. Incidentally most of the officers of the trade organisations who cry out 'no quickie knowledge' would have taken less than 2 years to get their badges. meaning that by today's standards their knowledge was a 'quickie'.

As I said there's no easy answer but here's some possibilities: 

• 1. Reduce the intensity of the written test - provide a set of maps, etc that have to be learned but only with really major points such as Buckingham Palace on them

• 2. Increase the frequency of Appearances. If this means recruiting new Examiners then so be it.

• 3. Re-introduce the 14 day Appearances. This gives Examiners more time to see the progress students are making

• 4. No more red lining. The current situation means that students must get 12 points in 7 Appearances to progress or they get put back to the previous stage. Remove the 7 Appearances so that students can carry on until they get the 12 points - if they're not good enough they simply won't get the marks so there's nothing lost but for the student who has just missed out this will mean that they no longer suffer the devastating blow to their confidence a red line gives, and would make faster progress.

• 5. Return to a max 6 weeks for suburbs. The Examiners must realise that in today's world many drivers already use electronic aids when in the outer areas but they should still prove they know how to get to the area.

I leave other possibilities for you to decide.

To sum up. Making the knowledge quicker, Dumbing down? No, but making it a greater incentive for people to become fully qualified taxi drivers.

I now await the flack

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We Are The World's Best Taxis, Because Of The Knowledge ... by Courtney Connell

The Knowledge of London is the Bedrock of the Cab Trade started in 1851, it was ordered by Prince Albert that all London cab drivers should know where they were going.

This was because cab drivers  knowledge was poor at the time of the Great Exhibition, since that time we have had the Knowledge of London, which has become an institution just like Parliament, how dear the Conservatives call for the removal of the greatest form of rehabilitation I know which is the Knowledge.

I wonder would these same Mps call for the removal of Black Rod, I think not, we are part of the fabric of this Society,  we are London not the Private hire, we must not let the Knowledge be destroyed at any cost, but we must stay within the law to do so.

 

We pride ourselves on being the best in the World no one else can come close to us, and that is because of the KNOWLEDGE OF LONDON, they call it archaic, but in the West Indian community we have a saying ( A NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEAN BUT AN OLD BROOM ALWAYS KNOWS THE CORNERS ).

If the Knowledge goes then the Cab Trade goes then thousands of others who earn off the Cab Trade will go, the domino effect,

WE MUST SPEAK AND THINK AND MOVE AS ONE MORE THAN EVER. 

DON'T BE DISHEARTENED TRY AND KEEP STRONG BECAUSE AS ONE WE ARE STRONG.

Editorial Comment by Marc Turner 

My sentiments entirely Courtney. Unfortunately our trade greatest threat is from the 'apathy' of the majority of our own colleagues. 

They believe in letting others fight their battles, then no doubt espouse in the shelters how they would save the trade. But the truth is most of them don't have any stomach for the fight. 

All it would take for the authorities to take heed would be one substantial 'lawful' demo of approx 10/15,000 (from all orgs or none). 

But as has been proved most of our numbers can't be arsed, or just gutless!!

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The History Of The Hit Squad : I'm Not Ready To Sling The Towel In Yet....by Jim Thomas

We've all seen and heard the plans, the Tory Group on the GLA have for us. No need for me to reiterate. 

But what these people don't realise is the spirit that drove us on for years, through the knowledge, is still there burning inside. 

And now the London Taxi Trade, the "best Taxi trade in the world", has had enough of the corrupt, politicians and public officials who bend over backwards to support what is basically;

• An illegal app!

• A company that rides roughshod over regulation, stating its easier to ask forgiveness than permission!

• A foreign owned, multi billion dollar company who allegedly go out of their way, to avoid paying full tax in the Uk!

• A company that employs dubious drivers, with incomplete record checks!

• A company that allows uninsured journeys, putting the public at risk!

How can public official and leading politicians support this company....could be the huge amounts of cash available for the purpose of lobbying?

Many commentators have told us " we're finished, washed up....it's all over bar the singing....the games dead".

Trouble is, I'm not ready to sling the towel in just yet. 

The spirit that saw me complete one of the hardest exams in the world, is still burning away inside me.

But to go forward, we must first look to the past.

The Hit Squad:

We have to go back well over twenty years to see where the idea of an "overt hit" first emerged. Jim Wells chairman of the LCDC led nightly hits on the Sports bar, Hombres, Stringfellows, Hippodrome  and Mr Ali's in Cranbourne street. These well executed manoeuvres, gave work back to night drivers which was being stolen wholesale by then unlicensed touts.

A few years later, after persistent protest, we saw a rank appointed outside the Dover Street Wine bar. Although this developed into a rank not to be too proud of, with the recent closure of the bar the rank itself has become hugely popular with night revellers leaving the Arts club. This will be a substantial source of work soon when Novikov's new restaurant opens, which will also utilise the rank (mainly unused) in front of Mahiki as a feed.

The Forum Hit Squad (FHS), sprang up out of "the battle for Hanover square", which saw nightly protests at Jalouse. The concerted actions from likeminded drivers, produced a new rank right outside the bar's entrance, supported by a feeder rank forcibly taken back by evicting the touts who were illegally parking on the shelter rank. 

Next target was Nobu where a young lady Cabby had been given grief by touts and door staff. After enlisting support massive support from all radio circuits, we got an extended rank outside Nobu. 

   

The FHS was closely followed by;

The Twitter Action Group (TaG) Hit Squad, which used military style, planned manoeuvres.

The TaG hit squad was facilitated by its own Twitter account and it's success saw ranks appointed outside, Tiger Tiger, Abacus, CXR, Swallow and Heddon Street . 

We did a bit of time outside these venues and on rare occasions there were minor altercations, but the look of defeat on the touts faces made it all worth while.

March this year, saw the formation of the Mayfair Mob which has seen even more results, with ranks appointed outside Hakkasan, Novikov's and an extension at the Forge, with more to come soon!

In January 2016, the UCG, will be meeting to discuss the reintroduction of regular direct action. This time it will be the fight of our lives, possibly our last hope.

If we fight, we may win, we don't fight, we will definitely die, it's that simple. 

The  GLA Tory group may have played their hand...But remember this!

The best-laid plains of mice and men, often go awry

#WeAintGoingNowhereBruv

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London Suburban Taxi-drivers’ Coalition's Letter To TfL's OnRoute Team.

You may remember recently that we wrote to transport for London regarding the new OnRoute Taxi and Private Hire magazine. Below are our original letter and their reply-

 

Dear David,

 

I'm writing to you on behalf of the London Suburban Taxi-drivers Coalition and on behalf of the many taxi drivers we have spoken to in recent times….

 

Our members have voiced strong opinion on two issues.

 

Firstly is that we prefer a separate Taxi magazine away from Private Hire. We do not see ourselves as associated with them. Our members can appreciate the Private Hire are there to fulfil a role in London but with the constantly overwhelmingly open and illegal activity it is not something we feel we wish to share a platform with. In addition whilst our standards are very high their standards generally are very low. Again we do not wish to be associated with them.

 

Our members also voiced strong opinion that we do not wish to see Uber the non-British taxpaying minicab app that flouts laws and regulations and is partially responsible for the gridlock that occurs in London every day appearing in the online magazine as if they are "Part of the trade and our friends that we all work together with.”

 

They are not. Uber are our sworn enemies and we will never ever accept them. They will always be that.

 

Uber has been banned in over six countries.

 

Whether or not they have found loopholes in which to work is irrelevant. They are an unethical company. Many of their drivers claim in work benefits and use British taxpayers to subsidise their drivers.

 

Recently one of the drivers was convicted of rape.

 

Most of the private hire industry dislikes them intensely.

 

They charge using a digital” meter" which means if the satellite navigation system cannot find the shortest route (Which it can't) And the driver doesn't know where he or she is going (Which they don’t) then the customer is overcharged.

 

Whether it's legal or not is irrelevant. It’s a rip off and we all know that………….

  

If someone insists that Uber must feature in your online magazine please let us know who they are so we can make our objections known directly to them.

 

Thank you for your attention

 

Nick Gilbert/Alan Miller London Suburban Taxi-drivers’ Coalition

 

 

Dear Nick,

Thank you so much for your email, we welcome all feedback here at OnRoute.

 

To address your specific points:

 

TfL licenses the drivers and owners of taxis and private hire vehicles (minicabs) who operate in London and so must address both areas of the trade within OnRoute.

 

In the two issues of OnRoute that have been published so far, Uber has only ever been mentioned in one story – the High Court ruling on taximeters. As TfL, along with Uber, the licensed Taxi Driver Association, and the Licensed Private Hire Car Association, asked for this legal ruling we were obliged to publicise the result in the magazine.

 

We hope this answers your concerns. If you do any any ideas for aspects of the trade you wish us to cover in future issues, please do let us know.

 

Our next issue is out in February and the major areas we will be covering are compliance activity at Heathrow Airport and the suburban taxi driver roadshows.

 

Regards,

 

The OnRoute team.

 

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TFL AND MPS STEP UP MINICAB ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY OVER FESTIVE SEASON

As the festive season gets underway, Transport for London (TfL) and its policing partners are stepping up the enforcement of minicabs across the Capital.

Prius driver arrested for touting in Lambeth yesterday

As part of the annual Safer Travel at Night initiative (STaN), there will be an increase in patrols and enforcement at key touting hotspots across London to deter illegal activity and help the public get home safely.

To support the campaign, TfL has produced a hard-hitting YouTube film, which highlights the work of police officers, from the TfL-funded Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Cab Enforcement Unit.

It shows the unit carrying out an enhanced STaN enforcement operation across the Capital as they target, seize and arrest minicab drivers illegally touting for business. It demonstrates TfL and the police's strong commitment to stopping illegal minicab activity.

   

STaN, which has been running for over 10 years, is a partnership between the Mayor of London, TfL, the MPS and the City of London Police (CoLP). It aims to make the public aware of the dangers of getting into unbooked minicabs hailed on the street and provides advice on the best ways to get home safely.

The campaign's message is clear - any minicab that isn't booked through a licensed minicab operator is illegal and dangerous. Drivers who offer or accept a journey are breaking the law and putting the public at risk. Unbooked minicabs are linked to serious crimes such as sexual assault and robbery, as well as not being insured to carry passengers.

Steve Burton, TfL's Director of Enforcement and On-Street Operations, said: `During the festive and New Year season more people are out and about, celebrating on nights out. We want to encourage people to plan their journey home. If travelling by cab use a taxi or a minicab, which is booked through a licensed operator; online, via an app, by phone or in person at a minicab office, for a safer way home.

`We hope this new video will bring to life the importance of always pre-booking minicabs for a safer journey home, and highlight our commitment to keeping passengers safe and cracking down on this illegal activity.'

Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Rickett, from the Metropolitan Police Service Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: "We are committed to reducing the number of cab-related sexual offences and we want Londoners to be reassured that we are using a range of tactics to keep them safe during the festive season.

`We urge people to plan their journey home in advance and if they use minicabs, ensure they pre-book. It is illegal for any minicab driver (even drivers licensed by TfL) to accept a fare without a booking made either over the phone, by email or at an office. Booking a minicab will ensure that there is a record of the journey and it will be carried out by a licensed driver in a licensed, insured car.'

More than 400 police officers are regularly mobilised for major operations such as STaN, and TfL directly funds 68 dedicated police cab enforcement officers, 41 TfL compliance officers - which the Mayor recently announced will double to 82 by the end of 2015/16 - and 32 vehicle inspection staff, as part of the work to stamp out illegal minicab activity across the Capital.

LATEST STATISTICS ISSUED BY THE MPS CEU:

Between April-September 2015 the MPS Cab Enforcement Unit arrested 267 drivers for touting and unlawful plying for hire offences. 

253 of these arrests were for touting offences, with 141 drivers summonsed for the offences to date. Of those cases, 61 have been dealt with resulting in 53 convictions (87 per cent), seven cases were dismissed or withdrawn, a warrant of arrest issued to one driver for failing to appear and 80 cases still pending.

In 2014/15, the MPS Cab Enforcement Unit made 572 arrests for touting. 97 per cent of these resulted in a caution or charge. TfL revokes licences of drivers convicted or cautioned for touting.

TfL introduced a "one strike and you're out" policy for any licensed minicab driver convicted of or cautioned for touting in August 2008 where drivers lose their PHV licence for one year. In six months (April-September 2015) 104 licensed drivers have had their licenses revoked.

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Surely It's Time For COBRA ?..............by SEMTEX

 Back during the 70's, when the troubles of Northern Ireland and the Miners Strikes were rife, Government Ministers  decided that in times of National Crisis, coordination was required by all involved.

A secret and special room beneath the Whitehall catacombs was set up, to enable all concerned parties, Ministers, Military Leaders, Government Heads and such, to meet, discuss and launch a plan of emergency action.
This special room for these serious and special occasions, was known as the Cabinet Office Briefing Room.  COBRA for short.

Many important and serious events and issues of UK National importance have since been discussed in this room, but the one common denominator which is the decisive factor of whether this room is used or not, is............................EMERGENCY.
 
Our colleagues certainly do not need me, to spell out that the last few years have probably been the most damaging, the most devastating and the most depressing periods, that our 400 year old profession, has gone through.
I hate it when people say I told you so, but let's be fair here, the signs of what was going to happen to us, have been pretty clear from way back in 2011.

Transport For London and two Mayor, Livingstone and Johnson have systematically dismantled our Cab Trade, brick by brick, nail by nail.

At every conceivable opportunity, the Head's of London have shafted us unmercifully in a scurrilous act of brutal unfaithfulness.

But why did we not expect it ? 

Why were we all surprised ? 

I wasn't ! 

Not one bit ! 

And I have dozens of posts on "the Anderson Shelter" warning us.
 
Livingstone, Johnson and Coe ALL have a record of professional or personal betrayal. If they can't be loyal and faithful to their wives, family and colleagues, why on earth would they worry about betraying us ? 

We are mere minions folks ! 

No more important to them, than any of the other victims that they have unceremoniously smashed into the mud on their way to the top !

Whilst on that very subject, it is looking likely that Zac Goldsmith has an enviable chance of making himself comfortable in City Tower soon. Another one !

The same mould, the same intent the same principles. BETRAYAL either professionally, personally or both, is the common denominator.

 How much pleasure I get watching silver spoon Sebastian, squirming in the hot seat of the Olympic Investigation. An International and potential platinum showcase for the London Taxi, robbed from us by the snidey Lord.
 
We all know that the murky licensing of Uber has so far been unexplained. We all know the ride share app is illegal. We all know that the CRB/DBS is a threat to National Security. We all know that backhanders are being put about by someone somewhere. We all know that it is simply dangerous and wrong to accept mini cab applications from potential terrorists. We all know that the enforcement programme on our streets has been deliberately smoked like a bee keeper calming his bees. 

We all know the taxi emissions demand was bent. We all know the receipt printer condition of fitness was a scam. We all know the taxi scrappage that cost our trade millions was a ruse.  We all know that "they" want shot of us, and we all know too....................................THAT "THEY" ARE WINNING !

 
There are around 25,000 or so of our colleagues, who are licensed to ply their trade as London Taxi Drivers. To represent them, there are around half a dozen or so Unions/clubs/associations/groups, all purporting to "Fight" for the common good and preservation, of both their member's livelihood's and future's.

During my time in our trade, I have been a member of all of them. Read what you like into this if you will, but today and for the last four years, I have been a member of none.
 
Please, please please.....don't think I am knocking or slating any particular Org out there or indeed any particular person or persons.

I was on the phone for well over an hour yesterday, listening to what one of our colleagues was putting into one of our trade orgs. It was a ludicrous amount of hours and a most definite impingement on his private life. But yet he does it every day, and goes on doing it. When one of our staunch trade colleagues and campaigners set up the UCG, it almost killed him ! 

He worked tirelessly fighting for the good of our trade, and quite understandably was warned by his body's  immune system to slow down !
I could name dozens of them. Constantly working their pipes out, putting hours and hours of private family time in, in an effort to clear the road so our trade can drive through.
 
But in spite of this................................We Are Getting Murdered !  

Why is this lack of progress happening ?

Now despite the knockers, I don't buy for a second that these trade reps and people I have spoken about above, do it for stand down money, or to prevent them driving a cab ! 

That isn't the truth. It is hard graft listening to cab drivers whinging and expecting you to wave a wand !
No, they do it because they honestly are trying to find a way in. They are doing it to attempt to create a better future for us.
 
But to be honest, and with genuine and honest and total respect.....................they are losing !
 
If you ask the average cabby on the ranks what we have gained from our trade orgs, he or she would probably struggle for an answer.

If it were me that you stopped and asked, although I would too struggle to see what we have gained from the Orgs, I would offer a reason for where, I think, we have gone wrong.
 
When a trade organisation is set up, it is invariably on the back of a militant like stance, that has maybe given our trade a small amount of respite initially.  Drivers like it, they see something happening and want to be part of the action. However, and in almost every case, the responsibility, administration, management and daily running of such an organisation, starts to become more structured. Structured in legal criteria standards, structured for registration legalities, structured for employment criteria legalities, etc.

When that happens, the legal and industrial responsibilities, criteria and running of the Org, take on a whole new remit. 
 
Orgs are then left in a position whereby the running of the outfit is so embroiled in administration, book keeping, records, memberships, e mail departments, telephone enquiry lines, democratic voting procedures, annual general meetings, diary and planning arrangements, website building and the like, that the aim of the game in the first place, was to defeat the opposition, is overlooked!

All of these tasks mentioned above, require man power to run ! And when that amount of manpower is required to run the admin and organisation side of the Org, the initial militant prowess and biting power, that was so attractive in the first place...........is sadly but unintentionally lost ! 

They are only human ! 

Not only are they doing that, but have to make a living too! 

I know that some of them get a token stand down pay, but it doesn't account for what is lost if they were to just drive their cab.

 
But not only that. Due to the fact that we have half a dozen or so of these trade Organisations representing their members, a sort of football supporters mentality emerges. I have seen colleagues of ours who vehemently give loyal support to a trade organisation's remit, even if they believe the action will be detrimental to their livelihood.  If I think a particular action would be beneficial to myself and our colleagues, I would support and back it to the hilt, irrespective of the lanyard colour.

Personally, and very naively, I would love to see just ONE London Taxi Trade Organisation with teeth sharp enough to take on and wallop anyone who dare attempt to destroy us. A trade org whereby all or at least most of us would belong to, subscribe to and trust to ensure that our children have a profession to follow us in to.

 

That of course, is only in my dreams ! 

Sadly, the reality of the situation is that we have several organisations, all setting their stall out, all purporting and indeed trying to fight for their members. And to a certain extent, they ARE fighting. But it is a fight that all six or so of them are badly getting beat at.

TFL are acutely aware of our fragmentation, and use it very astutely against us. When one of our trade Orgs put on their boots and helmets and other orgs are seen in the media as not supporting it, the press, the public, TFL and anyone else who want to see us in the history books.....................have a field day !

 

We cant all agree on everything I know, but surely we cant all disagree that we are watching 400 years go down the carzy !

 

I know it is easy for me to say and to comment from my keyboard, of course I do. But on the same token, I am not taking anyone's dough either, and saying I will save them. I know our trade orgs have many many dedicated men and women all putting in long hours, giving up free time and punching as hard as they can. But folks, unless we as a trade get our act together and attack this assault on our profession as a combined matter of emergency................... we will see the end of our tenure in the New Year. The mob from California may very well be running out of dough, they may very well be getting a bad reputation, but they are still annihilating our customer base and we need to get them out !

 

Maybe now is the time for the football mentality of our representing bodies to put old scores aside, and merge their wealth, strength and unity......into one more devastating punch to knock out the opposition completely. A pipe dream, I know. But just imagine the strength of us if we could do it !

 We are struggling out there now folks. You don't need my assurance to tell you what January will be like. Cant we all get around the table ? 

Just this once ? 

 

Surely this is now an Emergency..........Surely time for COBRA ?

 

 

Be lucky all. Stay safe.

 

8829 Semtex.

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