Italy's Taxi Drivers, Stage Wildcat Strike Over Pro-Uber Bill

Rome airports practically without taxis as drivers protest parliament vote.

Italy's taxi drivers are striking ahead of a senate vote on a raft of measures which they say could favour multinational app-based car transport companies such as Uber.

The spontaneous strike is causing major problems for commuters in the capital, particularly at the city’s Fiumicino and Ciampino airports which are currently being served by just a handful of official white cabs strike breakers.

Roman taxi drivers are staging a sit-in near Rome’s senate building, Palazzo Madama, while their counterparts in Milan and Turin are engaged in similar protests.

The Italian senate is voting on a maxi-amendment to the so-called Milleproroghe decree which traditionally follows the passage of the annual budget.

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Uber loses GST fight with the Tax Office.

More than 50,000 Uber drivers in Australia will have to pay 10 per cent GST from the first dollar they earn after the ridesharing app lost a 18-month battle with the Australian Tax Office.

In a decision handed down on Friday, the Federal Court rejected Uber's argument that its drivers should not have to pay GST because it is not providing "taxi travel" and ordered Uber pay the Tax Office's legal costs.

The decision confirms Uber drivers will have to pay 10 per cent GST on top of the 25 per cent commission to Uber regardless of how much they earn.

Uber sued the Australian Tax Office in July 2015 after the Tax Office declared from August 1, 2015, Uber drivers must pay GST because they are providing a modern equivalent of taxi service.

The court case hinged on whether Uber was providing "taxi travel" for the purposes of the GST legislation. Generally businesses with less than $75,000 turnover do not need to collect GST but this rule does not apply to taxis.

If Uber was classified as a provider of "taxi travel" its drivers would also have to pay GST even if they earn less than $75,000 a year.

Justice John Griffith of the Federal Court said the phrase "taxi travel" should be "construed broadly and not technically" and accepted the Tax Office's argument the ordinary meaning of the word "taxi" is a "vehicle available for hire by the public and which transports a passenger at his or her direction for the payment of a fare that will often, but not always, be calculated by reference to a taxi meter".

He said the fact Uber cars did not have taxi meters installed them was irrelevant because it was not essential to the ordinary meaning of the word "taxi".

Uber spokeswoman said the company is disappointed with the decision and will provide its drivers with more information "as soon as we can". The Taxi Office spokeswoman said: "It is important that Uber and other ride-sourcing providers now work co-operatively with us to help assist their drivers to understand and comply with their tax obligations and to claim their entitlements."

During the two-day hearing in June 2016, Uber argued its drivers should not have to pay GST unless they earn more than $75,000 because they are not providing taxi services.

Uber argued its drivers are not providing "taxi travel" because taxis can pick up passengers without booking using the rank and hail system but Uber cannot.

But the Tax Office quoted a number of dictionary definitions to argue the term taxi should include ride sharing services.

Although Uber drivers have been required to register for GST since August 2015, Ride Share Drivers' Association of Australia spokesman said some drivers have chosen not to register until the court decision. RSDAA represents over 700 Uber drivers.

He said the decision was "disappointing news for drivers who are already being pinched by Uber's predatory pricing model."

"It seems the courts can't differentiate between a full time enterprise and a part time pocket money job," he said.

But NSW Taxi Council chief executive Roy Wakelin-King said "the notion that somehow Uber is magically different to the taxi industry is a myth" because taxis and ridesharing services such as Uber do the same job.

"Uber drivers who claim there was uncertainty about this, once again, have not been compliant with the law and ATO should hold them to account," he said.

K & L Gates tax partner Matt Cridland said the decision means the government will have to make a policy decision as to whether the $75,000 exemption should apply to Uber and taxi drivers and tax laws need to evolve to deal with technological developments.

"There will be UberX drivers who are casual drivers who will need to pay GST, as opposed to professional drivers who attend to it full-time for their living," he said.

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More than 500 old taxis to be forced off Birmingham streets - and drivers are not happy

More than 500 black taxi cabs could be run off the road by stringent new anti-pollution measures in what has been called a ‘catastrophe’ for the trade.

Details of the new clean air policy were debated by councillors and taxi industry on the day the European Union issued a final warning to the UK over dangerously high pollution levels in 16 cities, including Birmingham and London.

Poor air quality in Birmingham is reckoned to be responsible for 520 extra deaths a year in the city, with vehicle pollution in the city centre and M6 motorway corridor the most affected areas.

The Government has already ordered the city to set up a Clean Air Zone around the city centre by 2020 or face a fine of up to £60 million. Under this high polluting commercial vehicles such as taxis, buses, lorries and coaches could be charged to go within the middle ring road

And now taxi drivers have been dealt a second blow after being told that age limits on their cars could be slashed in December to ensure they are using newer and cleaner cars. This means 530 of the oldest and highest polluting hackney cabs, 43 per cent of the 1,233 on the city’s streets, will have their licenses removed.

A further 1,428 private hire vehicles, or minicabs, out of 4,200 on the streets, would also be barred under the proposals.

But black cabs face particular problems as the new cleaner range of electric cabs produced by the London Taxi Company in Coventryare not due to go on sale until the end of this year.

Ivan Boon of TOA Taxis and the RMT union said it would be a disaster for the industry and passengers.

“Everybody wants cleaner air but this is a catastrophe for the trade. We are talking about taking five to six hundred taxis off the road by December and the new vehicles are not yet available.”

He said the expected cost of £55,000 for the new cab is an investment beyond the reach of many drivers, especially as their existing cabs will now be heavily devalued or even worthless as working vehicles.

Birmingham City Council currently allows black cabs of up to 14 years to be newly licensed and older if they are having the license renewed. It is thought to have one of the oldest fleets in the country due to its previously ‘lenient’ policy.

Government grants of £7,500 are available to drivers buying a cleaner black cab, but drivers also want more help and more time to adapt to the new rules.

Licensing committee members have agreed to 12 weeks consultation over the measures and to write to Government asking for more funding to introduce clean air measures and ease the burden on drivers.

Cllr Basharat Dad (Lab, Stechford and Yardley North) said: “We are not just talking about thousands of cars, but the livelihoods of thousands of drivers and their families.”

But cllr Habib Rehman (Lab, Springfield) reminded the committee why they are looking into the issue: “ When you go to inner city schools you see how many children are taking inhalers with their lunchboxes, its rising.”

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Uber driver fined £680 for illegally picking up passenger in Reading

Aldin Stefanov was caught illegally plying for hire when he picked up a Reading Borough Council licensing officer on Sunday, August 27

An Uber driver has been hit with a £680 fine after he was caught illegally plying for hire in Reading.

Aldin Stefanov, of Kintbury Walk, Reading, was picking up passengers in the town during Reading Festival in August 2016.

The Transport for London Uber driver was caught on Sunday, August 27 when he unwittingly picked up a Reading Borough Council licensing officer.

The 46-year-old admitted the charge at Reading Magistrates Court on Friday, February 3 and was fined £250.

He was also ordered to pay legal costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £30.

Uber drivers are not allowed to ply for hire in Reading as the company's application for an operating licence was rejected in March 2016.

People in Reading have opened the Uber app ito search for and book cabs for local journeys since the company's application was snubbed and many of the company's minicabs are seen driving around the town looking for work outside their licensed area. 

Councillor Paul Gittings, lead member for consumer services, said: "This is a positive outcome which upholds regulations that are in place to protect the public.

"I hope cases such as this will serve as a deterrent to drivers who are tempted to work illegally in Reading.

"Reading’s licensing committee took the decision to reject Uber’s application for a private hire operating licence in March 2016.

"It is unfortunate that some drivers continue to flout this decision. 

Hopefully this prosecution sends out the message that Reading will not tolerate illegal taxi activity."

Uber says the driver's account will be deacctivated. 

Will they now be geofencing the borough to stop these illegal journeys, unlikely as they haven't down this in other areas where they are not licensed to work. 

The company said "we will deactivate the account of any driver found plying for hire. 

Editorial Comment 

This is now a nationwide problem that is steadily growing out of hand.  

The DoT needs to step in and help protect the livelihood of authorised licensed Taxi and Private Hire drivers. 

TfL have shown no appetite to help other councils and have said on many occasions this issue is nothing to do with them unless a contravention happens within their licensing area. 

Many trade associations up and down the country believe that TfL's attitude is a major factor in the escalation of this problem.   

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Blah Blah Land Is Over. It's Kill Or Be Killed Now.......................by Semtex. 8829

Nobody is or should be, more powerful than the Laws of our Land. That is, it appears, unless you are Uber.

As in all professions, trades and industries in the UK, there are laws, regulations and obligations in place, that we must all adhere to, to prevent abuse and wrong doing.

Law and Enforcement are deployed in most of what we do, when we go about our normal lives. If you go fishing, you need a licence. If you like to shoot, you need a licence. To drive your car, you need a licence. To sell your house, you need to fill legal forms in. 

To have a hospital operation, you need to sign consent and liability forms. To divorce your partner, you need to sign legal forms. To park in a supermarket car park, you need to comply with their terms. To get married, you need a licence. To drive either a Hackney Carriage or Private Hire vehicle, you need a licence.

Most of what we all do in our normal day to day living, requires some sort of licensing, permission or other criteria, to enable us to carry out our relevant choices and day to day movements. In all of those licences, legal paperwork, permission criteria etc, there has to be an adequate and realistic Enforcement in place, to ensure that compliance is being adhered to.

Nothing new there. That's how it's always been. That is how it's always been in most democratic lawful countries too.

Most law abiding, God fearing decent people know only too well their professional and moral responsibilities in life, and ensure that they comply with them. Most of us know too, that failure to comply with the rules of life, would invariably see us falling foul with our laws that we are taught to respect, and ending up on the wrong side of them. Penalties for such non-compliance and disregard of the laws of our land can range from a fine to life imprisonment, depending on the severity of the disregard of the perpetrator.

It appears then, that during my 60 years of living, this set of life's rules and the penalties for ignoring them, have always been more or less the same. It is after all, how life and living works, right ?

Well, apparently not now. Not since 2012 when San Francisco mini cab firm Uber arrived, setting up their stall in London.

For it is due to some strange reason, despite Transport For London's Licensing Regulators rigorous application criteria to gain an Operator's Licence, that the firm from LA, have managed to override this. To my analytical mind, this is more than just 'strange'. Something is stinking real bad here. How on earth has this company, who is registered in a foreign country, and pays it's taxes in yet another.........managed to bypass the very foundations and lawful fabric, that ensures compliance and fair play in our United Kingdom ?

You tell me. But one thing is for sure. There have been many efforts from or Trade Orgs, representatives, legal advisers and even London Cabbies themselves, to appeal to Members of Parliament and the Licensing Regulators, Transport For London themselves, to give a valid and credible explanation as to how this could have possibly happened.

And every time I have seen these appeals go out, I have voiced my opinion that they will be valuable time wasted. The tentacles of Uber are extremely penetrative. Uber are like a gas, they are akin to a virus. They get everywhere and it seems that once there, nothing can wipe them out.

I have always said that there isn't an MP in the country, who has the spunk and clout to take this mob on. And I stand by that today.

What on earth could be the reason to allow a foreign company to blast onto our shores and ride over the granite Laws of our Land with a fearless confidence ? 

The Germans didn't get away with it, did they ? 

Neither did anybody else.

So why the Yankee Minicab Firm ? 

I think I know. See if you can guess.

There is much speculation within our Trade Orgs and our colleagues, whether Uber will be successful in their new Operators Licence Application in May.

Folks, don't even give it a second of wasted time in pondering. You bet your life Uber will be re-licensed, and trust me, I know more than I'm letting on. Never will it be such a pleasure and honour to admit I am wrong, if I am. I dream of being wrong about this.

For far too long, our trade have stood back and listened to the cods wallop. Blah, blah, blah, effing blah ! 

Our Trade Orgs have a lot to answer for. Why didn't we as a United Force see this coming ? Blah, blah, blah effing blah.

Ruse after ruse. Deflection trick after deflection trick. Cabbie's Cabinet, Rules of Engagement, consultations, meetings, promises, deals, blah, blah, blah. Referendums, more meetings, more time.....wasted, consultations, opinions, consultations about the last consultation, tick effing tock, blah blah, yeah yeah, working behind the scenes, fight to the death,  they wont take my badge, they will hve to kill me, more blah, more tick, more tock, more bollox from me writing crap about when I was 6. Blah blah, tick tock, time wasted. 

So and so MP wants to give us his or hers full loyalty. They can't envisage London without the famous Black Cab. We can, and it's happening, right now. Blah, blah, working quietly for us all. You dont realise how much progress we are making, More bollox, more stories from me about when I was in the army, blah blah, tick tock, anywhere nearer saving our futures..........? 

Not one single inch nearer saving our futures. In fact we are in a worse position now, than when John Mason had the reins. Why's that then ? 

How come we are in this position ?

Folks, we have blamed everyone. We have blamed John Mason, we have blamed Emmerson, we have blamed Leon Daniels we have blamed Boris, we have blamed Khan, we have blamed Hendy, we have blamed Cameron.

Let's take a good look at us, shall we ?

First of all, let's try and understand that all the aforementioned and many many others, do not actually give a Friar Tuck where mine or your next week's wage comes from.

Please get this first thing ingrained in your heads. It is the first cardinal rule. You must not whatever happens go against the first cardinal rule.

Don't think that by sitting next to and having your photo done with the likes of Tom Watson and other loving carers of our trade, that they are going to help us. Please understand this. They don't give a Friar's mate. They WONT help us at all. 

I have to watch myself here, but they wont touch Uber, I'm telling you.

It's no good sending letters to your MP. It's no good pointing out the already in place Laws. They know them. It was they who implemented them. Hear what I'm saying. 

THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

Uber are invincible. See the Met's current and going sooner than he should Commissioner ? When asked about why Uber are getting away with it, he said us London Cabbies arejust moaners. You see what I'm saying ? 

THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

Any MP who values their future would be well advised to steer clear of fighting for the London Cab Trade against Uber. If they did, their career would plummet. 

THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

You would think that the upheaval to the Capital via our Demonstrations in the City would see the BBC's camera teams scrambling for their zoom lens and microphone mufflers, wouldn't you ? Course not. 

THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

What is the answer then, Semtex ? I anticipate the question.

Folks, there are two certainties here that I will assure you of.

1. Uber WILL be re-licensed.

2. Uber will eventually kill us.

UNLESS. Unless we put up such an enormous and MASSIVE demo for one day only, with a promise of more to come. Not the normal London Cab Demo, but a NATIONAL DEMO IN LONDON, with representation from ALL HACKNEY DRIVERS IN THE UK.

Uber as you know are currently being reported as working on London Licensed TFL Roundels as far up the country as Newcastle and beyond. That's an awful lot of Police Forces and Law Compliance Teams they have upset on the way up to get there, but either minimal or NO enforcement to prevent these viruses proceeding. Again, THEY WON'T TOUCH UBER.

We have a very staunch and loyal ally pool, away from the Big Smoke. Allies that are themselves being starved alive and witnessing a 'leave Uber alone' attitude from the very people who are paid to enforce the Laws of our Land.

For one day only, we need to ask them for their help.

People such as our close friend from up North, Lee Ward would be a marvellous starting contact. Lee is respected in the industry and has the contacts to drum up support for a day of action like this.

A day of lawful demonstration from every Hackney Carriage representation in the country would, I believe, be too much even for the BBC to ignore Uber for.

Thanks to 'every journey matters' TFL, our infrastructure cannot now cope with a bus getting a puncture without causing ten mile tailbacks, let alone a United Trade Demo of these proportions.

Folks, we really MUST change the plan. The cries of 'fight till the death' 'they wont beat me till i'm dead' and the likes  are very patriotic, commendable and British. 

BUT, we are on the brink now, we really are.

As I said earlier in this piece, there is a very obvious and logical and understandable reason as to why the American Mini Cab firm have had the seas parted for them.  Their kid glove treatment and protection of their future is guaranteed. And those same reasons and guarantees will ensure their futures .................and our demise.

If you haven't worked it out yourselves why this nationwide phenomenon is happening , then I'm not going to spell it out for you. I've already lost one house in my life! Without photographic proof we can't prove anything. I was out walking my dogs this morning. I saw a pile of wood pigeon's feathers scattered on a grass embankment. I didn't see the winged raptor strike, but I bet my house on it that that's what took the pigeon. Know what i'm saying ?

This Uber fiasco has gone way too far this time. Mp's, loyalists, Trade Orgs on their own and a few thousand faithful customers won't save us now. We have to do it ourselves en masse, and we need the assistance of the entire UK Taxi Trade behind us.

We must unite, rendezvous, group up, plan our attack and go in with passion, numbers and confidence. Uber have crossed the line in an arrogant display of strength and confidence.  Their brags about having friends in high places are blatant and infuriating. They've gone too far by crossing the borders. It's no longer a London problem. It's a National one. And we need some National help.

Blah blah Land is over. It's kill or be killed now.

Be lucky all.

Semtex 8829.

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When They Say "It's Not About The Money"....Its ALL About The Money. By Harry Wall.

We all know why Uber want our trade and that they'll go to any financial lengths to get it. But it's not just Uber stealing our pie and that's the big problem, it's worth millions elsewhere too.

Those of us who can remember the old Carriage Office will also remember the day Livingston took office in 2000 which was soon followed by the news he planned to "streamline" the whole process of the knowledge, licensing procedures and so on. To make it better run and bring it into the 20th century. In order to carry out this grand plan their would be a need to increase the license fees, in fact more than double it if I remember correctly.

This was quickly followed by a letter of intent announcing a night fare increase of 30% which was met by screams of discontent from the rank and file but obviously ignored by Livingston.

It also stated we had no choice but to adhere to the change, if not we'd be put on stop. I seem to remember Oddy having some input in this but I might be wrong. Needless to say, the public didn't like it either and we lost work over it, especially between 8 and 10 as that's when tariff 2 came in.

Soon the overhaul change came in along with various charges for this and charges for that, changes to procedures that had worked for years that completely ballsed everything up but after a while we become complacent and just take it on the chin, it became accepted as the norm.

Now fast forward to February 2017 and even more rats are feeding of us.

With various fees added on, to sign on the knowledge now is £1000. Now comes a rough estimate of the rest :

NSL - £97 per cab x25k cabs = £2.4m per year.

MOT - £50 x2 per cab x25k cabs = £2.5m per year.

CC - average of £20 per week, per driver to accept credit cards x25k drivers = £26m per year.

Added together this already works out to £30.85m per year.

Add a rough estimate for Uber's yearly snatch of £375m and that takes the theft to a staggering £407.3m, PER YEAR!!!

We don't renew our bills yearly so that can't be added but that amounts to £272 a time, and medicals -which will rocket if we allow TFL to make us use their set ups- Hailo's take, Gett's extortionate take, Geelys new cab etc, etc, 

You're now looking at a Buzz Lightyear figure, "to infinity and beyond". And all the time this is going on we can't find a space on a rank!

It's no wonder they're fighting tooth and nail to ruin us and eventually deregulate us, which I'm convinced is their ultimate goal.

I seem to remember Livingston, I think saying "Why should 20k men earn £50k, when 50k men can earn £20k?".

Streamline the Carriage Office my arse!

We all knew it was a con to finance the minicab licensing and now we know why, note I haven't reckoned up the PH outlay because if I did the above figure would treble at least. The number of PH in London has always been greater than Hackney Carriage and obviously more profitable for the authorities, even more so now Uber have arrived. Now consider the profits nationally and it's no wonder licensing authorities throughout the country are welcoming Uber and shitting on the existing trades.

£407,350,000.per year and that's London alone!!

How the hell are we supposed to earn a living when we're up against that type of smash and grab? 

And it's government backed!!

It all becomes crystal clear as to why we've been subject to such lies, deceit and bullshit over the years. It explains why when an "Uber partner" drives down a flight of stairs because he's brainless, he's described on Sky as a confused driver instead of a dangerous liability that should never be allowed behind the wheel again. But Sky's owned by Rupert Murdoch who's a huge investor in Uber. 

But how deep does this conspiracy go?

It seems everyone involved in our trade is sitting pretty except us, we're the only ones struggling when everyone else is having it off nicely. Now compare us with the bus companies, they've lost somewhere in the region of £93m in revenue due to congestion. TFL do a deal with COL and close off Bank to all traffic except for buses to try and encourage more use. What do they do for our suffering revenue?

Sweet FA!!

Why help buses? 

Because buses are part of TFLs business and Daniels and Co. are directors of the bus company, remember Transport Trading LTD

We need to wake up and stand up for ourselves before it's too late. We can't wait for the orgs, they're taking too much time that we haven't got but to be honest I've lost interest. They're doing there own legal thing and that's lovely but that's bread and butter for the rats we're fighting, rest assured that'll take years going backwards and forwards to court in my opinion. 

What we've allowed here is nothing short of pure corporate greed. Whether we like it or not we're responsible for the state we're in today, letting corporate, blood sucking leeches latch themselves on to us through laws designed for guaranteed success, empowered with government approval. Political heavyweights spring in to action swearing allegiance to us only to be bought off or warned off then disappear under the nearest stone, hiding. The media's obviously warned off and at the same time think tanks emerge from the shadows screaming deregulation under the guise of launching our "antiquated" cab trade into the 21st century, extolling the virtues of the gig economy.

And we've stood for it.

While all this is going on underprivileged kids still benefit from our kindness and good character, along with the war disabled, the Albany charity, the British Legion and so on, but none of that ever gets mentioned by anyone. 

I was told recently the only way to effect change is with political will and I think he's right. We're in this state due to a much higher authority than TFL, Daniels and Co. are merely the architects who drew up the plan with obvious personal financial fringe benefits. Seeing as diplomacy hasn't worked and never will, our only course of action and chance of effective change is a complete and total shutdown of London. 

It's either that or all the orgs join forces and sue TFL for loss of earnings and damages, I'd say finding out the Queen's lesbian will happen sooner.

This treatment and rape of our livelihood cant be tolerated any longer. Good people in this trade are uncovering stuff like this all the time that should be firing us all up, determined to fight back, fight for our futures but the apathy and acceptance of a dreadful status quo is truly shocking.

We are sleep walking into oblivion. Principles, pride and integrity seem to have been forgotten by the majority but I'd be only too pleased to help them find it starting March 1st.

If Uber lose their appeal the games changes and we must take the fight to TFL!

Is up to us, the drivers, the London Cab Trade to burn off those leeches and restore our financial good health asap. With that will come well being but most of all pride.

I apologise for the lengthy post today but I'm just lost as to what else we can lose, they've took most of it.

For God's sake show some fight.

Be very lucky.

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National Campaign Save Taxis & Private Hire from unregulated Uber with TFL Public Inquiry...Dave Davis