Sixth Former Political Students From Harrow: Sadiq Should Stand Down

ITN reporter that @SadiqKhan was accused of repeatedly failing to answer an important stop-and-search question: Can the mayor guarantee young, black men in London will not be targeted? 

https://t.co/S4ty7PDU7w

BBC London News Reported:

Mayor's Question Time at City Hall descends into farce as hugely important subject of knife crime discussed. 

https://mobile.twitter.com/Beaking_News/status/953956102693183489/video/1

Here is what the invited sixth form politic students thought of the Mayors debacle:

  

   

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Judge paves way for taxi lawsuit Plate owners get green light to proceed with $215M class action over city's decision to allow Uber

judge has given Ottawa taxi plate owners the go-ahead to proceed with a lawsuit claiming the city's decision to allow Uber and similar companies to operate legally is discriminatory. 

Justice Robert Smith's decision, handed down Tuesday, acknowledges taxi drivers share the same concerns over the city's new rules. The ruling will allow members of the taxi industry to go ahead with a class action instead of pursuing the matter in court individually.

Uber began operating in Ottawa in 2014. In September 2016, the city amended its taxi bylaw by creating a new category of licence that legalized Uber's business model. 

Around this same time the taxi industry filed an uncertified class action against the City of Ottawa claiming $215 million in damages.

Claims of discrimination

The suit was filed by the parent company of Capital Taxi and Marc Andre Way, whose family is the single-largest owner of taxi plates in the city. It was the largest lawsuit ever filed against the city.

Taxi drivers claim the city is responsible for losses they suffered after Uber was legalized in Ottawa, according to an overview of the case. 

The plaintiffs allege that by welcoming Uber the city has discriminated against taxi drivers, many of whom are "members of minority groups." The plaintiffs also claim fees charged to them under the amended bylaw amount to illegal taxes. 

The city disagrees with the taxi industry's claims, but agreed with the court that a class action is the best way to proceed.

In its response to the lawsuit in 2016, the city said it has no obligation to protect the taxi industry from financial losses, and argued the claim of $215 million in damages is grossly exaggerated.

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GMB victory over Amazon sees its delivery drivers paid £20,000 inbackpay

AMAZON delivery drivers have won up to £20,000 each in back pay after their union challenged the online retailer’s use of bogus self-employment to deny them rights at work.

General union GMB represents many drivers employed by delivery firm UK Express, which delivers goods for Amazon.

UK Express used bogus self-employment to deny its employees their rights such as the minimum wage, holiday pay, sick pay, paid rest breaks and employment rights such as protection from unfair dismissal.

GMB challenged UK Express and the company backed down before the cases reached an employment tribunal.

The union said the victory meant some drivers would receive up to £20,000 in back pay.

Similar victories have been won against minicab transnational Uber and delivery firm DX, which used bogus self-employment to deny workers their rights.

GMB legal director Maria Ludkin said: “This is yet another brick in the road in GMB’s battle against bogus self-employment.

“Some employers seem to think they can avoid paying the minimum wage or giving their workers the protection to which they are entitled.

“However, as Amazon and UK Express have now realised, this is not optional — it’s the law.

“The drivers delivering for Amazon, like Uber drivers and delivery drivers for DX, are clearly employees and it is gratifying that the company are shelling out 100 per cent of the amounts claimed.

“GMB will continue to fight bogus self-employment wherever it appears.”

Source Morning Star.

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Day 4 : ITA Press Release On Yesterday's Mobile Protests.

THE AUTHORITIES WANTED TO DISRESPECT AND DISRUPT OUR RIGHT TO PROTEST IN ONE PLACE?

SO WE JUST MOVE IT TO ANOTHER VENUE.

WE CAN KEEP THIS UP ALL DAY, IF THATS WHAT THEY WANT.

Allow me to reiterate, the police (on the ground) were a credit to their uniform. 

The authorites who tried playing us at our own game today, were out of order. We will use our acumen to adapt and overcome any and all scenarios.

It appeared the police really didn’t have a clue once we moved on to Hyde Park Corner and then when the least expected it, we doubled back to Parliament Square.

It was so nice to see so many Taxi drivers full of the Dunkirk spirit.

Never, never, never surrender !

See you all tomorrow. 

London Bridge 3:30 pm

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BITS: 

Letter to the editor from David in Goa.

Im following the demo on Twitter from Goa. Fantastic stuff. 

But one tweet I noticed a short time ago ‘Feeder out to Newall Road’. 

They would rather sit in the Feeder for 6 hours than fight for their jobs. That is why I have no sympathy for the Heathrow drivers!

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Day 3 : ITA Protesting Against A Licensing Authority Refusing To Protect The Public

Yesterday's protest at Marble Arch was an overwhelming success. A big thank you to all the drivers who put themselves out to support their colleagues. The police used disruptive tactics by stoping protestors driving around Marble Arch and diverted Cabs southbound onto Park Lane.

At one point police stopped traffic entering Park Lane northbound but this soon backfired as traffic in SW1 came to a standstill.

Grosvenor Gate was closed by police out riders, but Curzon Gate remained accessible through most of he afternoon. The protest built up steadily with cabs arriving from all direction and soon traffic came to a standstill with surrounding areas gridlocked. 

TfL stopped the buses running, and for over two hours none were seen in Park Lane, Bayswater or Edgware Road. 

After the demo, the Met a Police issue threats to future protestors saying that any driver seen deliberately driving slow, stopping for no reason or wilfully obstructing others risk prosecution. They also warned that they have body worn cameras which would be used to gather evidence against us. 

           

 

Funny, no such warnings were issued to a banned terrorist group who were allowed to march across London and converge on Whitehall. It seems terrorists have more rights under European Human Rights laws than Cab drivers. 

But overall the support officers policing the protest were in good spirit. Their job is to do their best for both protesters and the public caught up in the insuring chaos. The organisers felt a good balance was achieved, in spite of the disruptive measures which actually backfired and helped spread out the protest. 

Day Three:

Today's legitimate protest location is Parliament Square at the earlier time of 12 o/c midday for Prime Minister's Question Time. 

We can expect the police to try to disrupt with diversions again, so please turn in to social media and WhatsApp groups for information. 

The fight goes on....

Long Live The Taxi Trade 

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Day Two Of The Driver Led Proactive ITA Series Of Protests.

Militant drivers will be holding a mass ply for hire this afternoon at Marble Arch, 3:30 pm. 

It is hoped that we will achieve the same turnout this afternoon as yesterday. 

The protest will have the same list of grievances as Mondays protest, but with the added bonus....a forewarning to Westminster Council, TfL and Sadiq Khan, of the utter chaos that will ensue following the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street.

Unless affirmative action is taken by TfL to address the issue forthwith, the protests will continue til Friday 19th January, and intermittently thereafter.

Policing was light to begin with on day one at the Elephant, but as the week goes on, it's expected there may be a more heavy handed approach. So let's not give them any reason to pull us.

 

  • Lights on....mass ply for hire

  • Lights off, seat-belts should be worn 

  • Try not to touch your phones while driving

We've been informed that TfL are asking protesting drivers to reconsider their actions, but truth is, they have offered nothing to reconsider about.

Sect. 26 (2) of the PHV ACT 1998, gives TfL the right to immediately revoke Uber's operating licence. 

The licensed taxi trade, via The ITA, call for the immediate, and unconditional revocation of Uber’s licence.

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PRESS RELEASE FROM THE ITA LEGITIMATE PROTEST: LICENSED TAXI DRIVERS AGAINST TfL

The week commencing 15th January the licensed taxi trade will stage a series of peaceful protests against Transport for London (TFL). The protest is due to TfL’s passivity in dealing with illegal activity and the disregard they have for the safety of the travelling public. 

Unless affirmative action is taken by TfL to address the issue forthwith, the protests will continue til Friday 19th January, and intermittently thereafter.

TfL has published a 21-page letter stating that it found the company’s central computer accepted a booking only after a driver had done so. 

The process fundamentally changes the way a Private Hire Driver can be accessed, stating, “the point is determinative and that Uber’s current operating model is accordingly unlawful”.

The ITA – an umbrella pressure group made up of 5000+ individual black cabs drivers who have been effected directly by the illegal activity- firmly believe the judgement should be overturned and proceedings brought against senior Uber managers for perjury.

Even though Uber is deemed ‘Not Fit and Proper’ to operate in the Capital they continue to do so pending an appeal. As far as we’re concerned, nothing has changed except Uber can now operate and is exempt from paying the Operator Licence fee.

This is inaction by TfL is unacceptable. No other company would be granted diplomatic immunity in the same way as Uber has. Playing lip-service does nothing to address the illegality of their operation or ensure public safety. A strong message needs to be sent by TfL so other companies who might consider entering the market need to abide by the prevailing legislation. 

Evidently, not doing so has grave consequences.

http://ift.tt/2mGOtrp driver-who-stabbed-wife-to-death-convicted-of-murder- a3395481.html

http://ift.tt/2r5udVm driver-killed-children-perfect-dad.html

http://ift.tt/2mI9stW rape-drunken-women-pick-up-bar-jahir-hussain-east-london- jailed-12-years-convicted-taxi-a7837686.html

http://ift.tt/2r9834r palace-attack-latest-updates-uber-driver-sword-police- officers-mall-court-chowdhury-a7959256.html

           

Further allegations involve Uber not reporting to the authorities a series of sex attacks by its drivers where at least one case resulted in the attacker striking again. In the year to February 2017, Scotland Yard recorded 48 alleged sexual assaults by Uber drivers, most of which were reported by passengers. Others allegations were made through Transport for London (TfL), the capital's regulator.

Why did TfL not follow these allegations up sooner? Why did they wait until a senior Met Police Office expressed his concern? Failure to report public order cases meant it was too late to prosecute by the time word reached police. 

Surely, to not follow up these allegations, or trusting a corporation -whose T&C state that they are not responsible for the behaviour of the driver- to do what is ‘fit and proper’ is abdicating their regulatory duties to maintain standard based practices.

ITA insist on questions being answered regarding the initial licensing of Uber. Jo Bertram (previous Vice President for the UK & Nordics), is quoted at the time of saying, “Uber passed TfL’s most stringent and comprehensive audit of a Private Hire Operator to date passing with flying colours. We cannot however, find any documentation of this in-depth audit or who conducted it?

Further concerns are that TfL allowed Uber to conduct medical examinations of new drivers over the internet, and fast track criminal checks on its own drivers, a process that was supposed to be carried out independently. Meanwhile, due to the vast number of PH licenses having to be processed

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) were struggling to renew taxi driver licenses on time. Sometimes seeing delays of up to 4 months

http://ift.tt/2mGQwvK reveals-dodgy-gps-getting-cash-to-help-minicab-and-uber- drivers-fake-medical-test-over-fitness-to-drive/

http://ift.tt/2ra9Ztu drivers-apply-new-criminal-record-checks.html

Although the emphasis focuses on TfL’s relationship with Uber, the consequences of that relationship have been severely shouldered by the taxi trade for nearly six years, much of which has gone unreported by the mainstream press.

Therefore, under Sect. 26 (2) of the PHV ACT, the licensed taxi trade, via The ITA, call for the immediate, and unconditional revocation of Uber’s licence.

ITA Liaison Correspondent

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