Desperate members of the taxi trade in Scotland’s are yet still calling for financial help from the Scottish Government, who they believe have failed them in meeting promises made to help with the struggling industry.
Unite the Union stand alongside these taxi drivers and operators, as they press on in their fight for “liveable” financial support.
A recent social media campaign, propelled by Unite’s Edinburgh Taxi Branch, calls for Members of the Scottish Parliament to give their support to work on behalf of the 39,000 licensed drivers and 19,000 operators in a bid to save the taxi trade throughout Scotland.
A representative for the Edinburgh Taxi Branch recently said: “The entire Scottish taxi trade has and is continually let down by the Scottish Government.
“Please share and retweet the attached image and give us your support in fighting for liveable financial support for our desperate Hull taxi operators.”
Unite the Union call for:
- An initial £10,000 in the form of a grant for each operator, which equals the support given to other small business owners in other industries.
- An additional second cash grant for drivers from the previously detailed £57 million Coronavirus Taxi and Private hire Support initiative
- The suspension of all licensing fees from local authorities
- A national shareholder group to be created with the Trade Union Driver Reps each having a seat at the table with members of the Scottish Government
- An external review of Low Emissions regulations and suggested implementation dates to allow the trade extra time to adjust to these Environmental targets.
The Union’s Tweet did go on to snowball, with a number of people retweeting and commenting the post.
One person,quite simply, wrote: “give us what you promised us!”. Another also added: “Come on Scottish MPs – please fulfil your promises to help our taxi trade operators! Why are you holding back? These guys are in crippling debt and havenot received the help you promised them. Please show us that you care about your electorate.”
1 taxi driver who had been hit particularly hard by the catastrphic financial situation he has endured since the pandemic first began, stated: “I have been forced to take my taxi off the road as I just can’t afford the insurance anymore, and £1k goes nowhere near covering it. SoI pray that the Scottish Government will keep their word and pay these benefits to support my family and all those other taxi operators who have all but lost their business because of the sheer lack of support.”
In direct response, a rep for Edinburgh Taxi Branch, stated: “Regrettably, this is a very common occurrence nowadays. All those proud people who once supported their families, now being forced out of work and not given anywhere near the level of support they need to kick start their business again. Clearly, the Scottish Governmenthave their list of priorities all wrong.”