The Trade Union Congress (TUC) voiced its support for the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union at a meeting held at the BCPOU Hall on Monday night.
TUC President, Obie Ferguson vowed to fight along with taxi drivers until their grievances are addressed. He said, “we will fight. We will do whatever we have to do to make sure taxi drivers are respected, they are treated as partners. The Road Traffic Act is designed to deal with taxi drivers, not to take away, not to deny them.”
Taxi Drivers are complaining about the amount of new drivers on the road which is affecting revenue as well as livery drivers operating illegally. Bahamas Taxi Cab Union President, Tyrone Butler said, “we’ve grappled with this for the past maybe twenty years I would say or more and any number or ministers in the past, different administrations, this was brought to their attention and seemingly nobody wants to address it.”
The drivers also voiced concerns about potential issues that will arise when Royal Caribbean’s Paradise Island Beach Club opens. One attendee said, “that is going to disenfranchise all of West Bay Street where locals would have made some kind of revenue from the people that come off that ship and patronize the beaches and fish fry and all that sort of stuff. When that place, in the back there opens, we will be almost doomed.”
The union members are threatening action if their concerns are not addressed.
