coffindodger

A group of taxi drivers has filed a complaint against a transport company for making them work long hours and for docking their salaries and commission to pay for the cost of their visas, labour cards, medical test among others.

The taxi drivers told Gulf News their company, Metro Taxi LLC, had set their salaries at Dh300 as stipulated in their labour contracts. The amount includes all allowances.

"We are paid by commission and we have to make between Dh1,200 and Dh7,500 otherwise we will be fined Dh200," a taxi driver said.

The drivers said they are forced to work 12 hours a day without days off.

Drivers can earn a maximum of Dh4,200 but most of which they pay back to the company to cover certain expenses.


http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/em...tions-1.577576

Hello.Kitty

"Murraih Omar Ebrahim, general manager of Metro Taxi and Galadari driving school "

well, that explains a lot...

I saw an article about this dated 2005 only a few weeks ago which was shocking - the chaps getting deductions for accidents, maintenance, fines, etc... as well as having to pay 260AED per day (I think it was) to hire the cars from a company.

Nice attitude to have, though: "They work 12 hours, seven days a week because we consider them partners and not employees," he [Ebrahim] said"... I don't know of any partners in any company that is forced to work those hours without getting paid properly!

co durham boy

Just another form of the free market exploitation of human beings,if that was an olympic sport the U.A.E would be constant gold medal winners.

A disgusting way to treat people who are trying to scratch a living out here.
The reality is that things like this don't shock me anymore, iv'e become immune to it all and thats what saddens me.

Hello.Kitty

the thing is, you can't even express your disgust and boycott that particular taxi firm, cos you know damned well that the only people it'll hurt and the poor sods behind the wheel.

Jeeper

That and you just hear so much of these sort of stories that you just turn a blind eye for the sake of your sanity.
If you got wound up by every bad thing that happen here you'd go nuts.

coffindodger

Yes very much so, its so sad but true, i do feel sorry for these poor folk i really do.

Roadking

So do I................... but why is it you can never find a taxi when you need one?

Boomhauer

Well said.

Hello.Kitty

come and live in my building - I can't even cross the road without a taxi beeping and/or drawing to halt right in front of me!