The cross-border taxi trade sees cabs from towns across south Wales coming to Cardiff to make more money.
The Trade Union movement is united in its opposition to the trade, which they say depresses wages and increases the workload of drivers.
Shavanah Taj, head of the Trades Union Congress Wales says “Cross border poaching is massively problematic. It means drivers are now earning well below the minimum wage, yet we live in the Welsh capital which proclaims to be a “Living Wage” city, or at least is trying to be.
“We’ve sought advice from leading QCs, and they say cross-border is illegal. Many drivers say Cardiff Council’s advice is the opposite, so there’s two different viewpoints. I suggest that we sit down and try to find a reasonable way of going forward.”
Ms Taj says drivers in Cardiff agree with her view, but that isn’t the case from further afield. Craig Scanlon is a taxi driver from Pontypridd, and he comes into Cardiff everyday because of the financial benefits. “One day last week I started at ten and ended at five – I made £115. It would take me two days in Pontypridd to do that. It’s a no brainer.
“I understand why Cardiff cabbies don’t like it. It’s fair enough, and I’ve heard that taxi companies here have lost drivers because of the competition.”
The Trade Union Congress and the Hackney Carriage Alliance are organising a series of meetings to put pressure on Government to legislate and ban cross-border taxis.
