Unifor calls on airport authority, dispatcher to address Uber
An ongoing dispute involving taxi drivers serving passengers at the Ottawa International Airport has drawn attention to issues within the industry.
The drivers — members of Unifor Local 1688 — were locked out on Aug. 11 after they stopped paying dispatch fees in protest of a deal between the taxi service broker Coventry Connections and the Ottawa International Airport Authority that would see the drivers’ dispatch fees change from a monthly rate to a per-fare rate.
Drivers pay a dispatch fee for the exclusive right to pick up fares on the airport’s arrivals platform. The fee is determined by the airport authority and taxi service broker.
Under the old deal, drivers paid a flat rate of $345 per month. Under the new deal, drivers would be charged $4.50 per fare. According to Unifor, this change will cost drivers as much as $1,035 per month more than the monthly rate.
"What it’s doing is putting low-wage workers into an even more difficult situation," said Unifor national president Jerry Dias. "It’s completely ridiculous that they would try to make out like bandits off the backs of the people who provide such an essential service. It’s outrageous."
Following the decision to change the dispatch fee, Unifor members continued to serve the airport but stopped paying their fees on Aug. 1.
According to Dias, dispatch fees are generally increased or restructured when additional income is required to reinvest in the airport. However, the most recent renovations at the Ottawa International Airport are complete and paid for, he said.
"There is absolutely no reason in the world for them to do this," said Dias. "This is just straight greed."
When the fees became overdue on Aug. 11, Coventry disabled the transponders the drivers use to open gates to the airport, effectively locking out the employees.
Coventry argued the model for dispatch fees needed to be updated in order to reflect the current climate.
"Airport trips have increased over the years," said Coventry’s vice-president and COO Marc Andre Way. "The previous charge model required a fixed monthly fee paid per cab. This model of having a fee per trip is more equitable. If one driver does many pickups and another does very few, the amount paid by each driver is in accordance with the trips picked up."
The airport authority also argued the new dispatch fee model was more equitable than the previous monthly flat rate.
In a press release, the airport authority said the contract was negotiated in good faith and called the agreement a solution for long-term stability for both customers and drivers.
"We are confident that Coventry can fulfill the terms of the contract, however, the model that they use to calculate and collect fees is their business," said Mark Laroche, president and CEO of the Ottawa International Airport Authority.
"We cannot negotiate with drivers as they are not airport authority employees. We respect their right to protest."
Drivers did protest the lockout, setting up a picket line on the public arrivals curb in front of the terminal. The dispute escalated as drivers took to the streets and slowed incoming and outgoing traffic around the airport to a crawl.
Service to passengers was largely unaffected, however, as taxi drivers with Blue Line reached an agreement with Coventry Connections on Aug. 14. Coventry owns a number of taxi lines in Ottawa, including the Blue Line and Airport Taxi-branded cabs. Additionally, Coventry has allowed other drivers to pick up airport fares so long as the drivers pay the newly negotiated per-fare rate dispatch fee.
Many drivers continued to protest the change in dispatch fees, however, with Unifor arguing the increase is irresponsible in a climate where drivers are currently losing income to Uber, the online ride-share app.
"The elephant in the room of all this is you’ve got Uber," Dias said.
"So here we have the taxi companies, which should be joining with us in fighting against Uber, but instead we have the airport authority and the taxi company picking on the people that are playing it straight."
Dias argued Uber is detrimental to the airport authority and taxi service broker as much as it is to drivers, since Uber does not pay dispatch or airport fees.
"Instead of us working together to really deal with the elephant in the room, they decide to try to take more out of the pockets of those that are playing by the rules," Dias said. "It’s just completely ridiculous and irresponsible."
A local auditor is conducting a review of taxi and limousine bylaws in Ottawa, which could affect the way the parties address Uber.
KPMG will lead the review, accompanied by public policy think-tank the Mowat Centre and economic adviser Hara Associates. The review will include a consultation with stakeholders and the public and will end mid-November.
While the review may change the way Unifor addresses Uber in the future, the union will have to find its own solution to address the dispatch fee negotiated by Coventry and the airport authority.
"Clearly, the airport authority is going to have to play a role in the solution or the airport authority, clearly, is going to have to justify to the flying public why they did this," Dias said.
The union offered to double the flat monthly fee to $690, but said Coventry rejected the offer.
Dias said the parties need to come together to create a solution and move on to address other issues plaguing the industry, including Uber.
"Ultimately, as a labour organization, we’re not going to play solitaire. You can’t bargain with yourself," he said.
