London Cabdrivers and the Petrol Question.
Page 11
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Big Meetings of the Men. A Strike forecasted in 1913.
It appears that, up to the present the London Motor . Proprietors Association has not been able to come to ,,o,% definite arrangement with its drivers' union as to the p; payable for petrol in 1913. It is officially stated that the majorityof the petrol celltracts expire at the end of the present year, and that the price which will be charged by the petrol comome will1,e is. id. per gallon fur large quanfities.
In addition to this the duty per gallon is payable, and there is also to be added the cost of handling and the loss by evaporation.
The proprietors ask that the drivers shall pay this is. id., and the Union has considered that it would he aevisahle to prepare its members for the inevitable. (This price will have to be paid unless the petrol companies alter their plans.) Two mass meetings of the men were called last week to consider the question.
The first meeting was held at Hammersmith, and was attended by the drivers of the W. & G. ('o., the National Motor Cab Co., Farm Lane and Chiswick Garage drivers of the General Motor Cab Co., and other West London firms. The drivers of all these companies were requested to take their cabs home at 6 p.m., and this was done with but few exceptions.
On the Friday night a similar meeting was held at the Lambeth Baths, and was attended by the drivers of the General (Brixton), Waterloo, British, F.I.A.T.. St. Pancras, and Gamage-Bell Cab Cos., which belong, according to the l'fnioe's handbill, to the " Southern Div. of London. '
At both these meetings the usual method of procedure was followed. Votes of confidence in the executive were passed, and it was decided that endeavours were to be made to settle the matter before the end of the year. Failing Any satisiace -tory settlement a general strike is to be called so soon as the price be increased.
The general feeling among the drivers is, we miderstand„ that each side shall bear half the inerease, i.e., if the price be id., the driver should pay 100. In our opinion the drivers would agree to this, and we are informed that this course will be suggested by the Union's representatives at the next meeting with the masters. The extremists among the men, however, are openly asserting that, should the strike take place, the point at issue will be the supply of petrol RI,nothing by the proprietors.
The cab industry has now reached a business level ; that is to say, that, without excessive overhead charges and with economical handling, it can be made a 5 per cent. investment. The driver in these days must work six days a week ; if he cannot obtain the average earnings at one period of the day he will find it at another.
For this reason the absence of half the motoreahs on Thursday and Friday evenings made no appreciable difference to the proprietors or the drivers. The congestion at night when the cabs returned was, we hear, ably dealt with by the companies' a .affe„ and the public vs-as net in any way inconvenienced. .
Shetild the Atrike take place in 1913, the companies will have an opportunity of preparing for next season. The traffic faeilities of London are now so excellently safeguarded that the cab-riding public will he content to use the motorbus and the tubes for the time being, and this will have no prejudicial effect on the motorcab industry.
Also the owner-driver will reap the same harvest as in November, 1911, when the strike occurred about "extras."
The owner-drivers have, it is stated, agreed to support the strike by contributing to the funds. It is to their interest to prolong it, but the point at issue in no way affects them, as they will have to pay the current market price in any event, as they are doing at the present time.
The " extras" question would have necessitated new legislation, and the decision was given in favour of the men, owing to the absolute impossibility of controlling the payment of
" extras." But in this instance there is a perfectly clear issue. The proprietors may be able to afford to wait until a cheaper fuel is found or until the petrol companies reduce the prices, but the drivers, unless the matter is settled by compulsory arbitration, will fight a losing battle, and their Union has no large funds to help to prolong it.
The patience of all directors of London taxicab companies will be exhausted, if the meu are persuaded to apply for free. petrol. The drivers have, fur some months, been allowed to keep all the " extras," and it is undeniable that no margin exists out of which the owners can meet any part of the rise in petrol.
There appear to be tendencies on the part of some of the men to renew the statements about poor earnings and diminishing gratuities, but the fact remains that some 600 owner ' drivers are doing very well, and are, in numerous cases, well able to hear a charge of is. 4d. a gallon for their petrol. The ordinary driver has the same chances of making money as then which are enjoyed by the owner-driver, and much less responsibility ; he will get scant sympathy from the public if he does not drop this strike talk promptly.
As we wrote a week ago, the proper remedy is to put up the initial fare, either to 10d. or is. The higher charge would suit the owners, but it would not suit the drivers, as the Is. which is now paid for practically any short-distance hiring !ender a mile) would then be entirely registered upon the taximeter, instead of the driver's taking 6d. of it—less, say, id., to cover the cost of the petrol consumed. The owners can do nothing more than they have already been forced to do under arbitration. If the men want more out of the owners, the owners must be allowed to get more out of the The ordinary driver, who is on the books of any of the owning companies, can as well afford to pay the proposed new price of is. 1d. a gallon for his petrol as the existing ownerdriver can pay that price, or a higher one. Any proposed new charge to the men for petrol is in no sense profit for the pri■pricters.