Frustrated taxi drivers in Toronto entered their fourth day of hunger strike on Friday, in protest over Uber’s continued operation and lax insurance requirements. A small group of taxi drivers have been camped in front of City Hall since Tuesday.
One hunger striker, Behrouz Kamseh, who has been driving cabs for 28 years as an independent owner-operator, said the plan is to stay outside City Hall, and on hunger strike until Uber is prevented from operating, or forced to meet the same requirements for licensing and insurance that taxis do.
Toronto Taxi Alliance on Friday called for all members of Toronto’s taxi industry to join the strikers for a peaceful protest at Nathan Phillips Square in order to impress upon Mayor Tory, City Councillors and others that Uber is an illegal company being allowed to operate in Toronto.
“Please park your car and join them to help deliver the message to Toronto’s government: UberX is illegal, unregulated and uninsured. Please show your support for their courageous actions,” said Sam Moini, spokesman for the Toronto Taxi Alliance.
On Thursday, Ontario MPP Tim Hudak – former boss for the Conservatives at Queen’s Park –called upon the finance minister to help facilitate the development of ridesharing insurance, which put the Toronto taxi driver association’s nose even further out of joint.
Moini had already hit out at Uber earlier in the week over unfair regulation over snow tires. From December 1 to March 15, licensed taxis in Toronto are required by City by-law to have snow tires on their cabs. But the requirement for snow tires applies only to licensed taxis. “Unregulated operators like UberX are not subject to this requirement,” Moini said.
