About 600 Sharjah taxi drivers resign

About 2,000 taxi drivers went on strike on Wednesday crowding the Ministry of Labour offices and paralysing local transport protesting delays in processing their resignation papers. 

At least 600 drivers reportedly resigned on Wednesday amid claims wages were withheld. About 400 taxis were returned to Advantage Taxis and 200 at Citi Taxi, with all the drivers saying they had resigned, reported 'The National'.

They are protesting against a Sharjah Transport Corporation (STC) rule that requires them to pay 0.52 fils in petrol costs for every kilometre travelled.

A spokesman for Citi Taxi said the ministry had summoned all taxi managers to find ways of solving the crisis.

Meanwhile, in a written response, STC said the working terms of all drivers and their franchised companies were determined by the UAE labour code.

Ministry authorities advised the drivers on its doorstep to return the taxis to their companies if they planned to resign. “Only 20 drivers would be allowed to enter the Ministry of Labour to hand in their resignations at a time,” a ministry official told the crwod.

Later, police started dispersing them with a warning they would be issue fines for those who remained in the ministry’s car park.

A ministry spokesman said the fuel surcharge was universal to all taxi companies in the emirates, and that drivers in Sharjah were taking their protest too far.

While most drivers at the protest were there voluntarily, some said their colleagues were forcing them to join the strike.

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