Kochi: Online taxi aggregator Uber kept away a meeting called by the Ernakulam regional joint labour commissioner (RJLC) on Saturday to settle the dispute over wages with its contract drivers on strike. RJLC P. J. Joy has now asked the taxi-hailing app company officials to attend another meet next week or to face strict action if boycotted.
“The company officials refuse to hold any talks with the drivers holding that they are not their employees as they work on commission basis,” Mr Joy said.
“It’s a tough legal question. However, I’ve got a complaint from the drivers and had called another round of talks.”
Other online cab service companies like Ola had sent their representatives and reached a consensus on the wage structure. “We’re boycotting only Uber as its management failed to address the issue. They had initially agreed to hold talks on the terms and agreements,” Kerala Online Taxi Drivers Union president P.R.S. Kumar said.
Meanwhile, the labour commissioner asked the union to withdraw its three-day ‘Uber boycott’ strike that entered the second day on Saturday. “We’re convening an executive committee meet at 9 am on Sunday at Sikshak Sadan to discuss it. However, we should get an assurance from the Uber management,” Mr Kumar said.
