Kochi: Mobile app-based taxi operator Uber has finally agreed to attend the resolution meet called by the Regional Joint Labour Commissioner on March 9 as the online taxi drivers union on Sunday said they are temporarily withdrawing from the strike.
The Uber management had initially refused to hold talks with the Online Taxi Drivers Union over the wages dispute citing that the drivers were not employees but functioning merely on commission basis.
“The management agreed to send representatives to attend the meet scheduled on Wednesday. We’re hopeful of both the parties arriving at a common stance,” said P. J. Joy, Ernakulam Regional Joint Labour Commissioner.
The other taxi aggregator Ola had sent its representatives to attend the earlier meeting he called and reached a consensus with the drivers on the wage structure.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Online Taxi Drivers Union decided not to continue with their ‘Uber Boycott’ strike as of now. Though an executive meet held in the morning wanted to continue the strike, the decision was reverted after a caution from the Labour commissioner. The members were boycotting the ‘Uber’ since last Friday by going offiline.
“We’ll wait till the talks are held. However, the union which has over 2,000 members will indulge in strike again if the company refuses to budge from their anti-employee stance. “We’re boycotting only Uber as the management failed to address the issue,” said Adv T. R. S. Kumar, president, Kerala Online Taxi Drivers Union.
