Airport cab drivers protest collusion
Airport cab drivers protest collusion
TANGERANG (JP): Hundreds of taxi drivers licensed to operate
out of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport protested about the
operation of unofficial taxies at the airport and the corrupt
security officials who assist them yesterday.
The drivers, who came from various taxi companies, parked
their cabs in the terminal one and two parking lot.
The protest, which began at 10 a.m., did not have a severe
impact on traffic because of the limited number of passengers
arriving at the airport at that time.
A driver from Gading taxi, who asked for anonymity, said the
number of unofficial taxies operating out of the airport had
jumped to about 450, causing a sharp decrease in income for
licensed taxi drivers.
"The unofficial taxies have been operating here for quite a
long time. They fearlessly take passengers who are supposed to be
ours," he said.
The drivers lost patience and decided to stage a protest to
demand that steps to sanction the unlicensed taxies be taken.
The unofficial taxis are poaching work from licensed cabs to
an extent that many drivers who would formerly make two or three
trips from Jakarta to the airport every day now only make a
single journey.
"It's very hard on us because taxi rental payments remain at
Rp 80,000 a day," he said.
He explained that the number of official airport taxis had
dropped from 1,000 to 300.
The drivers also complained about unofficial drivers who
operate taxis without airport stickers but are allowed to pick up
fares because they pay a small fee to the duty security officers.
"Some 'naughty' unlicensed drivers pick up passengers and
quietly slip a backhander to the security officer on duty," a
President taxi driver said, adding that this method was much
cheaper than purchasing an airport taxi sticker.
The drivers also complained about the high cost of
identification cards that must be worn at the airport, he said.
He said they had to pay Rp 20,000 for an ID card officially
priced at Rp 7,500.
Suryono, head of security at state-owned airport management
company Perum Angkasa Pura II, which manages Soekarno-Hatta
airport, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
"Suryono is out in the field," a member of staff at the
airport said.
Separately, more than 4,000 of the 12,000 strong PT Gajah
Tunggal workforce went on strike yesterday demanding that the
tire manufacturing company gradually increase their salaries.
The workers said the company had postponed salary increases
planned for this month because of the economic crisis.
They said the company had first agreed to raise their salaries
last October and then again in June, but only the first increase
had taken place.
Head of Tangerang office of the Ministry of Manpower Apon
Suryana and local councillor Gusti Rustam were jeered by the
workers when they arrived at the company's factory to mediate in
the dispute. (41/jun)