[Onthebarricades] Small business protests, Aug-Dec 2008
global resistance roundup
onthebarricades at lists.resist.ca
Thu Sep 10 20:45:04 PDT 2009
December
* INDIA: Tamil Nadu - fuel price protest
* CHINA, Dongguan: Factory suppliers protest, seek state help
* INDIA - KOREA: Protests as Indian farmers jailed
* GREECE: Fisherfolk occupy Piraeus port
* PAKISTAN: Fisherfolk seek statewide movement
* CANADA: Lobster fisherfolk on strike
* MALAYSIA: Fisherfolk stage diesel protest
* SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Town taxi drivers in protest, clashes; 2 killed
* INDIA: Bus trip cancelled following clash; auto unions warn of ban protest
* AUSTRALIA: Taxi drivers warn of blockade, stage protests over safety
screens
* FIJI: Carriers protest deregistration
* INDIA: Karnataka - taxi protest
* US: Albany - small business protest over concession to big company
* INDIA: Hotel owners protest luxury tax
* INDIA: Toddy workers march
November
* FRANCE: Winegrowers protest tasting ban
* BAHRAIN: Fisherfolk protest fee
* INDIA: Tamil Nadu - protest marks Fisheries Day
* INDIA: Tamil Nadu - taxi strike
* INDIA: Tamil Nadu - market change protest
* PAKISTAN: Small traders protest electricity crisis
* INDIA: Karnataka - traders protest road widening
* US: Glenville - car dealers protest doublecross
* INDIA: Karnataka - textile exporters demand support
* AUSTRALIA: Sydney hit by fuel price protest
* BULGARIA: Auto industry prepares for protests
* INDIA: Chennai - trucker protest hits gas supply
* PHILIPPINES: Protests lead to oil price rollback; auto caravan to "Big
3" offices
* INDIA: Kerala - taxi protest
* NEW ZEALAND: Painters in hotel protest
* AUSTRALIA: Lawyers protest legal aid crisis
October
* INDIA: Orissa - sweetmeat traders protest
* INDIA: Mumbai - drivers strike to keep old cars
* PHILIPPINES: Taxi drivers protest fare cut
* INDIA: Kerala - bus owners protest
* BERMUDA: Truckers' protest stops traffic
* IRAN: Market traders strike to protest tax; defeat President
* PAKISTAN: Shopkeepers protest road extension
* INDIA: Kerala - hoteliers protest water price rise
* GREECE: Shopkeepers strike over tax, reforms
* IRELAND: Picket over payments at Wexford hotel
August-September
* INDONESIA: Rally against fuel price
* INDIA: Tamil Nadu - AIADMK protests property tax
* JAPAN: Fuel prices spark trucker protest
* PHILIPPINES: Transport group raises fuel price demands
* INDONESIA: Taxi drivers protest for reform transparency
* SOUTH AFRICA: Taxi strikers attack scabs
* IRELAND: Protest halts taxis at Dublin Airport
* INDIA: Chandigarh - taxi drivers rally against diesel phase-out
* SOUTH AFRICA: Taxi drivers protest over fares
* ITALY: Chefs serve free pizzas in price protest
* INDIA: Plastic bag raids prompt trader protest
* INDIA: Chennai - road widening protested by traders
* INDIA: Tamil Nadu - fisherfolk protest
* IRELAND: Fishing protests may resume
* FRANCE: Oyster farmers protest for aid
* CANADA: Lobster fishing protest "far from over"
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120350940300.htm
Tamil Nadu
Demonstration
Tiruvannamalai: The Left parties and the Janata Dal (Secular) staged a
demonstration here on Tuesday, urging the Centre to reduce the prices of
petroleum products.
Communist Party of India district secretary K. Jothi, Communist Party of
India (Marxist) town secretary M. Jayabalan, and Janata Dal (Secular)
district president Manickavel Aachari participated.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94SH6980&show_article=1
LEAD: Factory suppliers protest, seek gov't help in collecting dues+
Dec 5 06:36 AM US/Eastern Comments (0)
HONG KONG, Dec. 5 (AP) - (Kyodo)—(EDS: UPDATING WITH REPORTS ABOUT OWNER
FLEEING, NEW MANAGAMENT WORKING ON REPAYMENT PROPOSAL)
About 200 suppliers of a car audio and video factory in southern China's
Guangdong Province protested outside the provincial government
headquarters Friday to seek help in retrieving some 90 million yuan ($13
million) in owed payments, Hong Kong media reported.
TV stations showed video footage of protesters lining up along a road
outside the building in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, holding
banners urging officials to tackle fraud and help them retrieve payments
allegedly owed to them by the Redpower Electronics factory located in
Dongguan City.
Police reportedly stopped reporters from covering the protest.
TVB also showed footage captured by suppliers that showed police in riot
gear charging the suppliers earlier as they were protesting in Dongguan,
an industrial hotspot where thousands of factories have shut down
recently due to the economic downturn.
One of the suppliers said two protesters were hospitalized with injuries
after the police attack.
The owner of the factory, Dai Shuyang, is said to have fled to Hong
Kong, while the state-owned Guangdong Dongfang Import and Export Corp.
is reported to have invested in the company and renamed it but without
paying off the dues owed to the suppliers.
Hong Kong's pro-Beijing daily Tai Kung Pao said the company has agreed
to hammer out a repayment proposal by Dec. 15.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=NLetter&id=30745c95-a17f-49d6-a7bd-3da835f68959&Headline=Sailors+get+sentence+in+S.+Korea%2c+protests+at+home
Sailors get sentence in S. Korea, protests at home
Holidays in South Korea
Vikas Pathak, Hindustan Times
Email Author
New Delhi, December 12, 2008
First Published: 01:54 IST(12/12/2008)
Last Updated: 01:56 IST(12/12/2008)
A day after the Korean Appeal Court sentenced two Indian sailors for
spillage of oil from their ship Hebei Spirit in December 2007, 46 senior
Indian seafarers have come together and decided to avoid setting sail to
South Korea and to wear black bands if at all they have to go there.
“Delhi and NCR seafarers will launch a protest in front of the South
Korean embassy and not purchase goods made in Korea,” Captain Sanjiv
Verma of Ocean XV told Hindustan Times.
Meanwhile, the wife of chief officer Chetan Syam — sentenced for 8
months — has informed the Indian seafarers’ community that her husband
and Captain Jaspreet Chawla — sentenced for 18 months — are being denied
basic amenities in prison.
“It is a confined, filthy place with a small opening on the floor to
serve as a toilet. Very little heating is there, with sub-zero
temperature outside. They are being held in complete isolation,” says
her mail.
The oil spill had taken place on December 7, 2007, when a Samsung crane
barge had collided with the Hebei Spirit, anchored at Taean in South
Korea. The captain and the chief officer of the vessel were in virtual
house arrest there for a year, before being sentenced on Wednesday.
“As sailors we are outraged,” says captain Prabhat Goel, recently held
captive by Somali pirates in the Stolt Valor case, said.
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_0_03/12/2008_102695
Fishermen sail into Piraeus to protest
ORESTIS PANAGIOTOU/ANA
Dozens of fishermen used their boats to block the port of Piraeus
yesterday to protest a European Union directive that will come into
force next year, preventing them from fishing close to the coast and at
a depth of less than 50 meters. The fishermen demand that the government
arrange for them to be exempt from the rule. Ferry services were not
seriously disrupted by the protest. A similar demonstration was held in
Thessaloniki.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=153340
Fishermen threaten protest drive across Sindh Tuesday, December 23, 2008
By our correspondent
HYDERABAD: The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) on Monday announced to
launch a protest campaign across Sindh from Dec 29 if the provincial
government failed to resolve the problems and concerns of the fishermen.
Addressing a news conference at the Hyderabad press club, PFF
office-bearers Ghulam Mustafa Mirani, Ayub Shah, Fiza Qureshi and others
said despite the announcement of the Fisheries minister the Benazir
cards have not been issued to the fishermen of the province for the last
10 months.
They said the Forest Department of Sindh has imposed a contract system
on 30 lakes though the system was abolished due to the PFF struggle.They
demanded that illegal occupation of lakes should be ended and arrested
fishermen should be released forthwith otherwise a protest campaign
would be launched from Dec 29 and protest demonstrations would be staged
across the province and finally a long march up to the Sindh Assembly
would be carried out.
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/12/02/lobster-cape-sable.html?ref=rss
Protesting lobster fishermen head back to sea Wednesday
Last Updated: Tuesday, December 2, 2008 | 3:43 PM ET Comments17Recommend30
CBC News
Lobster fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia will head out on the water
again Wednesday, a day after a protest that blocked lobster trucks from
leaving Cape Sable Island.
The fishermen, upset over the low prices they are receiving for their
catches, voted 548-25 at a meeting in Yarmouth on Tuesday afternoon to
return to the lobster grounds and pull traps again.
However, they are calling for all-party committee of provincial
politicians to join with representatives from the fishermen's group to
visit Ottawa in the days ahead to seek federal assistance so they won't
go under.
The fishermen say they need to get between $4 and $5 a pound to cover
their costs. They're currently getting only about $3 a pound.
Earlier Tuesday, about 30 protesters prevented trucks loaded with
low-priced lobster from leaving Cape Sable Island in the southwest part
of the province.
The fishermen and lobster boat captains searched trucks as they arrived
at the causeway in an attempt to keep the lobster from heading to market.
Fred Sears said he and his fellow protesters hoped to drive up the
prices by slowing down the supply.
"There's a lot of people who don't want them to leave the island, don't
want them to go to the market. If there's no money, then why should they
be selling them?" said Sears.
Some people in the industry questioned whether a blockade would work in
a market demanding fewer luxury items like lobster.
Time running out to prevent lobster spoilage
Denny Morrow, who is with the province's fish packers association, said
the clock was ticking.
"Some of that lobster is not shippable. We couldn't put it on a plane
and send it to Brussels or Amsterdam to be distributed around Europe …
It's gotta go to a processing plant, be cooked and put up into a frozen
product very quickly or we're going to lose it," Morrow said.
Meanwhile, Ron Chisholm, Nova Scotia's minister of fisheries, is in
Ottawa to meet with his federal counterpart about the crisis, as well as
to discuss licensing policies.
Many lobster fishermen returned to ports around southwest Nova Scotia on
Monday after word spread about a strike to oppose low lobster prices.
http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-279163-Lobster-fishermen-vote-to-end-their-protest-and-go-fishing.html
Lobster fishermen vote to end their protest and go fishing
by Tina Comeau/Sou'Wester
View all articles from Tina Comeau/Sou'Wester
Article online since December 2nd 2008, 18:21
Fishermen gathered by the hundreds Tuesday in Yarmouth, N.S. and voted
to go fishing. TINA COMEAU PHOTO
View all pictures
Lobster fishermen vote to end their protest and go fishing
By Tina Comeau
THE VANGUARD
NovaNewsNow.com
While lobster fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia say they can’t
afford to go fishing for $3 a pound, more importantly they say they
can’t afford not to go fishing.
At a meeting at the Yarmouth Wesleyan Church on Tuesday afternoon,
several hundred fishermen jammed into the church and voted to end a
protest against low lobster prices. They will begin fishing again on
Wednesday and – appropriately, considering the surroundings they were
meeting in – pray for the best.
Fishermen have crews to employ, families to support and bills to pay and
those who lined up at the microphones said they can’t do any of that if
their boats stay tied to the wharf.
While it became evident early on in the meeting that the fishermen would
indeed begin fishing again on Wednesday – protest or no protest – a vote
held at the conclusion of the meeting made it official. Of the 573
licence holders that cast a vote, 548 voted to go fishing and only 25
voted to continue the protest.
On Monday morning fishermen heading out to the fishing grounds turned
around, came back to the wharfs and tied up their boats after deciding,
with the expenses that they have, that they just can’t make a go of it
at $3 or $3.25 a pound for their catch. And it really frustrates and
angers them to be paid $3 for a pound for lobster that they see being
sold in a grocery store for $7 a pound of more.
So fishermen said they were going on strike. Their hope was that by
stopping lobster landings it would increase the shore price paid to
fishermen.
But the fact is, the lobster industry is stacked up against a global
economic crisis beyond anyone’s control and the outlook isn’t good. For
the time being there is a market up until Christmas. After Christmas,
fishermen were told, things look pretty bleak.
Many fishermen were of the opinion that with the season underway, the
time to fish is now.
Next season, they said, they’ll work towards getting organized earlier
in the hopes of securing a better price.
Shelburne MLA Sterling Belliveau suggested at the meeting that there
needs to be an all-party working committee, with fishermen and buyers
involved, to work for the benefit of the industry.
“This is a serious issue,” he said about the challenges facing the
industry, noting many fishermen are facing a high debt load. Aside from
the 1,700 licence holders, they also directly employ about 4,000 deck
hands in lobster fishing areas 33 and 34.
“We have to ensure that those deck hands are going to be there next
year,” he said.
His suggestion of a forming a working committee was greeted positively.
It was pointed out repeatedly during the meeting that the lobster
industry is the economic engine driving the economy of southwestern Nova
Scotia. So not only do fishermen, their crews and families rely on the
industry said Ashton Spinney, co-chair of the lobster fishing area 34
management board, but so too do the communities they live in. Stores,
restaurants, gas stations, and many other businesses rely on fishing
families to spend money in their premises.
“The whole economy of southwestern Nova Scotia is either going to suffer
or prosper based on what we decide today,” added Bobby Newell, a
fisherman who fishes out of the port of Pinkney’s Point.
Spinney characterized the past two days of non fishing as a very
spontaneous protest and he said while it may not have achieved the goal
of seeing prices increase, it did get people to sit up and take notice.
And with fishermen not having fished Monday or Tuesday in protest, on
top of sitting out Sunday (the no Sunday fishing is a measure being
carried out throughout the season) it also slow down the flow of
lobsters coming ashore.
To the hundreds of fishermen at the meeting, the following two questions
were posed:
Are you going to continue this protest?
Or, are you going to go home and go fishing?
Meteghan fisherman Roger LeBlanc said for him the choice was easy. We go
fishing. He said by tying up the boats it was painting the industry as
unstable and the region risked losing access to markets because of it.
He also said with many fishermen carrying a heavy debt load, they need
to be on the water making money, even if fishermen feel it isn’t enough.
LeBlanc said at least that way if the banks start calling in loan
payments a fisherman can say to the bank, ‘I’m trying.’
“If we shut this down and go to the bank, they won’t even talk to me,”
he said.
LeBlanc also suggested any talk of a split season should be shelved. A
split season would see fishermen haul up their traps for two months over
the winter, which is a time when little fishing actually takes place
anyway because of the weather.
“It’s a six-month season. If someone doesn’t like fishing, stay at the
wharf,” he said.
Many fishermen lined up at the microphone one after another and said
they were going fishing Wednesday.
“I am planning on going fishing tomorrow because I have crewmembers that
need a job,” said one.
“There’s a market for Christmas you cannot miss,” said another.
And for fishermen who fish closer to shore, they said postponing the
season only risked to drive their catch out further from shore as
lobsters crawl to deeper water when the water temperature gets colder.
“We’ve got two weeks and then we’re done,” said a fisherman from the floor.
While many comments drew applause from the floor, a couple in particular
were very well received, including a suggestion by one fisherman that
the Department of Fisheries and Oceans should reconsider the $1,890 fee
fishermen are required to pay each year for their licence. Fishermen say
they don’t see that money being invested back into the industry and in
hard times DFO should give fishermen a break and decrease the fee.
Another comment questioned if the industry shouldn’t be turning its
attention to the middle man.
“Do we have a little too much interference between the boat and the
consumer,”
asked a woman from Long Island.
Overall in the end, the fishermen said they need to fish.
“I think a lot of us that have boats won’t get much, but at least we’ll
look after our crews,” said Maurice Shand.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2008/12/01/lobster-protest.html?ref=rss
Unhappy with lobster prices, fishermen return to port
Last Updated: Monday, December 1, 2008 | 11:18 PM AT Comments76Recommend48
CBC News
Hundreds of fishermen returned their boats to ports throughout southwest
Nova Scotia on Monday to protest low lobster prices.
The spur-of-the-moment protest went ahead after the fishermen lamented
to one another over their VHF radios about the low lobster prices, they
said. Those who took part said they wouldn't haul traps until buyers
offered more than $3.25 a pound.
"It's not even feasible for us to even think about trying to work with
that kind of price," said Ashton Spinney, a longtime fisherman and
representative for fishermen in Area 34.
"We just can't function at that [price]. There's just no way of paying
your bills."
To break even, prices would need to be between $4 and $5 a pound, he said.
It was unclear how many fishermen joined the protest. But Spinney
estimated about three-quarters of the 972 licence holders took part.
The last time fishermen stopped fishing to make a point about low
lobster prices was 18 years ago after getting just $2 a pound for their
catches.
Hubert Saulnier, with the Maritime Fishermen's Union in the area, doubts
a strike will work now.
"Most of these boats came in but some stayed out, so you're gonna have a
lot of confrontation among fishermen themselves, which is very, very
unfortunate," he said.
Saulnier said many fishermen believe they should have taken action
before the season began last Monday, and fished to order at an agreed
upon price.
'There's less money around'
In an attempt to keep more lobster from heading to market, the fishermen
who took part in the protest asked buyers not to transport lobster by
truck out of the area until talks took place.
An effort was underway Monday afternoon to arrange meetings between
fishermen's representatives and buyers.
Colin MacDonald, chief executive of Clearwater Seafood Limited
Partnership, was sympathetic to the fishermen's plight, but said they
have to look at the big picture.
"The reality is that there's less money around. The banks aren't lending
money ... Certainly none of our customers anywhere in the world want to
carry any inventory. They're working hand to mouth and they're just not
prepared to pay the price."
MacDonald, whose company buys eight million pounds of lobster a year,
said Clearwater has already bought enough to meet Christmas sales and
predicted the demand over the winter months "will be virtually
non-existent."
"Maybe it's a good idea that fishermen stay tied up and go back fishing
in the spring," he said.
Fishermen had been bracing for bad news after hearing about prices in
the northeastern United States where more than 70 per cent of Nova
Scotia lobsters end up.
In Maine, the price paid to them dropped to $2.25 a pound in October,
due to an oversupply of lobster and shrinking demand for luxury products.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/12/18/nation/20081218110519&sec=nation
Thursday December 18, 2008 MYT 8:13:02 PM
Parliament to discuss fishermen’s diesel protest
By LEE YUK PENG
KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat allowed an emergency motion filed by
Chong Chien Jen (DAP-Bandar Kuching) to discuss fishermen’s protest
against diesel prices.
Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar allowed the emergency
motion filed under Section 18(1) of the Standing Orders, saying the
matter was specific, of public interest and with urgency.
One hour has been slotted to debate the emergency motion starting at
4.30pm Thursday and the Government would reply.
Chong, in his emergency motion, said that the strike was caused by
government policies that did not consider the welfare of fishermen
seriously.
“Since June, the price of diesel supplied to fishermen has gone up from
RM1 to RM1.43 per litre. Although the Government has said it will reduce
it to RM1.30 per litre, it is not enough.”
Chong added that the high fuel cost was preventing fishermen from going
out to sea and that the policy of allowing foreign vessels to fish in
Malaysian waters was making it even harder for local fishermen to survive.
“In Sarawak, the Government’s ban on foreign workers for Class A and
Class B fishing boats is also affecting their operations.”
Chong said the strike would eventually become more serious and adversely
affect fishmongers, the public and the country.
More than 45,000 fishermen from seven states went on strike last Friday
in an attempt to get the Government to bring down the price of diesel to
RM1 per litre.
However, after a dialogue with Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai as
well as Housing and Local Government Minister Ong Ka Chuan on Wednesday,
fishermen from Selangor and southern Perak said they would go back to
the sea Thursday.
The two MCA leaders had promised to bring up their requests for lower
prices to the Government.
At the Parliament lobby on Wednesday however, Agriculture and Agro-based
Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said the Government could not
meet their requests because it would affect other sectors.
“The padi farmers and public transport operators would start asking for
a reduction if the price is reduced for fishermen,” he said.
The emergency motion filed by Chong on Thursday was only the third
allowed out of more than 60 filed since April 28, the day Parliament
convened after the March 8 election.
The first one was filed by Salahuddin Ayob (PAS-Kubang Kerian) on the
shortage of rice supply on May 2, the second one by Mohd Azmin Ali
(PKR-Gombak) on the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide on Dec 10.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2439472,00.html
Taxi drivers protest in CT
09/12/2008 11:40 - (SA)
Cape Town - Taxi operators were gathering at Cape Town's Kaisergracht
Square on Tuesday for a protest over government's Bus Rapid Transit system.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Andre Traut said taxis were arriving
at the square for the legal march.
Earlier, some motorists driving down Du Noon's Potsdam Road were stoned,
allegedly by taxi operators. Traut said Metro Police were closing off
some streets in the city as part of preparations for the march.
Local radio station 567 CapeTalk reported that the protesters were upset
about the introduction of the government's Bus Rapid Transit system,
which they fear will lead to taxis being phased out.
They quoted a protester, Surren Taxi Association's Ismail Baradon, as
saying that if the transport ministry did not respond to their concerns,
there would be disruptions during the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
He said that taxi drivers who had hoped to capitalise from transport
needs during previous rugby and cricket world cups found that they did not.
- SAPA
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2439991,00.html
CT taxi protest turns ugly
10/12/2008 10:44 - (SA)
Cape Town - A man and a woman burnt to death while another person was
shot and wounded in the head in separate incidents involving minibus
taxis in the Western Cape, police said on Wednesday.
Captain Joe Wilson said a taxi driver was shot and injured in a police
chase near Delft on Tuesday, about an hour after protesters dispersed
following a march in Cape Town against the introduction of commuter buses.
In a separate incident in the morning, a man and woman burnt to death
after stones were thrown at a taxi, causing the driver to lose control
and veer into a Wendy house in the suburb Helderberg Park in the Strand.
"The taxi caught fire and two people living in the Wendy house, a man
and a woman, were trapped underneath the taxi. They burnt to death,"
said Inspector Olebogeng Tawana.
Two taxi occupants were slightly injured and a case of culpable homicide
was opened.
Tawana said the police did not know why stones had been thrown at the
taxi driver.
Taxi driver shot at police
In the Delft case, Wilson said the driver, in a vehicle without number
plates, shot at members of the flying squad who tried to pull him off
the road. Police returned fire and the taxi driver was hit in the head,
bringing the vehicle to a standstill. He was taken to a local hospital.
His condition was not known.
Six occupants of the taxi were arrested for attempted murder and were
expected to appear in court on Friday.
According to Wilson police could not say whether the group had
participated in the taxi protest in town but "they came from the
direction of Cape Town".
Senior Superintendent Billy Jones said a total of 42 people had been
arrested following the taxi protest in Cape Town.
"Most of them face charges of public violence," he said.
Among those, six face charges of attempted murder following the incident
in Delft.
Those arrested are expected to appear in several courts in and around
Cape Town this week.
- SAPA
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Crime%20And%20Courts&set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20081210061216548C199181
December 10 2008 at 07:09AM
By Aziz Hartley and Craig McKune
Tuesday's taxi chaos resulted in widespread disruption across Cape Town,
with bus services withdrawn, vehicles vandalised and thousands of
commuters stranded, while in Cape Town there were ugly scenes of
hooliganism by some taxi drivers and their guards.
While about 2 000 taxi men marched in protest against the government's
planned Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system, which they claimed would erode
their income, their behaviour drew condemnation from various quarters,
including from some of their own leaders.
After the march had ended, a man was killed during a shootout between
police and the occupants of a taxi.
A traffic officer flagged down the taxi near the Raapenberg Road turnoff
on the N2, but it sped away, City Traffic spokesperson Merle Lourens said .
"Police were alerted and gave chase all the way to the R300. Shots were
exchanged between the taxi occupants and police. Three occupants were
arrested," she said.
Before the march, scores of taxis sped through the city in a rowdy
procession. Taxi guards hung from taxi windows or stood on rear bumpers.
Many brandished sticks, sjamboks and knobkerries and hit the roofs of
passing cars. Earlier, a bus driver was shot and wounded, another beaten
and a number of vehicles pelted with stones. Police were deployed to
various areas, including Delft, Nyanga and Du Noon.
In Cape Town, marshals struggled to control the crowd who walked from
Keizersgracht to the Civic Centre. Protesters, many of them inebriated,
taunted police officers and swore at them.
At one stage, police fired tear gas into the unruly crowd. Outside the
Civic Centre entrance, which had been barricaded with barbed wire,
protesters burnt a municipal bin and destroyed a parking sign.
Riot police were out in force and a police helicopter circled overhead.
The Meltonrose Taxi Association's vice-chairperson, Ricardo Daniels,
said: "The (BRT) system means taxis will transport passengers to a
certain point, from which buses will take over. It will not only mean
less income but more hardship because many operators have bought new
vehicles (through) the recapitalisation."
National Taxi Alliance provincial chair Mandla Mata said a memorandum to
Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille spelled out their concerns about the taxi
recapitalisation programme, delays in taxi operator permits, the BRT
proposals and vehicles being impounded.
"The BRT is not suitable, and our purpose is to have it ceased. We want
to tell the mayor we are unhappy," Mata said.
Alpheus Mlalazi, secretary general of the National Taxi Alliance, said:
"There should be guarantees the industry will not be worse off because
of the BRT (system). The industry needs to be convinced. There is no
financial model in place and, in the absence of that, the industry finds
it hard to accept this BRT."
The association's provincial public relations officer, Mvuvusi Mete,
said police had provoked the protesting taxi drivers. Mlalazi condemned
the drivers' unruly behaviour.
"On both sides there were no angels, but we do not condone such
behaviour," he said.
The DA and ID also condemned the taxi men's behaviour.
Mayoral committee member for transport Elizabeth Thompson said the city
would respond to the memorandum in 14 days as the National Taxi Alliance
had requested, but only on issues that were the council's
responsibility. She lamented the taxi men's lack of consideration for
the public.
"We have asked the police and the Metro Police to bring the law breakers
to book. CCTV and other video footage will be used as evidence for
prosecutions," Thompson said.
Police spokesperson Andre Traut said the protesters had dispersed
peacefully.
He denied allegations of police provocation.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2439617,00.html
Man injured in taxi protest
09/12/2008 15:28 - (SA)
Verashni Pillay
Cape Town - A man is recovering in Milnerton Medi-Clinic after he was
smashed in the face during what appeared to be a taxi-related protest in
Du Noon on Tuesday.
Ludolph Neethling, 34, was left with a broken collarbone and missing
teeth after a group of people attacked him on his Vuka scooter early on
Tuesday.
The call centre agent was driving on Koeberg road at about 05:55 on his
way to gym in Belville when he came across a couch in the road.
"I thought someone was moving it," he told News24. "As I was passing it
a whole bunch of people rushed towards me."
One person threw a brick which missed Neethling. Another hit him in the
face with a stick. Neethling, who was going at 90km/hour at that point,
lost control and fell off his bike. The stick had smashed through his
visor, breaking some of his teeth and collar bone.
His scooter was written off, he said.
Taxi protest
In response to his attempt to understand the situation, his attackers
said "something about taxis," said Neethling. "I only caught that," he
said.
Taxi operators gathered at Cape Town's Kaisergracht Square on Tuesday in
protest over government's Bus Rapid Transit system, Sapa reported.
Earlier, some motorists driving down Du Noon's Potsdam Road were stoned,
allegedly by taxi operators.
Local radio station 567 CapeTalk reported that the protesters were upset
about the introduction of the bus system, which they fear will lead to
taxis being phased out.
Neethling said he was "very angry" at being targeted for no reason. "I'm
trying to comprehend why they would hurt a stranger if they're upset
about something," he said. "It's savage."
He was rushed to hospital by another motorist, who was stopped by a
concerned group of people in the area.
He said he would report the incident to the police on Wednesday and
possibly lodge a claim with the Road Accident Fund.
- News24
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2439525,00.html
Taxi protest causes commotion
09/12/2008 13:19 - (SA)
Cape Town - Scores of taxis careered through central Cape Town on
Tuesday, hooters blaring, on their way to the Civic Centre to hand over
a memorandum of grievances.
Metro and South African Police vehicles followed the taxis, their own
sirens blaring, as protesters hung out of the taxi windows or stood on
the back bumpers as the vehicles sped along.
SA Police spokesperson Supt Andre Traut said shortly after noon that the
taxi drivers had caused a "little bit of commotion", but that everything
was now under control.
He said a crowd of possibly over a thousand taxi drivers were at the
Civic Centre waiting to hand over a memorandum to Cape Town Mayor Helen
Zille.
A Codeta taxi association spokesperson, Sidney Ncate, said the taxi
drivers were protesting the introduction of commuter buses in their
areas "without consulting the taxi industry properly".
He said the government had urged taxi drivers to buy new vehicles under
the recapitalisation programme, and taxi owners had done exactly that.
"But on the other side they are introducing these buses, taking our work
away," he said.
"Where are we going to get the work to pay for those vehicles? Those
vehicles are going to be taken away by the banks."
- SAPA
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/11/stories/2008121152270300.htm
Kerala - Kattappana
Buses cancel trips following clash
A Correspondent
KATTAPPANA: Passengers to various destinations were stranded here on
Wednesday following a flash strike by private buses. The private buses
cancelled their services following a clash on Tuesday between the owners
of the buses and the drivers of jeeps that conduct parallel services on
the Erattayar route.
Owners of two private buses were injured in the attack and private buses
on the Erattayar route cancelled services on Tuesday afternoon.
Police said that cases had been registered against the persons involved
in the attack and no untoward incident was reported on Wednesday.
According to the police, tension had been prevailing on the Erattayar
route for over a week. Bus owners had alleged that trips on the route by
the jeeps had affected their services. Jeeps had been conducting
parallel services on the route, where the number of bus services had
been inadequate, it is said. At a meeting of the bus owners and jeep
owners convened by the police last week, it was decided that jeeps
should not carry passengers on short-distance routes. The passengers on
various routes had a tough day on Wednesday as the services by KSRTC
buses were grossly inadequate.
http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=448300
Kolkata auto unions threaten protests against court's ban
________________________________________
IANS Wednesday 31st December, 2008
Auto-rickshaw drivers in Kolkata Wednesday threatened to go on a
'peaceful' agitation by staging road blockades if they are forced not to
run their vehicles from Thursday.
'We'll stage peaceful protests across the city if the police and the
administration stop us from running the autorickshaws tomorrow
(Thursday),' Trinamool Congress-led auto unions' leader Sobhon Deb
Chattopadhyay said.
Earlier in July, the Calcutta High Court issued an order to ban
commercial vehicles registered before Jan 1, 1993 from Kolkata and its
outskirts.
The court also directed that all autorickshaws, irrespective of their
date of registration, will have to convert to either compressed natural
gas (CNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
It said the order should be implemented by Dec 31 in the Kolkata
Metropolitan Area, which includes parts of north and south 24-Parganas,
Howrah and Hooghly.
'The family members of the auto drivers will hit the streets and agitate
against the directive if the state government imposes ban on the
two-stroke autos,' Chattopadhyay added.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty held a
meeting with auto unions Wednesday evening to discuss the issue.
'We're also in favour of mitigating pollution level in the environment,
caused especially by the two-stroke autos. We need some more time from
the Calcutta High Court to phase out the two-stroke autorickshaws from
Kolkata and its adjoining areas,' Shyamal Chakraborty, president of the
Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the labour arm of the ruling
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).
According to estimates, if the government implements the court order,
around 80,000 autorickshaws, 24,000 taxis and over 8,000 buses and
mini-buses would be affected.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24816695-2862,00.html
Cab drivers threaten to block Tullamarine over safety screens
December 18, 2008 12:00am
ANGRY cabbies are threatening to blockade Melbourne Airport after Public
Transport Minister Lynne Kosky refused to change safety screen laws.
About 60 owner-drivers caused traffic chaos yesterday when they blocked
Spring St for hours and faced mounted police as they demanded to see Ms
Kosky.
They called on the minister to change laws introduced this year that
make it compulsory for owners to purchase and install safety screens,
regardless of whether drivers want them.
The screens are removable, once installed, and cost about $1400 with the
Government picking up the bill for half that cost with a rebate.
The cabbies' Spring St blockade was disbanded after they were allowed to
meet the minister yesterday afternoon.
But they left Ms Kosky's office frustrated after she rejected their
proposal to change the legislation.
Drivers will meet at Melbourne Airport this morning to decide on any
further action, with a blockade of the airport possible.
Readers' comments flooded the Herald Sun's website yesterday with most
aimed at the cabbies for clogging up city traffic.
"It's the cab owners who are crying foul because they have taken a hit
in the hip pocket. Well bad luck. Our cabbies deserve to be protected
from a spineless minority who are prepared to threaten and assault
them," wrote Mark of East Keilor.
The cabbies' spokesman Jeff Marshall has been a taxi driver for 30 years
and was dismayed with Ms Kosky's refusal to soften the laws.
"We're very disappointed we couldn't change her mind, we tried our
best," he said.
"Ms Kosky doesn't know what she's doing. She's listening to the wrong
people. She's got inexperienced people advising her and therefore she's
making the wrong decisions.
"It means we have to waste money to buy screens that will sit in the
garage because we're not going to use it. We'll also have to use
taxpayers' money to pay for the other half."
Ms Kosky last night told the Herald Sun she understood what the cabbies
wanted, but was not willing to jeopardise the safety of thousands of
other drivers.
"It's just not fair on people who drive, particularly at night, who are
vulnerable," she said. "It's really unhelpful what the owner-drivers
have done today."
Ms Kosky said she was "serious about" introducing reforms to the
industry to make it safer and more efficient for drivers and customers.
The latest action follows dramatic protests over driver safety earlier
this year, which brought the city to a standstill, and led to the
Government's legislation for compulsory installation of safety screens
in all taxis.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24817447-2862,00.html
Taxi protest may block airport
Nick Higginbottom
December 18, 2008 12:00am
ANGRY cabbies are threatening to blockade Melbourne Airport after Public
Transport Minister Lynne Kosky refused to change safety screen laws.
About 60 owner-drivers caused traffic chaos yesterday when they blocked
Spring St for hours and faced mounted police as they demanded to see Ms
Kosky.
They called on the minister to change laws introduced this year that
make it compulsory for owners to purchase and install safety screens,
regardless of whether drivers want them.
The screens are removable, once installed, and cost about $1400 with the
Government picking up the bill for half that cost with a rebate.
The cabbies' Spring St blockade was disbanded after they were allowed to
meet the minister yesterday afternoon.
But they left Ms Kosky's office frustrated after she rejected their
proposal to change the legislation.
Drivers will meet at Melbourne Airport this morning to decide on any
further action, with a blockade of the airport possible.
Readers' comments flooded the Herald Sun's website yesterday with most
aimed at the cabbies for clogging up city traffic.
"It's the cab owners who are crying foul because they have taken a hit
in the hip pocket. Well bad luck. Our cabbies deserve to be protected
from a spineless minority who are prepared to threaten and assault
them," wrote Mark of East Keilor.
The cabbies' spokesman Jeff Marshall has been a taxi driver for 30 years
and was dismayed with Ms Kosky's refusal to soften the laws.
"We're very disappointed we couldn't change her mind, we tried our
best," he said.
"Ms Kosky doesn't know what she's doing. She's listening to the wrong
people. She's got inexperienced people advising her and therefore she's
making the wrong decisions.
"It means we have to waste money to buy screens that will sit in the
garage because we're not going to use it. We'll also have to use
taxpayers' money to pay for the other half."
Ms Kosky last night told the Herald Sun she understood what the cabbies
wanted, but was not willing to jeopardise the safety of thousands of
other drivers.
"It's just not fair on people who drive, particularly at night, who are
vulnerable," she said. "It's really unhelpful what the owner-drivers
have done today."
Ms Kosky said she was "serious about" introducing reforms to the
industry to make it safer and more efficient for drivers and customers.
The latest action follows dramatic protests over driver safety earlier
this year, which brought the city to a standstill, and led to the
Government's legislation for compulsory installation of safety screens
in all taxis.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/18/2450380.htm
Taxi drivers fined over city protest
Posted Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:02pm AEDT
Some taxi drivers are vowing to continue the protests. (ABC Online:
Kathy Lord)
• Map: Melbourne 3000
A taxi blockade on Melbourne's Spring Street has ended.
Twenty-eight cab drivers were fined $68 dollars each for obstructing
traffic and parking illegally.
One person was arrested for hindering police and at least one cab was
towed away.
The taxi drivers are angry the State Government is forcing them to
install safety screens in their vehicles.
The Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky says it is not negotiable.
"We're providing a 50 per cent subsidy for these screens and it's now
time they just accepted the Government wants a safe working
environment," she said.
It is the second day in a row the taxi drivers have caused major traffic
disruptions and some of the taxi drivers say they will continue to
protest tomorrow.
A spokesman for the drivers, Ange Goutsiolis said if they do not get to
meet the Premier, John Brumby they will block the whole city off.
However Ms Kosky says there is only a handful of operators who are
creating the problem.
The Victorian Taxi directorate supports the plan.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/17/2448867.htm
Taxi drivers protest over safety screens
Posted Wed Dec 17, 2008 12:32pm AEDT
Updated Wed Dec 17, 2008 12:53pm AEDT
The taxi drivers want more say in the design of the screen. (ABC Online:
Kathy Lord)
• Map: Melbourne 3000
Dozens of taxi drivers are protesting outside the Victorian Parliament,
angry about the compulsory installation of protective screens.
The Government wants all cabs to have a plastic screen to protect
drivers from violent passengers.
But the screens cost more than $500 each and some drivers say they are
unnecessary and too expensive.
The drivers want more say in the design of the screen and believe the
Government should cover most of the cost.
Taxi drivers staged a much larger protest in April, demanding that the
Government improve safety and security measures for drivers.
The Government later introduced a pre-paid fare structure and promised
that safety screens would be installed in all taxis.
The Premier, John Brumby defended the decision on the grounds of safety.
"There has never been complete unanimity within the industry about this,
there has always been a difference of view," he said.
"But the majority view and the consensus view is that the screens need
to be in place to give the drivers the protection that they deserve."
For a short time, the drivers blocked traffic on Spring St but agreed to
disperse upon learning that they would get a meeting with Public
Transport minister Lynne Kosky.
http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=108611
Carrier operators stage protest
By Theresa Ralogaivau
Thursday, December 11, 2008
EIGHTY four carrier van operators stopped operating Seaqaqa routes
Tuesday protesting a Land Transport Authority decision to deregister
some vehicles.
Three carrier vans have already been deregistered as LTA takes a tough
stand against illegal operations in the Northern Division.
President of the Carrier Vans Association Abdul Samad said they were
informed by LTA that all 84 vehicles would be deregistered by December 31.
"Our demand is for LTA to stop deregistering vehicles because our
service is needed by people who live in the rural areas where there is
no bus service," he said.
"The bus services only some routes and not all the roads but the fact is
people live all over and they need us as we do need them to run our
businesses and put food on our tables."
LTA acting northern manager Jokatama Bola refuted that all carrier vans
would be deregistered.
"Only those contravening the law on several occasions would be
deregistered because we don't want illegal operations," he said.
"We won't bow down to their demands and they can protest and do whatever
they want to.
"Buses are actually going down to Navidamu and Vunivere and the public
have been advised to observe the bus timetables and get on it instead of
waiting for carrier vans."
Mohammed Imran and Mohammed Tilawat, whose carriers were deregistered
because they operated outside their licence conditions, are worried
about their future.
"How will we put food on the table or keep up with our repayments?,"
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/28/stories/2008122859290300.htm
Karnataka - Bangalore
Meru cab drivers to continue protest
Staff Reporter
BANGALORE: Drivers of Meru cabs have decided to continue their protest
as the meeting held with Meru representatives at the Bangalore Urban
Deputy Commissioner’s office remained inconclusive.
Deputy Commissioner D. Nayak had called the meeting. During the meeting,
the drivers said the Meru management should reduce the daily
subscription charge from Rs. 900 to Rs. 800. The Meru representatives
said the reduction had to be approved by the management in Mumbai and
sought time till Tuesday. The drivers said they would continue their
protest till Tuesday.
http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/12/08/daily45.html
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Coffee Beanery operator protesting airport’s decision
The Business Review (Albany) - by Michael DeMasi
The operator of the Coffee Beanery will formally protest the Albany
County Airport Authority’s decision to award a new concessionaire
contract to a big corporation.
Peter Kwan is scheduled to meet with the airport authority’s general
counsel on Dec. 15 at 10 a.m.
Kwan sought a public hearing to protest the authority’s vote in November
that awarded a 10-year master concessionaire contract to HMSHost of
Bethesda, Md.
Kwan had hoped the news media could attend, but authority spokesman Doug
Myers said that since no board members will be present there will be no
quorum of the authority. Therefore, Myers said, it will be closed to the
public.
When informed by a reporter the meeting would be closed, Kwan was
surprised because he said the authority sent him a letter granting his
request for a hearing.
Kwan assumed it would be open to the public because that’s what he had
requested.
“What they have done has really affected taxpayers,” Kwan said. “It
really affected a local minority-owned business. The people in Albany
County have a right to know.”
Kwan, who opened his first Coffee Beanery franchise at the airport 10
years ago and also runs a small kiosk, will have to close the businesses
unless he can get airport officials to change their mind.
“I want to ask them on what grounds they think I am the lesser of the
choices,” Kwan said.
Under the contract, which begins Jan. 1, HMSHost will bring Starbucks,
Dunkin’ Donuts and four upscale food and beverage outlets to the airport.
HMSHost is a huge concessionaire with $2 billion-plus in revenue. The
company controls more than 100 airports around the world and more than
100 highway rest-stops in North America.
The authority has said it picked HMSHost because it offered the best
overall deal at a time when the airport is contending with fewer
departures and lower revenue due to a decline in air travel. HMSHost
also will invest $3 million on renovations to the terminal.
But Kwan said he’s challenging the authority’s definition of “highest
bidder.” He said his bid would have guaranteed the authority a bigger
share of sales, an average of 12 percent, than HMSHost at the three
locations Kwan wants to operate. Two are existing sites; the third is in
the terminal before the passenger security gate.
“I am not bidding for the other locations that HMS wanted,” he said.
Kwan also runs a Coffee Beanery at the Amtrak station in Rensselaer and
at the Colonie Center mall. Losing the airport locations will cost him
about $1.5 million in revenue.
http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/12/15/daily11.html
Monday, December 15, 2008 | Modified: Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Coffee Beanery operators protest new contract
The Business Review (Albany) - by Michael DeMasi
The operators of the Coffee Beanery at Albany International Airport
spent 45 minutes behind closed doors today with airport officials
protesting a new concessionaire contract given to an out-of-town
corporation.
Afterward, Peter Kwan and Lily Kwan weren’t optimistic the Albany County
Airport Authority would reverse its decision to award a 10-year contract
to HMSHost of Bethesda, Md.
HMSHost is a huge concessionaire with $2 billion-plus in revenue. The
company controls the concessions at more than 100 airports around the
world and more than 100 highway rest-stops in North America.
“It’s like David vs. two Goliaths,” Lily Kwan said.
The Kwans opened their first Coffee Beanery franchise at the airport 10
years ago but will be forced to vacate the space just beyond the
security gate after Dec. 31 unless the proposal process is reopened.
The Kwans also run a Coffee Beanery at the Amtrak station in Rensselaer
and at the Colonie Center mall, although they put the Colonie Center
store up for sale for $200,000.
Peter Kwan said they listed the Colonie Center site before learning they
didn’t win the bid at the airport. He said he probably won’t sell the
business at the mall now.
Losing the airport locations will cost the Kwans about $1.5 million in
revenue.
The Kwans contend the bidding for the new airport contract put them at a
disadvantage because of special consideration given to the operator of a
McDonald’s at the terminal.
The McDonald’s is in a prime spot near the Coffee Beanery. If HMSHost
had also been allowed to bid on that location, the Kwans believe they
would have had a better chance of keeping their coffee shop.
The McDonald’s contract was renewed without going through the formal
bidding process because the operator agreed to certain concessions,
according to Richard Meyers, an authority attorney.
The Kwans also said the airport would receive a bigger share of sales,
an average of 12 percent, from the three shops they want to operate
compared to what HMSHost would pay for those individual locations.
Airport officials said they picked HMSHost because the total value of
the new concessionaire contract was the best overall deal for the
authority. HMSHost will bring Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and four upscale
food and beverage outlets to the airport.
HMSHost also will invest $3 million on renovations to the terminal.
The new contract comes at a time when the airport is contending with
fewer departures and lower revenue due to a decline in air travel.
“This is a financial issue,” said Doug Myers, spokesman for the
authority. “We have legislation that requires us to have sufficient
revenue to be self-sustaining.”
Meyers, the airport authority attorney who oversaw the hearing with the
Kwans, said he needs to review more documents before making a decision.
If Meyers suspends the contract award with HMSHost, the authority could
seek new proposals from potential operators. If he affirms the contract
award, the Kwans can appeal to authority CEO John O’Donnell.
Meyers spent part of the hearing listing complaints about pricing, signs
and other alleged problems at the Coffee Beanery.
The Kwans said many of the complaints were “nit picky,” such as having a
hand-written sign on a tip jar at the coffee shop counter. The Kwans
said they were told that was unprofessional.
The Kwans wanted today’s hearing to be open to the public so the press
could attend, but Meyers said the hearing wasn’t a “media event.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Hotel_banquet_owners_protest_luxury_tax/rssarticleshow/3882584.cms
Hotel, banquet owners protest luxury tax
24 Dec 2008, 0348 hrs IST, TNN
MOHALI: Hotels and banquets across the state remained closed on Tuesday
as their owners lodged a protest against Punjab government’s recent move
to charge luxury tax. Traders from the district took to streets and held
an agitation on national highway, inconveniencing commuters for nearly
half-an-hour.
These entrepreneurs are against government’s notification issued in
November that imposes 8% luxury tax on hotel rooms that charge Rs 200 or
above as tariff. Also, 10% luxury tax has been fixed on banquet halls
charging more than Rs 5,000 a day.
A member of district Mohali hotel and banquet association, Pradeep
Aggarwal, who owns a hotel in Zirakpur, claimed tariff limit for luxury
tax in other states was Rs 2,000 and above. ‘‘In Delhi, it’s levied on
rooms with a tariff of Rs 2,500 or more, while in Chandigarh and Haryana
8% luxury tax is charged on rooms with more than Rs 2,000 tariff,’’ he
said. He called upon government to scrap the policy, which would hurt
tourism.
‘‘Charging 10% luxury tax will put an extra burden on customers as they
are already paying 12.36% service tax along with 10% VAT,’’ said
Jaswinder Singh, owner of a banquet hall and president of the association.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/29/stories/2008122954500500.htm
Kerala - Kollam
Toddy workers plan protest march
Staff Reporter
KOLLAM: Toddy workers under the banner of the National Toddy Industry
Workers Federation will take out a march to the Secretariat on January
15 in support of their various demands.
Federation president N. Azhakesan said a dharna in front of the
Secretariat in this connection would be inaugurated by Leader of the
Opposition Oommen Chandy.
Mr. Azhakeshan said the liquor policy of the Left Democratic Front (LDF)
government was harmful to the toddy sector. It was aimed at promoting
the Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) lobby. While the toddy sector was
totally ignored, permits for more facilities to promote IMFL sale was
being sanctioned.
He said though the pro-Left trade unions in the toddy sector were
totally against the liquor policy, political reasons were preventing
them from coming forward to protest or organise agitations against the
policy. He wanted the government to drop the move to entrust toddy shops
to societies.
http://story.indiagazette.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/3a8a80d6f705f8cc/id/424416/cs/1/
French winegrowers protest new laws
India Gazette
Thursday 30th October, 2008
Hundreds of French winegrowers have rallied against plans to ban free
wine tastings and online advertising for alcohol.
Saying such a ban would amount to prohibition, about 200 to 300
winegrowers joined a rally in the western city of Angers, while several
hundred more protested in south-eastern Lyon.
Winegrowers have been alarmed by plans, unveiled in a health ministry
bill last week, to ban open bars and the handing out of free alcohol,
which would include tastings in winegrowers' cellars.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=233465
Fishermen protest LMRA fees
Posted on » Sunday, November 02, 2008
HUNDREDS of Bahraini fishermen yesterday staged a protest over a BD10
monthly fee imposed by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) for
each expatriate worker.
It was organised by the Fishermen's Protection Society at its premises
in Muharraq.
Fishermen protested against the monthly fee, saying they cannot afford
to pay it and it should be lifted.
They called on the country's leadership to intervene following a string
of similar protests.
"We are not investment companies, we barely make it through to support
our families," said society president Jassim Al Jeran.
"Most food supplies in Bahrain are subsidised by the government, why not
do the same with seafood such as fish. We need support."
Mr Al Jeran said that fishermen should also be compensated when fishing
is banned during the breeding season so their income is not affected.
"Shrimp catchers especially suffer when the four-month ban is
implemented every year from March 15 to July 15. Their income suffers
because of this and therefore they should be compensated," he said.
Mr Al Jeran said that fishermen would hold a nation-wide strike within
two weeks if their demands to be exempted from the fees were not met.
This is the fourth demonstration organised by the society in Muharraq.
The first demonstration was broken up by police on June 1, but 60
fishing dhows and 35 small fishing boats stayed in port during a
subsequent strike.
On June 18, fishermen demonstrated in front of the society's premises in
Muharraq.
The third protest was held on August 31, when more than 170 fishermen
and their supporters demonstrated outside the society's premises.
Similar protests have been held in the Seef district.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/23/stories/2008112351270300.htm
Tamil Nadu - Nagapattinam
Protest marks Fisheries Day
Special Correspondent
Fisherfolk in a belligerent mood
NAGAPATTINAM: “Experts sit in their city offices and make policies for
us. Ask them to live in a fisherman’s house for a few years to know what
it means,” Devi, a representative from Karaikal, said on Friday.
Most of the fishermen and fisherwomen who participated in a protest at
Aouri Thidal here on International Fisheries Day were in a belligerent
mood against government policies.
“They do not have any idea of what we go through but are ready to give
us all sorts of advice,” another woman complained.
“Revoke CMZ regulations”
Their bone of contention was the Coastal Management Zone (CMZ) regulations.
They wanted it to be revoked. Big and industrial fishermen were damaging
the environment and the livelihood of other fishermen.
But the government was keen to encourage industrial fishing and beach
tourism while denying poor fishermen the right to their livelihood.
Subverted the concept
Jesurathinam, director, SNEHA, an NGO working with the fishing
communities, said the government had subverted the concept of
International Fisheries Day.
“The day is meant to be one of protests by fishermen against misguided
policies. That was how it started in 1997. Now they have made it as
another “happy” day, when it is enough to ask fishermen to be happy.”
Fishermen from Vedaranyam, Kilvelur, Nagapattinam and Karaikal turned up
in good number for the protest organised by different unions including
the Singaravelar Indian Fishermen’s Livelihood Movement, Coastal Action
Network and other NGOs.
Local MLA V. Marimuthu, former MLA R. Kodimari spoke.
A similar protest was organised in Sirkazhi for fishermen from Sirkazhi
and Tarangambadi taluks.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/13/stories/2008111353060300.htm
Tamil Nadu
Road transport workers stage demonstration in Tirupur
Staff Reporter
Tirupur: Van, taxi and auto drivers belonging to All India Road
Transport Workers Federation (AIRTWF) staged a demonstration in front of
the office of Regional Transport Officer here on Wednesday to press
their charter of demands.
The agitators asked the government to direct the RTO to stop the
practice of confiscating the license of drivers involved in fatal
accidents even before the commencement of the trial in the case
commenced. They said that steps should be taken to bring down the
charges levied for renewal of licenses.
Fuel prices should be brought down in consideration of the drastic
reduction in petroleum prices internationally.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/05/stories/2008110550900300.htm
Tamil Nadu - Erode
Protest against change in market structure
Staff Reporter
ERODE: Kani Market traders on Tuesday took out a procession and
petitioned the Erode Corporation Commissioner against the changes made
to the market.
President of the Erode Kani Market Varasandhai Anaithu Javuli Vyaparigal
Sangam A. Palanisamy said the person who had taken on lease the market
from the Corporation had made structural changes in such a way that it
affected traders.
He explained that a couple of days after Deepavali, the lessee had
altered structures of 72 shops converting them into godowns.
And then he had sold the godowns.
Mr. Palanisamy further said that the lessee had not control over the 72
shops, of which the Corporation alone had control.
Such a structural alternation brought about by the lessee had affected
traders, who were no longer able to use the shops-turned godowns.
He requested the Corporation Commissioner to restore the shops to the
original shape so as to help the traders carry on their business.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=149441
Businessmen stage protest at KESC head office Friday, November 28, 2008
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Small traders in protest on Thursday have criticised Karachi
Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) and demanded to annul the decision of
adding the 40 per cent of previous month and the surcharge in November
bills.
Businessmen and traders held a protest at the head office of KESC.
Siraj Kassam Teli, former President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (KCCI) said government has deliberately tried to create
misunderstanding between small traders and industrialists and that
industrialists’ rejects all such concessions from government that burden
small businessmen.
Other businessmen said that government should respect the demands of
masses and that government’s image is being spoiled because the
President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari had vowed to review the issue
but nothing positive has been made in this regard.
Traders said that they are starting a series of protests until
government annuls its decision of adding the 40 per cent and surcharge
in November bills.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/30/stories/2008113060880300.htm
Karnataka - Bangalore
Avenue Road traders protest
Staff Reporter
________________________________________
They are against the plan to widen the stretch
________________________________________
Bangalore: “Beke beku, nyaya beku” was the chant heard at Town Hall
between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday. People were holding a candlelight
vigil protesting against road-widening in the city, among other issues.
Traders on Avenue Road downed shutters and hawkers wrapped up operations
for the day to join the protest. As the project to widen 97 roads across
the city, many of them in the central business district (CBD), is set to
take off, people want to present their case before they actually get
affected.
L.R. Kumar Gupta, who owns a mobile accessory store on Avenue Road,
said: “The livelihood of close to one lakh people depends on this road.
Our shops have been there for the past 90 to 100 years and how can we
move out all of a sudden.”
Satyanarayan, member of The Avenue Road Commercial Association, said:
“The traffic there is congested, but there has been no accident or major
traffic jam on the road.” Activists from organisations such as the
Environmental Support Group (ESG) and Civic Bangalore have joined hands
with them to ask for many areas of the CBD to be declared as heritage
sites. “Bangalore began expanding from here; some of our families have
been here for generations,” they said.
http://wnyt.com/article/stories/s662473.shtml?cat=300
Posted at: 11/14/2008 05:29:53 PM
By: WNYT Staff
Print Story Email to a Friend
Car dealers protest zoning rule
GLENVILLE - Two competing car dealers joined forces Friday to protest in
Glenville.
Rick DiCresce used to operate a used car dealership down the street from
Salisbury Chevrolet.
Three months ago he moved out to make way for a Lowe's home improvement
store.
Salisbury sold him some land across the street from their lot, but the
town says he can only sell new cars there.
About 20 people, including folks from Salisbury, joined to protest the
town's decision.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/21/stories/2008112160090300.htm
Karnataka - Bangalore
Textile machinery exhibitors protest lack of publicity
Staff Reporter
BANGALORE: Irked by the poor publicity and lack of facilities,
exhibitors participating in the Eighth India International Textile
Machinery Exhibition (India-ITME 2008) staged a protest at the Bangalore
International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) here on Tumkur Road on Thursday.
The event, inaugurated on November 15, is being organised in the city
for the first time in which around 600 industrialists are participating.
However, on Thursday, exhibitors alleged that the India ITME failed to
provide proper publicity and infrastructure and urged the organisers to
refund the entry fee.
“ITME 2008 is a significant event that gives an opportunity to the
participants and business visitors to access the new technology and
developments in textile production and operations. At least 600
industrialists from throughout the country have paid Rs. 1.5 lakh each
as entry fee.
But organisers have not provided proper infrastructure and publicity,”
said Ashok Charia, who is representing Savio Texcone Pvt Limited of Mumbai.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/695916
Gridlock expected during petrol price protest
AAP
Last updated 08:18 30/10/2008
Parts of Sydney will be in gridlock for hours today as motorists queue
for heavily discounted petrol at several independent service stations.
About a dozen service stations across the city will slash up to 40 cents
a litre off petrol prices for a few hours to rebel against what they say
are anti-competitive practices by oil giants.
The plight of independent operators was highlighted last week when the
owners of the BP and United service stations on Sunnyholt Road at
Blacktown, in Sydney's west, dropped their unleaded petrol price to 94.9
cents a litre.
The discounted price lasted a few hours, causing significant traffic
congestion as cars queued for kilometres to get petrol at about 50 cents
cheaper than usual.
Marie El-Khoury and her brother Elia, owners of the BP station, will
again drop their petrol below the $A1 (NZ$1.13) mark today.
They will sell unleaded fuel for 99.9 cents a litre between 8am and 9am
(AEDT).
The owners of up to 12 other independent service stations will follow
their lead, heavily discounting petrol from Casula in Sydney's
south-west, to Miranda in Sydney's south.
The NRMA says Coles and Woolworths dominate around 70 percent of the
metropolitan market and are increasingly squeezing out independent
operators.
NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said the motoring organisation welcomed
moves by the El-Khourys and other independent stations like them,
despite their protests coming at a huge financial cost.
"The protest. . . will cost them a lot of money. We commend them for
this brave step," he said.
http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_1885235338
The automobile industry is preparing for protests
Updated on: 17.11.2008, 09:50
Published on: 17.11.2008, 09:35
Author: Stefan Nikolov
Font size: a a a
Protests are expected today in the automobile industry.
Reason for the discontent is the price of fuels in the country in
comparison to the prices in Europe.
The industry expects the Consumer protection commission to announce its
decision whether or not there is a cartel agreement on prices.
According to transporters, the current price of diesel is ungrounded.
The Economy Ministry claims that this is not true and points out that
fuel prices in the country and Europe are published everyday on the
department's site.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=98962
Bulgaria's Auto Carriers Put off Planned Protests over Diesel Prices
Business | November 17, 2008, Monday
Bulgaria's automobile transport organizations are considering launching
protests next week over the high diesel prices. Photo by Yuliana
Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)
The Association of the Auto Transport Organizations is putting off the
protests that it had planned for Monday, November 17, because of the
unfair diesel prices in Bulgaria compared to the rest of the EU.
The news was announced Monday morning by the Chair of the Association
Krasimir Lalov in an interview for the Darik Radio.
Lalov explained the automobile transport organizations were going to
wait for the congress of the governing Bulgarian Socialist Party, which
is taking place in the coming weekend, and were then going to decide
what steps they would take.
"Our protest is motivated purely by the circumstances in our economic
sector, we don't want to see it politicized. It is motivated by the
unfair diesel prices in Bulgaria", Lalov said.
The other organization from the auto sector - the Bulgarian Association
of the Automobile Transport Companies - is going to discuss its protest
measures over the week, its Chair Mirolyub Stolarski announced Monday
morning.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/10/stories/2008111057840100.htm
Front Page
Protest by truckers affects LPG supplies
Special Correspondent
— Photo: S.S. Kumar
LPG supplies in Chennai have come under strain.
CHENNAI: After rains and bad roads, trucks transporting cylinders to
distributors’ godowns derailed liquefied petroleum gas supplies to
thousands of households in the city.
Sources among Indane distributors said supplies from the bottling plant
of Indian Oil Tanking Ltd in suburban Manali were hit for three days
last week following protests in support of better remuneration by the
crew of the trucks attached to the plant.
Close to 40 per cent of the nearly 120 Indane distributors in and around
Chennai are attached to the plant, while the rest are served by Indian
Oil Corporation’s facility in Ennore.
Confirming the protests, including a ‘go slow’ by the truckers, a senior
official of Indian Oil Corporation said as many as 85 trucks are on
contract with IOC to transport cylinders from the plant in Manali.
Though supplies were made to the distributors from Ennore plant, it was
not sufficient to meet 100 per cent demand of those served by the Manali
facility.
As a result, the time taken to supply the LPG refills would only mount.
It takes anywhere between 6-10 days now, beyond the mandatory three-week
gap between two refills. A distributor said that there were some signs
of disruption in the supplies from Ennore plant a few days ago after the
protest spread there.
Both the official and the distributors, however, said the situation
would be returning to normality shortly, as many of the trucks resumed
supplies on Saturday evening.
A distributor attached to the Ennore plant said that there was no
problem with regard to the supplies.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/136373/Petron-Shell-Chevron-roll-back-prices-after-drivers-hold-protest
'Big 3,' oil firms roll back prices after protests
BY JOHANNA CAMILLE SISANTE, MARK MERUEÑAS
11/28/2008 | 04:24 PM
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(Update) MANILA, Philippines - Amid the clamor by transport groups for
the Big Three to substantially roll back prices, Pilipinas Shell, Petron
Corp and Seaoil announced Friday that they will slash oil prices by as
much as P5 per liter.
Shell spokesperson Roberto Kanapi told GMANews.TV in a phone interview
that it will slash gasoline prices by P5 per liter and diesel and
kerosene prices by P2 per liter starting 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Meanwhile, radio dzBB said Petron spokesperson Virginia Ruvivar
announced that the oil firm will likewise bring down gasoline prices by
P5 per liter and diesel and kerosene prices by P2 per liter, also
starting 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
On the other hand, Chevron Philippines spokesperson Antonio Nebrida told
GMANews.TV ni a phone interview to just wait for announcements from the
oil company.
Earlier, members of the groups Pasang Masda, Pinagkaisang Samahan ng
Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston), and Malabon Transport Group held
a protest caravan to urge the Big Three companies - Petron, Pilipinas
Shell, and Chevron Philippines - to bring down oil prices.
Chevron
Chevron (formerly Caltex) announced that it would also be reducing
prices for its gasoline, diesel and kerosene products.
Toby Nebrida, Chevron corporate communications manager, said that the
price reductions would start 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Chevron would be reducing the price for its gold, silver and regular
gasoline by P5 per liter while the price for its silver E10 gasoline
would be reduced by P4:50 per liter.
Diesel and kerosene prices would be reduced by P2 per liter, Nebrida said.
Seaoil
For its part, independent oil firm Seaoil Philippines on Friday rolled
back the prices of its petroleum products anew.
Seaoil spokesman Rey Jimenez said the price reduction would cover a P4
per liter cut both on premium and unleaded gasoline and P1 per liter cut
on kerosene.
The oil firm - which had announced a rollback in prices earlier this
week - did not slash its diesel price.
Jimenez said the price adjustment would take effect at 10 p.m. Friday.
He said that with their latest cut, Seaoil's gasoline products have
become 50 centavos cheaper than those from its oil competitors.
Seaoil last rolled back its diesel price by P2 per liter, and gasoline
and kerosene prices by P1 on Tuesday.
With its second cut for the week, Seaoil has already slashed the price
of its gasoline by a total of P5 and its kerosene by P2 since Tuesday.
Aside from Seaoil, other independent oil firms UniOil Petroleum
Philippines, Jetti Oil, and Eastern Petroleum have also implemented
their respective oil price cutbacks his week..- GMANews.TV
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/136305/Jeepney-drivers-gather-in-QC-for-another-protest-caravan
Jeepney drivers gather in QC for another protest caravan
11/28/2008 | 09:45 AM
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MANILA, Philippines - Jeepney drivers from transport group Pasang Masda
gathered in Quezon City to stage yet another protest caravan to Makati
City to urge the country's big oil companies for a "big-time rollback",
a radio report said Friday.
Radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz said as of 9:30 a.m., 30 jeepneys converged
along Elliptical Road in front of the Quezon City Hall and are preparing
to drive to Makati City to push Pilipinas Shell, Chevron Philippines,
and Petron Corp Inc to lead oil price rollbacks.
The Big Three, however, have not brought down oil prices despite smaller
oil companies' recent price rollbacks. - Johanna Camille Sisante,
GMANews.TV
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/136307/Security-tight-at-offices-of-Big-3-amid-protest-caravan
Security tight at offices of ‘Big 3’ amid protest caravan
11/28/2008 | 10:08 AM
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MANILA, Philippines - Security was tightened at the offices of three big
oil firms in Makati City in anticipation for the protest caravan by
militant transport groups.
Radio dzBB's Denver Trinidad reported that security personnel were
deployed around the offices of Shell, Caltex and Petron, the targets of
the caravan.
Earlier, militant jeep drivers gathered at Quezon City to prepare for a
protest caravan to Makati City where they were to picket the offices of
three big oil firms.
Radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz reported that at least 30 passenger jeeps had
converged near Quezon City Hall for the caravan.
The protesters led by Pasang Masda planned to hold protests at the
offices of Caltex, Petron and Shell to demand a substantial fuel price
rollback so they can roll back fares.
Smaller oil firms had rolled back prices by as much as P6/liter earlier
this week. - GMANews.TV
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/22/stories/2008112253840300.htm
Kerala - Kozhikode
Taxi drivers stage protest
Staff Reporter
KOZHIKODE: The protest staged by the Light Motor-Taxi Coordination
Committee in front of the district Collectorate here on Friday against
unauthorised taxis plying in the city was a different kind of agitation.
More than 400 taxis started as a vehicle procession from Muthalakulam
Maidan to Collectorate in the morning. The coordination committee
secretary T. Sadanandan said that thousands of illegal taxis were plying
in the city when 400 taxis were complying with rules and paying taxes to
the government. Even government departments were employing these illegal
taxis on daily and monthly basis.
The authorities are not taking action in spite of the mushrooming of
such unauthorised taxis in the city .
The organisation would be forced to intensify its agitation if the
authorities failed to take action, Mr. Sadanandan said.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/anne-gibson/news/article.cfm?a_id=39&objectid=10545037
Painter in protest against hotel owner
4:00AM Wednesday Nov 26, 2008
By Anne Gibson
A group of placard-waving subcontractors protested against
Auckland-headquartered hotel owner CP Group on Queen St last week,
saying they are owed money.
They are promising to return to Auckland's main street tomorrow, saying
negotiations have come to nought.
David Tanenui, an Auckland painter and decorator, demonstrated outside
CP's offices in the Dingwall Building claiming $63,000 for work on the
interior of the group's Lakewood Rotorua property.
But Gordy Mallela, CP Group's financial controller, said no money was
owed and work on the vacant 23-room property was faulty.
Grahame Fong, CP's solicitor, said the painting work was assessed by an
independent contractor and found lacking.
The party dealing with Tanenui was not CP Group but a company CP was
acting as an agent for, he said.
That party was willing to abide by the terms of the Construction
Contracts Act, he said, adding that Tanenui had also protested at the
Rotorua property.
"There was a contract and there is a dispute revolving around that
contract," he said.
Advertisement Advertisement
Tanenui said he had been paid $19,000, the remainder of the money was
outstanding. The job had taken longer than expected: 12 people worked
there for three months and were paid $19,000, he said.
"We should have been out by August 1 but we were still there by
September 1," he said.
CP Group has its headquarters in the Dingwall Building on Queen St and
the group carried signs saying "NZers first" and "Tangata Whenua stands
up for contractors".
Tanenui said he wanted to give a voice to all the subcontractors in New
Zealand who were owed money.
He had taken legal advice about his rights to take court action against
CP but he said this would cost $30,000 and he did not have the money.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/27/2430919.htm
Lawyers protest against legal aid crisis
Posted Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:25am AEDT
• Map: Melbourne 3000
About 200 lawyers have rallied outside Melbourne's County Court, to call
for more funding for legal aid.
The lawyers say they are underpaid for legal aid cases and in some cases
they do not get paid at all.
The President of the Law Institute of Victoria, Tony Burke, says tens of
millions of dollars are needed to fund the system properly.
"You've heard that in the last financial year there was a $20-million
shortfall with Victoria Legal Aid," he said.
"We're looking at at least that amount of money to get the system at
least moving in a more satisfactory way."
The Victorian Premier, John Brumby says he supports the protest.
He blames the Federal Government for cutting legal aid funding.
"You've only got to look at the figures. What used to be a 60/40
arrangement is now a 40/60 arrangement," he said.
"We're now doing the lions share of the funding, and what the Federal
Government needs to do is to increase their funding to at least come up
to match the funding that is being provided by our Government."
The Australian Lawyers Alliance says more innocent Victorians will end
up in jail unless governments urgently boost legal aid funding.
Alliance spokeswoman Clara Davies says people should not have to fend
for themselves in the courtroom just because they do not have the money
to pay a lawyer.
"Everyone should have the equal opportunity to have access to justice
whether or not they can afford to fund their own representation or
whether they have the ability to do so through a scheme such as legal
aid," she said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/23/2427323.htm
Protesting lawyers to stop free legal aid
Posted Sun Nov 23, 2008 11:37am AEDT
Disruptions expected... lawyers say they have been working for free to
provide legal aid. (ABC)
Criminal lawyers say Victoria's courts could face major delays during a
protest against poor pay for legal aid.
The Law Institute says lawyers will stop doing basic legal aid work,
meaning some people will not be represented at hearings.
The Institute says lawyers are increasingly working for free, because
the system is badly under funded.
Spokeswoman Stella Stuthridge says the action is likely to be disruptive.
"You'll find that there will be quite substantial delays, particularly
in the Magistrates Court," she said.
"I think the Magistrates Court is where most of us do most of our daily
free work. But I think there will also be impacts in the County Court
and the Supreme Court, when they discover things like applications for
leave to appeal are done for free by practitioners, by barristers and
solicitors."
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/23/stories/2008102352610300.htm
Other States - Orissa
Sweetmeat makers stage demonstration
Staff Reporter
BHUBANESWAR: Sweetmeat dealers here on Wednesday staged demonstration
demanding roll back of price hiked on milk by Orissa State Cooperative
Milk Producers’ Federation Limited (OMFED). They took out a rally from
city’s Ram Mandir Square and assembled at Lower PMG Square. Sweetmeat
dealers from different parts of the State participated in the
demonstration. On the occasion sweet shops across the State were shut
down. They submitted a 10-point charter of demands to Chief Minister
Naveen Patnaik and fisheries and animal husbandry minister Golak Naik.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/mum-drivers-protest-removing-old-taxis-go-on-strike/75936-3.html?from=rssfeed
Mumbai drivers want to retain old taxis, go on strike
CNN-IBN
Published on Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 10:06, Updated on Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at
14:12 in Nation section
COG IN THE WHEEL: A poster announcing a one-day long auto and taxi
strike in Mumbai is seen on Wednesday.
New Delhi: The Mumbai Autorickshaw-Taximen's Union went on one-day
strike on Thursday protesting the state government’s move to phase out
old taxis in a bid to tackle pollution.
The daily commuter would be badly hit as about 1.5 lakh autorickshaws
and over 50,000 taxis would stay off the roads during the strike.
The union said removing existing taxis, a majority of which are of the
Premier Padmini make, was wrong since the emission norms prescribed were
being met by the vehicles.
"The union is calling for the one day strike to protest against the
Maharashtra government's decision to phase out taxis which are over 25
years old and other issues which have not been resolved," head of the
union, Sharad Rao, said.
Taxi owners have demanded a permit to run old taxis from Airports,
exemption from toll charges and a ban on forceful installation of meters.
The union is demanding a hike in fares, making electronic meters
optional, exemptions from paying toll tax and professional tax for taxi
drivers, abolition of fleet taxis and providing facilities for taxi
drivers at the city's airport.
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20081002-164150/Cebu-jeepney-drivers-protest-fare-cut
Cebu jeepney drivers protest fare cut
By Ara Chawdhury
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 11:47:00 10/02/2008
Filed Under: Road Transport
CEBU CITY, Philippines - Jeepney drivers in Cebu City voiced their
concerns yesterday about lawyer Manuel Iway's petition seeking for a
fare rollback.
The drivers cited high prices of spare parts, vehicle rentals and the
high price of oil despite the rollbacks.
Iway's petition seeks a P2 fare adjustment and to remove additional P10
on taxi fares.
“Bisag ako, malipay man ta kos rollback, naa pud baya koy estudyante (I
too would be happy with a rollback because I too have children in
school),” said Reynaldo Bontuyan, who has 5 children, 3 of whom are
still in High School and College.
Bring the fuel prices back to P35 and it would be okay but as things
stand now he said it's difficult, he said in Cebuano.
Juanito Parajele, a 4C route jeepney driver, cited the high costs of
tires and the vehicle rental as the reasons he is against the fare rollback.
“Karon, omentohan ang abang ini (jeep) ka yang crudo ra man ang niubos,
mahal gihapon ang ligid. Mao man gud na ang sa tag-iya. Otsenta karon
(jeep rental) nga nius-os (price of fuel), nya omentohan ug 50 ang abang
kay mahal nang asete (The operator will increase the jeepney rental from
P80 to P120 or a P50 increase because of the high price of oil or
lubricants),” said Parajele in Cebuano.
The 4C route covers the Lahug to Ramos area.
Rogelio Apilan, a driver plying the 4L route - SM to Lahug route -, said
he finds the price changes tedious because drivers would have to renew
the fare matrix.
“The vehicle rent won’t go down because the operator would say that the
spare parts are still high, ” Alma Apilan, Rogelio’s wife and conductor,
said in Cebuano.
Another driver Daniel Esplaguer, who plies the Labangon to Ayala route,
said in Cebuano that if fare would be reduced to P6, the drivers would
not earn because it would only cover fuel expenses.
He said the P6 was the fare when fuel only cost P30 per liter. Now, it
costs at least P50 per liter.
“Bintaha gud to sa una, makaginansiya pa gani,” Esplaguer said.
Rufino Lao, who drives the 4L route, cited the stiff competition in the
JY Square to SM route as a reason he is against a fare rollback for now.
He said a round trip consumes a liter of diesel which costs P50.
“Pero mokita ko’g P30 to P40 tunga, gamay kaayo’g pasahero, daghag jeep
(There are more jeepneys than passengers in the routes so I earn only
from P30 to P40 for every trip),” Lao said.
“Right now, I could hardly feed my family. My son is in high school but
with the way things are going, I doubt if I could send him to college,”
Lao said in Cebuano.
“Kanang dos, dako pa na ka yang pisa wala mi roll back ang grocery, wa
gud mius-os. Ang abang mosaka.Sa una, kadtong P37 ang crudo, utong na
man gai mi adto” said 12I driver, Esmer Manatun
“Kanang rollback, dos nya bigla bigla. Ang ligid kay milnuwebe na ang pa
recap. Ang ganador sa bugas, P40 na, naa pay panahon magmingaw ang
pasahero, pareho ron kay magholiday na,” said Sancho Rivera, a driver
and owner of a Labangon bound jeep.
But commuter, Eduardo Getaruelas, 27, said he daw no difference in the
rollback petition because the prices of basic goods are still
increasing, making the fare reduction insignificant.
PO1 Danzen Gordovez, who lives in barangay Labangon, Cebu City said he
supported the move to cut the fare by P2.
He pointed out that prices have gone up but the wages have remained low.
However, another commuter, architect student Ronald Ampong said the
public can still cope with the P8 fare but there should be no more
increases.
Porter Elvin Almego, 32, said it would be a big help if the fare would
be adjusted. But he said it would be better if the prices of fuel would
continue to go down.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/25/stories/2008102554570400.htm
Kerala - Kochi
Bus owners’ protest
KOCHI: Some of the owners of private buses will take out a march to the
Transport Bhavan on Saturday to protest against the government move to
cancel the permits of private buses to help KSRTC services. The protest
is being organised by the Bus Transport Association of Kerala. — Staff
Reporter
http://www.theroyalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d8abb330030027§ionId=60
October 23. 2008 09:53AM
Traffic at a standstill as truckers protest
________________________________________
________________________________________
Unexpected sight: Bermuda's Girl Guides and Rotary Exchange students
joined Johnny Barnes at Crow Lane roundabout to wave 'good morning' to
commuters when they were surrounded by a convoy of small truckers from
the Bermuda General Truckers Association. The truckers blocked early
morning traffic at the East Broadway roundabout in protest at big
dumpsters, which they say are putting them out of work.
Photo: Glenn Tucker
All stop: Protesting truckers at the the junction of Par-la-Ville Road
and Dundonald Street in Hamilton.
Truckers ground traffic to a standstill yesterday in protest at the use
of tractor trailer dumpsters on the Island.
Up to 22 trucks took part in the convoy from Paget to the City of
Hamilton, halting morning commuter traffic with slogans such as 'Help
Us' and 'Say No To Dumpsters, Say No 2 Brown Now'.
Accusations of Government cronyism were also emblazoned on the vehicles,
with one independent trucker asking the question 'Policy for Cronies?'
The HCH-class truckers claim the large tractor trailer dumpsters are
taking away their income through the illegal transportation of aggregate.
Members of the New Bermuda General Truckers Association say these larger
vehicles have grown from six to 20 over the past four years, and that
they are operating at Transport Minister, Premier Ewart Brown's
"discretion".
The truckers claim that under The Motor Car Act 1951, the larger trucks
are restricted to transporting demolition rubble such as bulk concrete,
steel, and other heavy materials. Many however, have been seen carrying
aggregate loads such as sand, soil and gravel.
According to a letter dated May 14 from Cherie Whitter, Permanent
Secretary of Tourism and Transport, the Act "has not been amended to
allow the dumpsters to operate in the same capacity as general trucks".
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A Government spokesman said earlier this year: "The relaxation of the
legislation is at the discretion of the Minister of Transport."
It is understood Dr. Brown has issued special permits to enable tractor
trailer dumpster trucks to carry aggregate.
Members of the Truckers Association claim those in receipt include: BCS
(Bermuda Construction Services), Correia Construction, Island
Construction Services, Dynamic Excavating and Landscaping, the Ministry
of Works and Engineering, and M & M Construction.
Opposition Leader Kim Swan, who met with demonstrators yesterday in
Bernard Park, said: "This is a microcosm of a major issue in Bermuda.
The truckers are up against the major firms, they are up against Correia
Construction and Island Construction. That's a direct political connection.
"It's symptomatic of a wider problem that exists when you're talking
about fairness and equality. Messages such as 'Policy for Cronies?' are
powerful messages of a style of governance which is causing the
hard-working Bermudian to feel uneasy."
Mr. Swan said: "Excavation is the bread and butter of these truckers,
and they feel the competition is unfair competition."
Dennis Correia, the owner of Correia Construction and husband of former
PLP candidate Jane Correia, was yesterday off-Island and unavailable to
comment.
However, Zane DeSilva, president and CEO of Island Construction, said:
"In the world of competition there is just that – competition. There is
nothing to stop any individual from going out to purchase a dumpster.
"At the moment we have about 17 to 18 dumpster trucks on the road. If
that is illegal then every truck on Bermuda's roads is operating illegally.
The Government MP for Southampton East Central added: "Everything that
we do we do have permits for. The law is the law at the end of the day.
Every permit Island Construction has obtained legally. We operate within
the realms of the law."
Asked whether he felt more aggregate business could be returned to the
independent truckers, Mr. DeSilva said: "Give it back? It was never
taken from them."
He also addressed truckers' claims that one Association member is being
refused assistance in loading up at Island Quarry.
Mr. DeSilva said: "That's between (the unnamed trucker) and my brother.
That would be an issue they need to sort out themselves."
One trucker taking part in yesterday's demonstration who did not wish to
be named said: "We have no problem with these dumpsters being used for
demolition purposes such as at Club Med, but we want them off the road
at other times. Each truck is five drivers' livelihoods, and so with 20
dumpsters, that's 100 drivers out of a job.
"We guys are losing 60 percent of our income. We are struggling."
Richard Foggo, president of the Truckers Association, said yesterday:
"The public was very supportive this morning and we appreciate that. We
would like to apologise for any inconvenience.
"We have had no justification from the Ministry of Transport for these
vehicles so we had to come out today to show the public the problems we
are having."
Mr. Foggo said he met with Transport Control Department (TCD) Director
Randy Richardson and that Truckers Association representatives will meet
with construction companies operating the dumpsters tomorrow in an
attempt to iron out the issues.
But he added: "Until we get a firm position we are going to stand firm.
If it's only talk then expect these men to stand up for their
livelihoods and their families."
Tim James, chairman of the Trucks Advisory Committee, said yesterday:
"The concerns of the General Truckers Association may be better
addressed if they talk directly with their industry competitors.
"Based on the talks I have had with the General Truckers Association,
the main sticking point is competition. There are trucking companies out
there with the necessary permits for decades and who have steadily built
up their businesses. It would be irresponsible and unreasonable for the
Government to step in and tell a properly permitted business person that
he or she must give up the jobs they have worked legally to secure."
A Government spokeswoman said a TCD review of the use of tractor trailer
dumpsters has now been completed.
"It was observed and concluded that several operators were using
dumpsters inappropriately, and as a result, TCD issued notices to all
permit holders advising truckers about operating in contravention of the
law," she said.
"TCD once again reminded all commercial truck operators that they are
still required to apply to the Minister of Tourism and Transport for the
occasional use of dumpster trucks."
She said: "TCD will remain focused on upholding the law, and in that
regard, the Bermuda General Truckers Association has the full support of
the Government. It should be important to note that the Government has
consistently hired independent truckers for public projects.
"The president of the New Bermuda General Truckers Association has been
hired to complete tens of thousands of dollars in work for the
Government in the current fiscal year."
Yesterday it emerged the Bermuda Police Service is considering issuing
the demonstrators with tickets for "various traffic offences".
Traffic Police diverted the truckers through the City of Hamilton to
Dutton Avenue after they were seen "disrupting the regular flow of
traffic" by driving between the roundabouts of Trimingham Hill and Crow
Lane.
A Police spokesman said: "A number of offences were detected and some
truck drivers were reported for various traffic offences. The BPS is
currently reviewing the situation to see whether or not any other
offences may have been committed."
Last night the Premier Ewart Brown said the issue would be left up to
the chairman of the Truck Advisory Committee Tim James.
He said: "He has a good understanding of what is happening in the
trucking industry. I don't know most of the details but there is no
contemplation of a policy change."
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20081013/news/810130398
TEHRAN, Iran Shops close to protest tax
Published: Monday, October 13, 2008 at 4:24 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, October 13, 2008 at 4:24 a.m.
A strike in Iran's traditional bazaars expanded Sunday despite an order
by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to suspend a new sales tax that ignited
the protest more than a week ago.
The main entrance to the Grand Bazaar in Tehran was closed as major
traders like carpet and textile merchants joined the jewelers, who had
started the strike in Tehran. The strike continued in the traditional
bazaars in several other large cities, including Isfahan, where it
erupted first on Oct. 4.
In the latest sign of discontent with Ahmadinejad's economic policies,
the merchants went on strike to protest being included in the country's
first value-added tax.
-- Press Democrat news services
http://www.rferl.org/Content/Tehran_Bazaar_Gradually_Reopens_After_Tax_Protest/1329419.html
Tehran Bazaar Gradually Reopens After Tax Protest
Some Tehran shop owners are defying the call to reopen.
October 13, 2008
TEHRAN (Reuters) -- Most shopkeepers in Tehran's main bazaar have
reopened for business after a protest against a new sales tax, but some
defied calls from their trade union to go back to work.
Protests by influential merchants broke out in several cities last week,
posing an economic and political challenge to President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad before a 2009 presidential election in the world's
fourth-largest oil producer.
It was the first time bazaar traders had closed their shops on such a
scale since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when they played a key role in
ousting the U.S.-backed shah.
In the face of the protests, the president on October 10 suspended for
two months the 3 percent value added tax that came into force late last
month. But Iranian media said shop owners wanted it scrapped altogether
and Tehran's sprawling bazaar was virtually closed on October 12.
Shops stayed closed on the morning of October 13 but many later pulled
up their shutters for customers, a Reuters witness in the vast and
covered market place said. Police patrolled the bazaar's winding streets
and alleys but there was no sign of trouble.
"We try to make a living. We've got a family to worry about," a clothes
vendor said when asked why he had opened.
'Go Back To Your Jobs'
A shop owner selling watches said it seemed that union officials had
asked prominent merchants to resume business.
"I'm hoping they [the government] will permanently withdraw the VAT
plan," he said, like others declining to be named.
Many textile shops remained closed, however, defying a call by their own
union broadcast via loudspeakers in the bazaar.
"Open up! Go back to your jobs! The VAT plan has been suspended," the
message urged.
Ahmadinejad came to power in 2005 on a pledge to share out Iran's oil
wealth more fairly. But political opponents and other critics say his
profligate spending of petrodollars has fueled inflation, now running at
an annual 29 percent.
Iran also faces the prospect of lower oil income, with the price of
crude down around 45 percent from a July peak of $147.
"What the government should have done instead of splurging was to invest
Iran's record oil profits," the English-language "Tehran Times" daily
said in an editorial.
Leading reformist politician Mehdi Karrubi on October 12 became the
first major figure to announce he would run in next June's election,
when Ahmadinejad is expected to stand for a new term.
Some analysts believe Ahmadinejad remains the favorite to win the
election as he enjoys the apparent support of Iran's Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, especially in his handling of Tehran's nuclear
dispute with the West.
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=3&article_id=96702
Tehran bazaar strike continues as merchants protest VAT law
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Monday, October 13, 2008
Listen to the Article - Powered by
The Iranian capital's traditional bazaar stayed on strike on Sunday as
merchants pressed their demand that a decision to bring in VAT be
scrapped, even after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad officially froze its
implementation for two months. Stalls were shut down in the capital's
main bazaar, an AFP correspondent said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/21/iran-middleeast-ahmadinejad-bazaaris
Ahmadinejad 0, shopkeepers 1
Iran's president has lost his battle with the all-powerful trading
community over VAT. It's a significant defeat
Comments (65)
• M Cist
• guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 21 October 2008 20.30 BST
• Article history
President Ahmadinejad has had to cave into strikers across Iran. Strikes
are illegal, so how is it that industrial action succeeded when years of
strikes by factory workers and government employees have been brutally
put down? Well, this was a strike by not just your average group of workers.
Tens of thousands of small shops make up the labyrinthine bazaars of
Tehran and together their owners comprise the class that legitimises the
Iranian government. Ayatollah Khomeini and his successor would be
nothing without the bazaaris. Authors Andreas Malm and Shora Esmailian,
in Iran on the Brink characterise the centuries-old bazaar as something
that fosters a powerful petit bourgeoisie every bit as much as the
coal-mines of 19th-century Europe fostered a proletariat. Well,
President Ahmadinejad just had the gall to take them on. And he lost.
It was the Shah's dreams of demolishing the bazaars that, finally, cost
him – and his US backers – his throne. The bazaaris together with the
clerical class outflanked the left and sewed up the coalition that has
ruled Iran since the Islamic Revolution. Somehow, President Ahmadinejad
thought he could implement a 3% VAT charge on the class that keeps him
in power.
There were general strikes in the bazaars of Isfahan, Mashhad, Tabriz
and Tehran. "Asshole" was what they were calling the president when I
went through the alleys of Tehran's dusty bazaar where gruff traders
work long hours to maintain some of the richest livelihoods in Iran.
"Why should we pay tax when none of Khamenei's cronies do? Do you think
Rafsanjani pays sales tax?" He was referring to former president,
Hashemi Rafsanjani, chairman of the assembly of experts which
theoretically chooses Ayatollah Khamanei's successor. Rafsanjani also
chairs the expediency council which mediates between parliament and
those who vet parliamentary candidates, and his family is very, very rich.
After the jewellery trader gave me some tea, he changed the numbers on a
digital board to reflect the creeping rise in gold prices and said he
had had enough of Ahmadinejad. He said his friends on the Bonyad-e
Mostazafin or Foundation of the Oppressed would destroy the president.
The Bonyads are "charitable" institutions that dominate the economy.
This Bonyad, exempt from any auditing or taxes, produces two-thirds of
all the bricks, tyres and chemicals in the country. They even produce
the home-grown, anti-imperialist cola, Zam-Zam, which traces its roots
to the days when bazaaris's pressured the government to kick Pepsi out
of the country because it was hurting the bazaars' lemonade makers. I
asked about strikes being illegal and he said that if Ahmadinejad didn't
cancel the tax, the bazaaris would have students, doctors and nurses out
on the streets in support. "We would overthrow the government just like
we did in 1979!"
"Why are we spending all our money on Hizbollah and Hamas when we need
money here?" he asked, "at least gold prices will soon rise because of
George Bush."
I walked through the maze of stalls selling microwaves, carpets,
chadors, pots and pans, stationery and duvets and out towards the late
18th-century mosque scarred by scaffolding with its courtyard of
switched-off fountains. It was as quiet as I had ever seen it. Within
hours, Ahmadinejad ordered the economy ministry to back down. Parliament
had approved the tax last year and finally summoned up the courage to
implement it only to find itself powerless in the face of the merchants.
Official inflation is around 30% and when the government sent a
minister, Ali Akbar Arab-Mazar, to pacify Isfahan's bazaar, he was told
to go back to Tehran. Trying to put a brave face on it, Ahmadinejad's
new finance minister, Shamsoddin Hosseini said on TV that the government
should have explained things better. As things stand, it looks like
Ahmadinejad cannot implement any of the plans drawn up by his economic
advisers. What they fail to understand is that the influx of foreign
remittances pump up the skyrocketing property markets of Iran's big
cities. That's where the inflation comes from.
Already, the perception that there is less of an imminent threat from
Israel or the United States is causing problems for the Iranian
government. It has been relying on the external menace to prop up
political power and the less Bush talks, the more room there is in Iran
for dissent. Perhaps only John McCain can save a regime that smells both
of Soviet communism and the Sicilian Mafia. Then again, Senator Obama's
desire for more sanctions will help the Iranian government, too.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=143558
Shopkeepers protest against reconstruction of Gizri flyover Tuesday,
October 28, 2008
By Ahmed Yusuf
Karachi
Shopkeepers of the Gizri market protested against the alleged initiative
of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) to redesign the Gizri flyover so
that the construction stops short of the residential area limits.
Shopkeepers in Gizri started closing their businesses around quarter to
two in the afternoon on Monday. Not only were the shutters closed down,
but shopkeepers and workers blocked the road to gain the attention of
passers-by.
At one point, the protest had the potential to turn violent as one or
two tyres were burnt by enraged protesters. However, the quick
intervention of both the protest leaders and the police ensured that the
incident remained an anomaly in what turned out to be a largely peaceful
protest.
The spokesperson for the Gizri Action Committee (GAC) said: “Our main
issue is that the decision to redesign the flyover will in effect kill
our businesses. Further, the design of the flyover is such that the
entrances to a mosque and a school will be blocked, and the ventilation
of shops and these buildings will severely be affected as a result of
the new design”.
“We fear that as a result of the new design, the safety of our customers
and more importantly, that of the residents and workers of the area is
at stake. Cars travelling at high speeds on the flyover are a danger to
pedestrians around the area, especially children going to school.
Further, there will be no parking area left, and it will cause a lot of
hassle for shopkeepers and their customers,” they said.
“This is a conspiracy to eradicate our businesses and has been done to
appease the residents of two or three houses. We don’t understand that
in this day of poverty, why are small and medium businesses being killed
off. Our businesses not only serve residents around Gizri, but also the
residents around Defence. Our loss is also a loss of the residents of
Defence”. Shopkeepers vowed to continue their protest till the matter
was resolved.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/12/stories/2008101259680300.htm
Kerala - Kochi
Hoteliers protest hike in water tariff
Kochi: The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association, Ernakulam District
Committee, will take out a march on October 21 to the office of the
Kerala Water Authority chief engineer here in protest against the water
tariff hike.
At a press conference, A.M. Abudulla and M.P. Shiju, president and
secretary respectively of the association, demanded that the benefits
being given to the small scale industries be accorded to the hotel
industry as well. They said that the restriction on power use imposed by
the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had affected the hotel
industry in the State. Many of the hotels were on the verge of closing
down. Bakeries, photo developing units and engineering workshops were
getting power at a concessional tariff because they had been accorded
the status of small scale industry. The concessions being enjoyed by the
small scale industry should be extended to the hotel industry, given its
service-oriented nature. In fact, the labour laws and the provisions of
the Industrial Disputes Act applicable to the small scale industrial
units had to be complied with by hotel owners as well. Even the
government and courts had included the hotel industry in the category of
small scale industries.
The new rules for constructing two toilets in a hotel had also affected
small restaurants and hotels.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/238068,retailers-across-greece-close-down-to-protest-reforms-higher-tax.html
Retailers across Greece close down to protest reforms, higher tax
Posted : Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:42:46 GMT
Author : DPA
Athens - Retail shops across Greece closed down for several hours on
Wednesday to protest the conservative government's reform policies which
they say will force their businesses to go bankrupt. From the Greek
capital Athens and the northern port city of Thessaloniki to hundreds of
islands in the Aegean, small and medium clothing and food retailers
refused to do business to protest the sinking purchasing power of the
Greeks who on average earn less than 1,000 euros (1,325 dollars) a month.
The retailers are also demanding lower taxes for their businesses.
Reports said many of the large retailers did not take part in the strike
action and opened as usual.
Wednesday's action follows a larger nationwide strike a day earlier
called by the country's two largest unions, private sector federation
GSEE and public sector union ADEDY, representing more than half of the
country's workforce of 5 million.
The unions are protesting the 2009 budget, which is expected to go to
parliament for debate this week. The unions say the budget fails to
ensure workers will receive either their pensions or protection from
privatization and tax collecting measures.
The demonstrations were also called to protest proposed labour reforms
and plans to privatize companies, such as Olympic Airlines.
The country came to a standstill during the strike, which forced Athens'
International Airport to shut down for several hours.
Dozens of demonstrations took place in cities, towns and islands across
the country. In Athens, more than 15,000 people protested in two
separate demonstrators.
The 24-hour strike shut down banks, schools, public services and
transport. Ferries were forced to remain docked at ports across the
country. Lawyers, railway workers and civil engineers also joined the
protest. Journalists enforced a news blackout to protest drastic
economic policies.
Workers at partially-privatized telecommunication company OTE, and the
state-run Public Power Corporation joined the demonstrations, as did
state hospital employees, leaving hospitals to operate with a handful of
emergency staff.
Urban transport such as buses, trolley buses and trams were also
disrupted as employees staged numerous work stoppages throughout the day.
The conservative government, under the leadership of Prime Minister
Costas Karamanlis, has been rocked by recent scandals. It said it will
push forward with reforms and privatizations despite union opposition.
It has promised to protect Greece's population from rising inflation.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1016/wexford.html
Picket over payments at Wexford hotel
Thursday, 16 October 2008 22:09
A group of businessmen have picketed outside Whites hotel in Wexford
this evening in a dispute over payment.
They include traders, sub-contractors and suppliers who worked on the
development of the new hotel.
As many as 60 people were involved.
Advertisement
They and the main contractors, Cleary and Doyle, are owed €3.2m by the
hotel's owners.
Building work on the hotel was completed in August 2006, but contractors
say they have only been paid a third of the money they are owed.
The case was before the High Court earlier this year, and Cleary and
Doyle secured a judgment for payment of the debt by Balmaford, the
company legally responsible for Whites hotel.
The protest is the first in a planned campaign. Balmaford has declined
to comment.
Whites said tonight that a separate development company was responsible
for the employment of all sub contractors.
They added that to date over €37m has been paid over to the main
contractor Clear and Doyle.
Whites Hotel also said that no court order existed against it in favour
of the main contractor.
---------------------------------------------------
Students rally amid SBY speech
Jakarta Post - August 16, 2008
Jakarta -- Around 100 students from several state
universities staged a rally outside the House of
Representatives, where President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono was delivering an annual state address
Friday.
The protesters called on the government to roll
back its controversial policy of raising fuel
prices by 28.7 percent in May.
Going under the title Student Executive Board, they
urged the President to directly attend an inquiry
by the House into the fuel price policy to show his
responsibility for the decision.
The demonstrators also demanded the
"nationalization of strategic assets" under control
by state-owned BP Migas.
The government must also pay more attention to the
people's basic needs, including education,
healthcare and food, they said.
The three-hour rally, which began at 9 a.m., ended
peacefully amid tight police security.
---------------------------------------------------
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/19/stories/2008081951890300.htm
Tamil Nadu - Tirunelveli
AIADMK men stage demonstration
Staff Reporter
Protest "hike in property tax”; flay local body’s failure to improve
facilities
— Photo: A. Shaikmohideen.
AGITATION: AIADMK cadres staging a demonstration in Tirunelveli on Monday.
TIRUNELVELI: Over 800 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
functionaries, including 150 women, staged a demonstration in front of
the Tirunelveli Corporation on Monday in protest against “steep hike in
property tax and condemning the local body’s failure to strengthen
infrastructure”.
Addressing protestors, organising secretary of the party and former
Minister Muthusamy, while listing out the “mismanagement and failures”
of the Corporation administration, said the “mistakes” being committed
now would be rectified in near future as elections to Parliament and
Assembly would be conducted simultaneously.
“AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa’s strategy will ensure victory in
a minimum of 180 Assembly constituencies as the people are eagerly
waiting for the polls to punish the present rulers,” he said.
Former Industries Minister and election wing joint secretary of the
party Nainar Nagendran said the public, who were struggling to lead an
ordinary life owing to inflation, were being punished by the corporation
by increasing the property tax while nothing was being done to
strengthen infrastructure such as roads, streetlights and drinking water.
Sankarankovil MLA C. Karuppasamy, former MLAs R.P. Adityan, Murugaiah
Pandian, Manickaraj, former Mayor A. Jayarani, Tirunelveli City district
secretary of AIADMK ‘Popular’ Muthiah were among those who participated
in the demonstration.
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20080827a1.html
Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008
Fuel costs spur nationwide trucker protest
Kyodo News
Truck operators nationwide launched a series of protests Tuesday
demanding that the central and prefectural governments take measures to
help them cope with rising fuel costs.
Truck rally: Feeling the pinch of soaring fuel prices, a truck driver
holds up a banner reading "A rally to overcome the business crisis" at
LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Tuesday. KYODO PHOTO
Among the measures the Japan Trucking Association demanded are cuts in
expressway tolls and diesel delivery tax imposed by prefectural
authorities.
The association represents about 51,000 truck operators, or about 80
percent of all truck operators in Japan.
The association held rallies and street protests in 31 prefectures,
including Tokyo and Okayama, with the number of participants estimated
at 20,000.
Similar protests are planned for Kagoshima and two other prefectures
through early September.
In the city of Okayama, a local teamster group paraded 30 trucks over 8
km on a road leading to the prefectural office in the morning.
An estimated 700 protesters called for a cut in "the world's highest
expressway tolls," group officials said.
Tokyo's rally was held in a hall inside the Liberal Democratic Party's
headquarters in Chiyoda Ward. About 1,000 members of the association
from the Kanto region gathered to demand tax cuts and the promotion of a
system requiring cargo owners to pay a fuel surcharge in addition to
delivery fees.
Many small and midsize operators have yet to repay loans for new trucks
they purchased to abide by exhaust regulations tightened several years
ago, according to a senior association official.
"The transportation business is slumping due to the slowing economy and
decline in public work projects that reduced demand for transportation
of construction materials," the official said. "We are struggling amid
rising fuel costs and discount wars."
According to a survey the association conducted this month, the price of
diesel, the main fuel for trucks, stood at ¥139 per liter, up ¥75 from
fiscal 2003.
The surge is estimated to have increased annual expenses for all truck
operators by ¥1.2 trillion.
Recently a huge number of fishermen across the country temporarily
suspended operations, calling for government assistance to help them
cope with soaring fuel prices.
Against this backdrop, the government is readying an economic stimulus
package to help smaller firms, farmers, fishermen and transportation
companies by providing financial assistance and reducing expressway tolls.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20080922-162111/Piston-to-hold-protest-in-Mendiola
Piston to hold protest in Mendiola
By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:12:00 09/22/2008
Filed Under: Protest, Road Transport, Oil & Gas - Downstream activities
MANILA, Philippines—Militant transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan
ng Tsuper at Operaytor Nationwide (Piston) will stage a rally on Monday
to press its demand that oil companies bring down the price of petroleum
products to P37 per liter.
The group will also reiterate its call that government scrap the
12-percent value-added tax on fuel products.
Piston secretary general George San Mateo, however, clarified that the
mass action would not include a transport strike.
“There is no strike on Monday. Our activity is to march peacefully … and
have a program at Mendiola,” he said.
The rally will start at 11 a.m. in Sto. Domingo Church on Quezon Avenue,
Quezon City.
From there, Piston which expects around 500 to 1,000 of its members to
participate, will march to Mendiola where it will be joined by other
groups like the Kilusang Mayo Uno and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.
San Mateo said their members in the Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions,
the provinces of Negros, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao and General Santos and
Cagayan de Oro City would also hold marches.
According to him, the protests were aimed at denouncing the refusal of
the so-called “Big 3” oil companies (Pilipinas Shell, Petron Corp. and
Chevron) to cut fuel prices even as oil prices in the world market have
hit $86 per barrel from a high of $147.
“The price of oil in the world market has gone down to $86 but these
foreign-owned companies are taking too long in rolling back prices. But
when it comes to raising prices, they act as soon as the world price
goes up,” San Mateo said.
“Oil companies claim that they are not making a profit but their
domestic operations continue to post billions of pesos worth of income,”
he added.
In a press briefing last week, Piston president Steve Ranjo said that
the current cost of diesel at P49 per liter was overpriced by P11.
Since August, the price of gasoline has gone down by about P9.50 per
liter while diesel and gasoline prices have dropped by P7.50 per liter.
--------------------------------------------------
'Bajaj' owners demand missing vehicles, money
Jakarta Post - August 20, 2008
Tifa Asrianti, Jakarta -- Bajaj (three-wheeled
taxi) owners and the People's Information Group
(LIRA) held a demonstration at City Hall on Tuesday
to demand transparency in the program to replace
gas-powered bajaj.
The owners are members of the Indonesian Bajaj
Society, the Bajaj Sehati Cooperative and the Surya
Kencana Cooperative.
M. Jusuf Rizal of LIRA urged the city
administration to hold an investigative audit of
the 2006 procurement license given to PT Abdi
Rahardja. They said the company was supposed to
have procured some 5,000 new bajaj that use
compressed natural gas (CNG) but had obtained only
253 so far.
"The city administration issued another license in
2007 to the same company that allowed it to procure
4,750 bajaj over a six-month period. However, it
procured only 250 units," Jusuf said.
He said the governor should order the company to
either settle or return the money bajaj owners had
paid to procure the CNG-based vehicles. He said
they paid Rp 1.5 million per bajaj as a down
payment, with some having made the deposit eighteen
months ago.
Jusuf said the owners had yet to receive the new
bajaj even though they had submitted their vehicles
documents to the company.
"We estimate the company has received at least Rp 3
billion from owners, but so far the realization
remains low," he said. "Even though the company
breached the contract, the city administration has
not done anything," he added.
To reduce air pollution caused by some 14,000
smoke-belching bajaj, the city administration had
targeted upgrading 5,000 old bajaj to CNG-powered
ones by the end of 2007.
Deputy Governor Prijanto said he would check the
cause of the late procurement.
"It depends on the agreement. If the company broke
the deal, it is possible we would end the
agreement. We support the CNG bajaj because this
conversion program is good for the environment,"
Prijanto said after attending a plenary session.
Tarmidi Edy Suwarno, a councilor on the City
Council's Commission B, said the city council would
soon contact the company, the transportation agency
and the industry and trade agency to hear
explanations for the delayed procurement.
"We must not hear only from one side. We'll ask
them about the bajaj procurement procedure and the
import license," said Tarmidi of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
According to Tarmidi, the commission would question
the high taxation involved in acquiring bajaj,
which included a 45 percent customs office tax and
a 10 percent luxury tax.
He said the city council did not know a lot about
the bajaj business because it was the first time
bajaj cooperatives had come to the city council.
---------------------------------------------------
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2379892,00.html
Taxi protesters attack drivers
21/08/2008 11:37 - (SA)
Johannesburg - About 50 members of the Kempton Park Taxi Association
blockaded Tembisa roads on Thursday morning, robbing at least one
motorist and slashing the tyres of two cars, police said.
"The illegal march started at about 04:00 this morning by taxi operators
of the Kempton Park Taxi Association," said Inspector Mveli Nhlapo.
The protesters, one of whom was armed with a firearm, others carrying
knobkerries and sjamboks, stopped motorists in Tembisa who were
transporting stranded commuters.
"Two cars were damaged. They slashed all four tyres on both cars. One of
the motorists said they also took money from him," said Nhlapo.
"We don't know what aggravated them," he added.
The protesters then took a train at Leralla railway station to Van
Riebeeck station near Kempton Park and continued their march.
"The police warned them to disperse because the march was illegal but
they refused to disperse. The police fired rubber bullets to disperse
the crowd," said Nhlapo.
Some of the protesters ran away but 13 were arrested. They face charges
of malicious damage to property, public violence, theft and possession
of an illegal firearm.
Nobody was injured.
- SAPA
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0904/taxi.html
Protest halts taxi services at Dublin Airport
Thursday, 4 September 2008 15:11
Passengers at Dublin Airport were left without taxi services for over
two hours this morning during a protest by taxi drivers.
The action was taken after an inspection by members of the gardaí and
the Commission for Taxi Regulation.
Tommy Gorman of the National Taxi Drivers Union said members were angry
at the way the inspection was carried out but that his organisation had
been calling for action to stop 'cloning' of taxi licences.
A spokesman for the Dublin Airport Authority said passengers were
diverted to air coach and Dublin Bus services.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Auto-drivers-stage-protest,-submit-demands-to-STA/356669/
Auto drivers stage protest, submit demands to STA
Express News Service Posted: Sep 03, 2008 at 0241 hrs IST
Chandigarh, September 02: The Auto Rickshaw Union held a rally in Sector
17, to protest against the decision of the State Transport Authority
(STA) to phase out diesel-run auto-rickshaws from the city. The date for
the same has been decided to be August 31, 2009.
The union also submitted a memorandum of demands to Vandna Disodia,
Secretary, STA. They said the earlier life span of the diesel-run autos
was 15 years earlier, but many operators have not been able to repay
their loan installments.
Jarnail Singh Chauhan, President, Auto Rickshaw Union said: “Those who
had taken a loan for auto rickshaws a year or two ago, have not been
able to repay the same.
No financial help or subsidy was provided in 2001, while phasing out of
the petrol auto-rickshaws and the same is expected this time too. Also,
as there are very less number of LPG outlets, it will create a law and
order problem in the city.”
The Administration has decided that no further renewal of permits will
be allowed beyond August 31, 2009 and only LPG auto rickshaws will be
allowed on the roads of Chandigarh.
http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2391053,00.html
Taxi drivers protest over fines
10/09/2008 13:18 - (SA)
Durban - Hundreds of minibus taxis blockaded Durban's Warrick Triangle
area on Wednesday in protest against metropolitan police who had been
fining them.
Inspector Michael Read said the taxis had simply parked in the area
complaining that they were being fined excessively.
eThekwini metropolitan police spokesperson Joyce Khuzwayo could not be
reached immediately for comment.
There were unconfirmed reports that the metropolitan police were
impounding several hundred of the minibus taxis.
- SAPA
http://www.thestar.co.za/?fSectionId=129&fArticleId=nw20080909101733106C319594
Taxi drivers prepare for protest march
9 September 2008, 10:22
Gauteng taxi drivers were gathering in central Pretoria on Tuesday to
march for better working conditions, said the South African Transport
and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu).
"Drivers are gathering at the corner of Schubart and Proes streets. We
are going to march to the department of labour offices to hand over a
memorandum," said Satawu spokesperson Joel Sindane.
Drivers' grievances include the sectoral determination and the slow
implementation of taxi recapitalisation.
"The department put the sectoral determination in place in 2005 but
nothing has changed... The department should subsidise the industry.
"With the taxi recapitalisation, people are losing their jobs. They
should speed up the process," said Sindane.
He said drivers were coming from across the province, "from places such
as Kempton Park and Soshanguve".
"Commuters have not been affected much by this march," said Sindane. - Sapa
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20080827-0710-italy-pizza-.html
Neapolitans get free pizza in price protest
By Laura Viggiano
REUTERS
7:10 a.m. August 27, 2008
NAPLES – 'Pizzaioli' or pizza chefs in Naples, birthplace of the
Margherita, handed out free pizzas on Wednesday in protest at high
prices charged by rivals who, they say, use the spike in commodity
prices to rip off consumers.
In the city where the classic 'Margherita' with mozzarella, tomato and
basil topping was invented in the 19th century – and named in honour of
a queen with a taste for fast food – 30 cooks lit up six wood-burning
ovens to cook 5,000 thin-crusted Neapolitan pizzas for queues of local
people and tourists.
The group staged the protest in Piazza Dante to demand stricter price
controls to defend the reputation of a traditional Neapolitan product
which they said should be 'the synthesis of quality and low cost'.
Commodity prices, like fuel prices, have fallen back from record highs
in the past month on worries about global consumer and business demand
as the world economy heads into a slowdown. But retail prices have so
far failed to reflect that trend.
'Everything has become more expensive now, including pizza, for people
who need to watch what they spend,' said 19-year-old Arianna Masiello,
taking advantage of the free pizza offer.
Pizzaioli in Naples favor fixing the price of a slice at 3-3.50 euros
($4.40-$5.15) – when most pizza outlets charge a minimum of 4 euros and
often nearly twice that much.
'In Naples and elsewhere in Italy that should be enough to cover costs
and give a profit margin, without damaging quality,' Sergio Miccu,
president of the Association of Neapolitan Pizza Cooks, told Reuters.
The Treasury says that in June the price of pasta jumped more than 30
percent and that of bread more than 13 percent, and consumers are
feeling the pinch.
Italians are likely to spend an additional 2,000 euros per family on
food and energy bills this year.
Italy's biggest consumer group wants shoppers to observe a 'bread
strike' on Sept. 18 after last year's 'pasta strike'.
Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia proposes introducing low-cost staple
products to protect consumers from price hikes he blames on speculation
by 'five groups that control 80 percent' of the retail food sector in
Italy.
(Additional reporting by Cristiano Corvino; reporting by Stephen Brown;
editing by Tim Pearce)
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080915/jsp/siliguri/story_9833843.jsp
Plastic raids prompt trader protest
OUR CORRESPONDENT
PCB officials raid a plastic carry bag godown at Mahabirstan in
Siliguri. Picture by Kundan Yolmo
Siliguri, Sept. 14: A series of raids by the West Bengal Pollution
Control Board at the plastic carry bag manufacturing units and godowns
here has triggered protests from traders.
The Board has put a blanket ban on the use of plastic carry bags in
Darjeeling district in September 2003 because of its geographical location.
Last week’s raids came after a section of residents and businessmen were
seen flouting the ban. Following the raids, the Board also served
notices on 10 traders to attend a hearing in its Matigara office next week.
“Such raids are misleading and create panic among the public and
insecurity among workers at our units,” said Ashish Chandak, the
secretary of the North Bengal Plastic Manufacturers and Dealers’ Welfare
Association. “Carry bags have become an important part in the lifestyle
of people and these, irrespective of their size and thickness, are cent
per cent recyclable. So there is no need for a ban.”
Chandak said they were working with the Siliguri Municipal Corporation
in its solid waste management programme to check pollution. “We are
procuring every piece of recyclable plastic from thousands of rag
pickers, scrap dealers and dumping ground.”
The Board, however, is firm about its stand. Biswajit Mukherjee, the
member-secretary of the State Plastic Management Committee, said: “It
was disappointing to see rampant use of plastic carry bags in Siliguri
despite the ban, unlike the hills where the directive has been strictly
followed. We have resorted to raids to check the use and ensure
compliance of the rules. There is also a Calcutta High Court ruling
which cannot be flouted.”
Traders, however, feel the state should lift the ban. “The decision of
complete ban on plastic bags in Darjeeling district should be
reconsidered,” said Biswajit Das, the general secretary of the
Federation of the Chambers of Commerce and Industries, North Bengal.
“Bags having 40 micron or more thickness should be allowed like any
other district of the state.”
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/01/stories/2008100161170500.htm
Tamil Nadu - Chennai
Protest against road project
Staff Reporter
CHENNAI: Members of the Federation of Traders, Building Owners and
Residents between Padi and Thiruninravur observed fast on Monday in
Ambattur protesting the Chennai-Tiruvallur High (CTH) Road widening
project to be taken up by the National Highways Authority of India.
The project to widen the road to 200 feet between Padi and Thiruninravur
would affect nearly one lakh people, who either own residential or
commercial buildings, they said. Federation president K. Mohan said
widening the road to 80 ft. would suffice for four lane system proposed
in the project to ease traffic congestion.
Diversion of heavy vehicles plying between Poonamallee and Koyambedu via
Ambattur and Avadi caused traffic congestion. Once the work on the
Chennai Bypass project gets over, the heavy vehicles would not ply on
the CTH Road, facilitating free flow of traffic, he said.
Mr. Mohan said representations have been made to the authorities
concerned about the impact of the road widening project on the
livelihood of the traders.
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/26/stories/2008082655010600.htm
Tamil Nadu
Fishermen stage demonstration
Staff Reporter
“Provide more diesel for boat operation”
— Photo: N. Rajesh.
AGITATION: Fishermen and owners of mechanised fishing boats staging a
demonstration in Tuticorin on Monday.
Tuticorin: Fishermen and owners of mechanised fishing boats staged a
demonstration in front of the Collectorate on Monday, to press their
demands.
They urged the district administration to take immediate steps to
provide more diesel for the operation of boats, as 246 mechanised boats
based at the fishing harbour here had been keeping away from sea for the
past many days, owing to acute fuel shortage.
The agitators pointed out that against the daily requirement of 90,000
litres for 246 boats, only 36,000 litres were now provided to the
fishermen through the three fuel bunks operated by the Tamil Nadu
Fisheries’ Development Corporation here.
Due to this crisis, the trade had been affected severely for the past
one week as the boats could not go fishing in deep sea.
Later, they submitted a memorandum to the Collector, R. Palaniyandi,
seeking his intervention. He assured them that steps would be taken to
enhance the supply of diesel in consultation with the authorities concerned.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0902/fish.html
Fishermen threaten further protests
Tuesday, 2 September 2008 15:28
Fishermen have threatened to resume protests over what they see as a
delay in the payment of compensation for reduced quotas and high fuel
costs.
The Fisherman's Representative Group was set up by fishermen who were
involved in protests in June.
They demonstrated over fuel costs, low catching quotas and forced
discarding of fish at sea.
Advertisement
In a statement, the group said that despite the protests and meetings,
fishermen have received no help and crews are facing ruin.
The statement warns: 'A resumption of the protests and further action
can be expected if the issues have not been addressed by mid-September.'
Minister for Fisheries Tony Killeen said the onus was on the EU
Fisheries Commission to provide and fund compensation.
He added that although it had been indicated that payments might not be
made until next year, the Government would be pressing for compensation
before Christmas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/world/europe/26briefs-OYSTERFARMER_BRF.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
France: Oyster Farmers in Protest
By REUTERS
Published: August 25, 2008
About 100 oyster farmers dumped at least 12 tons of oyster shells on the
doorstep of a government office in Bordeaux on Monday to demand more aid
to overcome a shellfish crisis. French oysters 12 to 18 months old have
been dying across many of the nation’s breeding centers after an
outbreak of a herpes virus, prompting the authorities to pledge help
that has included tax benefits. France produces more than 100,000 tons
of oysters a year.
http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-247265-Lobster-fishermens-protest-over-scallop-fishery-far-from-over.html
Lobster fishermen's protest over scallop fishery far from over
Article online since September 8th 2008, 21:07
Be the first to comment on this article
Lobster fishermen Michael Newell (foreground) and Kevin Ross help lower
a remotely operated underwater camera over the side last month.
Fishermen are hoping to get the camera back this month for a better
look. Photo contributed
Lobster fishermen's protest over scallop fishery far from over
By Kathy Johnson
FOR THE SOU’WESTER
NovaNewsNow.com
Protesting lobster fishermen may have given up their post by the Cape
Sable Island causeway in southwestern Nova Scotia, but they have not
given up the fight to stop scallop dragging on traditional lobster
fishing grounds in the area.
“We’re not giving up,” said Stoney Island fisherman Kevin Ross. “We’re
still fighting it but we can’t be there (at the causeway) all the time.
It’s been hard on our families and we have work to do.”
Lobster fishermen began their protest in June, just after the scallop
fishing area 29 fishery opened. They are concerned with potential damage
to both lobster stocks and habitat from scallop dragging.
“We’ve been at meetings, on the phone or on the water,” said Cape Sable
Island fishermen Michael Newell. “It’s been stressful.”
Besides lobbying the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans for
improved science and changes to the SFA 29 fishery, they also conducted
a test fishery in August on traditional lobster grounds fished by the
scallop draggers this year.
Between 0.5 to five per cent of lobsters caught during the test fishery
had shell damage. “It was fresh damage this year,” claimed Ross. “They
can’t blame it on a storm.”
Although lobster technician Cheryl Frail, who accompanied the fishermen
during the test fishery, couldn’t confirm exactly when the shell damage
occurred – considering lobsters molt every year – she did say the damage
would have been on this year’s shell, not last year’s.
Lobster fishermen are still planning to do some filming later this month
with a remotely operated underwater camera on fishing grounds that were
fished by the scallop fleet this season. Although they had access to the
camera last month, it broke down before they could film the areas they
wanted.
They are also trying to stop a scallop survey west of the 65/30 line in
SFA 29, that calls for up to 90, eight-minute tows in sub areas A,B,C,
and D, according to the tender document.
“Lobsters are molting right now and when they are molting they don’t
move, which is why we want the survey stopped,” said Newell. “We’re not
concerned about the lobsters they are going to catch in their drag.
We’re concerned about the ones they’re going to run over. We’re
concerned about the habitat.”
Both Ross and Newell said the fishermen are thankful for all the
community support they have received over the past three months. They
also said they “still could use a little more support up the line” from
lobster fishermen in the Pubnico area.
“A lot of those guys fish these same waters,” said Ross. “They should be
concerned too.”
(Kathy Johnson is a journalist with Transcontinental Media’s Shelburne
Coast Guard, which is a contributor to the Sou’Wester.)
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