EDMONTON - If you rely on taxis to get around, you could soon be in a bind.
82 percent of Edmonton's Yellow Cab, Barrel Taxi, Checker and Prestige cab drivers who cast ballots in a strike vote this week were in favour of job action. 800 drivers joined the Teamsters union last year, and are looking to negotiate their first collective bargaining agreement with the Edmonton Taxi Service group. But negotiations have stalled, forcing the union's hand.
A mediator appointed by the Alberta Labour Relations board will meet with the company and ask them to return to the negotiating table. But should negotiations fail to continue between the two sides, the union could file a 72-hour strike notice.
Balraj Manhas, President of the United Cabbies Association of Edmonton says it's up to the company now.
"He wants to agree to this, sit at the table and negotiate, or he wants us to go on strike. Totally the ball is in the employer's hands," Manhas says. "Nobody wants to strike but the thing is, if the employer pushes us for that, we are ready to go for strike. We already told employer, 'please sit (at) the table, talk to us - we are ready to negotiate always.'"
Cab drivers say among their concerns are the cost of insurance, and a $15 dollar weekly fee to rent debit machines for their cabs.
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