Sharjah: More than 25 taxi drivers from Advantage Taxi company protested on Wednesday after they were told to evacuate their accommodation which the management said should have been vacated long ago.

"The taxi drivers were supposed to stay at the accommodation for a maximum of two months until they complete their training, but they have exceeded the limit to two years now and we cannot tolerate this sort of behaviour anymore," said Managing Director of Advantage Taxi, Mohammad Al Haddad.

The taxi drivers who were hired from abroad are helped out by the company who provide a temporary residence for them, until they manage to find an accommodation of their own, according to the manager.

The manager said he filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labour to help evacuate the taxi drivers from the accommodation.  

After holding talks with the taxi drivers and ministry officials at the Sharjah Labour Office, the manager said that the drivers have until 15 August to find another place to live. "They do not have the right to extend their stay, and if they do not want to listen to me then let the government take them out," he said.

The protesters claimed that they are entitled to free housing and that what it happening to them is an act of injustice.

Petrol costs

Gulf News obtained a copy of the labour contract between the taxi drivers and the taxi company which stated that the company does not provide accommodation for its employees.

Taxi drivers also claimed that they were not paid for one month and had to pay for their own petrol costs.

However, the manager refuted their allegations by showing a copy of a refuelling petrol card that is distributed to all drivers.

"The drivers are provided with a prepaid petrol card that has a monthly limit of Dh2,500, so I do not know why they paid out from their own pockets. They did not have to do that," explained Al Haddad.

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Traffic_and_Transport/10142089.html