DOHA: Very few Al Million taxis were seen on the roads yesterday with more drivers abstaining from work and the dispute over payment terms remaining unresolved.
A senior official of the company said the management was trying to find a solution to the issue.
Officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs are expected to intervene in the dispute today, according to some protesting drivers.
Many taxi drivers who have been working with the company on a daily rental basis have refrained from work since Saturday, asking the management to reduce rentals.
The company owns about 650 maroon-roofed taxis, with more than 1,000 drivers.
The protest launched by a few cabbies gained more supporters yesterday, forcing the company to negotiate with the drivers to end the row.
Joby Mathew, Human Resources Manager at Al Million told this newspaper last evening, “We are sorting it out and getting the problem solved.”
However, he didn’t say if the company had agreed to the drivers’ demands or given any alternative suggestions to resolve the dispute over payment.
According to some protesting drivers, negotiations with the management continued until evening yesterday, without any agreement.
They claimed that the company had warned them to return to work or leave the job and return home.
“The management refused to agree with our demands and asked us to go back to work.
“We were told that the company would give us air tickets to go home if we are not willing to continue work,” said a driver.
Police was called in as many protesting drivers gathered at one of their accommodations yesterday, it was learnt.
Drivers said they were told by the management that senior officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour would come for negotiations this morning.
The Peninsula
