Karwa's big mole

Cabbies protest, scuffle reportedPublished: Saturday, 26 May, 2007, 08:33 AM Doha Time

Staff Reporter
A GROUP of Mowasalat taxi drivers yesterday staged a protest against what they called the “highhandedness” of the management staff.
Sources said a group of drivers prevented some of their colleagues from taking the taxis out in the morning, resulting in a scuffle.
As a result there was some disruption to the schedule during the morning hours, a source said.
However, a top company official said a “fight erupted following a quarrel between two groups of drivers and four of the men involved in the incident were taken into custody by the police”.
A source among the workers said the protest was the result of discontent among a section of the drivers who were penalised by the company for bringing their vehicles late to the yard after the regular shift hours.
The drivers said they were fined for returning their taxis late by about an hour or less but they blamed the delay on tyre punctures. “There are no spare tyres in many of the taxis,” one of them said.
Most of the taxis were on the roads by 10am.
When the matter was brought to the notice of Indian Ambassador Dr George Joseph at the monthly open house yesterday, he said workers as well as employers should abide by the terms of the contract. “Any violation on either part should be properly investigated,” he said.
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Refering above headlines today, I want to add some more informations. I have met many Indonesian karwa's drivers and all of them complaint to me that the management didn't treat them good as they promise at the first place. Their agent is abondend them and not protech their rights. And now, the mowasalat give them penalties in every little mistake they make. For example, late returning the taxi is: 20-30 riyals, little scracth on the car body is another 20-30 riyals, little marks on the seat or someone spill any drinks or liquid that make stain is another 20-30 riyals, plus now they have to give 250 riyals everyday the operate. If they sick/or not operate is 100 riyals. You know they dont get salary like they used too. Now all is only on commision and tips. I feel really sorry to my fellow Indonesian about all this. I am sure this is not what they picture it when they sign the contract before leaving Indonesia. Why can't mowasalat adopt any system that works for both equal benefit between company and driver???? I think here the driver have alot of suffering then happiness.