Fares between Wolverhampton to Birmingham had fallen by a quarter - from £25 to around £17- £18 following the arrival of taxi-hailing firms such as Uber on the scene, they claim.
Ebrahim Suleman, WPHDA chairman, said drivers were effectively earning £3.50 an hour after taking out expenses. "I may as well pack up and work in a factory, or Sainsbury's - at least then I will get the minimum wage.
"This is 21st century slavery. We have bills to pay and families to look after like everyone else."
He warned that Black Country private hire drivers would liaise with colleagues in Manchester and London to 'put the pressure on' politicians at both local and national level.
At a meeting last week they urged Wolverhampton's three Labour MPs Emma Reynolds, Pat McFadden and Eleanor Smith to lobby Parliament on their behalf.
Many members and elders of the local Muslim community also attended the meeting to given their support. One said Uber was 'killing the taxi industry all over the country.'
The move was the latest action by WPHDA which in October brought the city to a near standstill with a 'go slow' by around 200 drivers, causing delays for motorists in evening rush-hour traffic.
They were highlighting what the association sees as lenient tests for new taxi drivers and too many licences being given out by the Wolverhampton Council, which has taken advantage of new government deregulation allowing drivers to shop around for their licences.
The council is planning to reduce the cost of a taxi licence by between 12–15 per cent. Councillor Bolshaw, licensing chairman, has said the authority simply acted quicker than its neighbours to ditch red tape that was holding up the service.
The WPHDA also launched a petition, signed by 800 people, to reintroduce harder tests which they said was in the interests of public safety, to raise standards and raise the profile of the trade.
Uber does not employ drivers or own vehicles, instead relying on private contractors with their own cars, allowing them to run their own businesses.
Critics say this allows it to dodge costly regulations such as stringent licensing requirements for taxi drivers, who undergo hundreds of hours of training.
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EDINBURGH
Police are appealing for witnesses, especially an Edinburgh taxi driver, who may have information about a serious sexual assault on Saturday morning near Leith.
The suspect, who was carrying a skateboard, hailed a black taxi on Ferry Road just after Friday night, at around 12.15am on Saturday morning.
A 33-year-old woman was returning home via Bonnington Road and Anderson Place on Friday evening into Saturday morning.
At this time a male, who had been walking in the same direction as the victim, asked her for directions to Ferry Road and then ushered her onto the path leading to the Water of Leith Walkway and attacked her.
The suspect then made off from the area and the woman sought assistance from a passing motorist who contacted police.
Officers are now urging anyone who can assist in identifying the male responsible to come forward.
He is described as male, white, between 18 and 24-years-old, around 5ft 8ins tall with a slim build with short brown hair that was close cropped at the back and sides, dark stubble, prominent dark circular earring in one or both ears.
In addition the male was wearing a camouflage patterned hooded jacket, blue jeans and trainers. He had earphones and was wearing a rucksack on his back and was carrying or using a skateboard.
The suspect is thought to have an accent, possibly Irish, although this is not certain, and he seems not to know Edinburgh well.
Detective Chief Inspector Martin MacLean said:”This was and remains a terrifying ordeal for this woman. Specialist officers are providing her with support and assistance while detectives conduct a rigorous investigation into this incident.
“I would urge anyone who recognises the description of the suspect, or who was in or around Bonnington Road, Anderson Place or the Water of Leith walkway at Anderson Place on Friday evening into the early hours of Saturday morning and remembers seeing anything suspicious to contact us immediately.
“The suspect is distinctive as, unusually for that time in the morning, he was seen both on his skateboard and carrying it.
“I also now know that our suspect hailed a black hackney taxi on Ferry Road shortly after the attack at around 12.15 a.m. on the Saturday morning, and headed westwards.
“The taxi driver might remember the male carrying his skateboard, and I urge that taxi driver to come forward.
“I appeal to anyone with any information they might think is relevant to this investigation to get in touch.”
If you have information, contact the Public Protection Unit on 101 and quote incident number 124 of June 10.
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The Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] board of directors has voted unanimously to adopt all recommendations from a report stemming from allegations of sexual harassment at the company and other employee concerns, a board representative said on Sunday.
The board, at a meeting on Sunday, adopted a series of recommendations from former U.S Attorney General Eric Holder following a sprawling, multi-month investigation into Uber's cultures and practices.
The recommendations will be released to Uber employees on Tuesday, the representative said.
Holder's recommendations included imposing new controls on company spending, human resources and other areas where executives had wide discretion.
Also at the meeting on Sunday, board members were expected to discuss Uber Chief Executive Travis Kalanick temporarily stepping away from the embattled ride-hailing firm and other changes to executive leadership.
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