Cabbies against Uber continue hunger strike overnight in sleeping bags

A group of Toronto cab drivers spent the night in sleeping bags outside City Hall as they continued a hunger strike in a protest against Uber.

Danny Ryan is one of them.

“It is quite clear that the mayor is supporting an illegal entity. [John Tory] is supporting a U.S. corporation to take money out of Canada and give nothing back in return,” he said early Wednesday morning.

The cab drivers have been protesting since Tuesday morning.

The protesting cabbies set up a tent in the eastern side of Nathan Phillips Square but they say police took it down. The drivers then packed up and are now staying in the covered stage area.

They vow to stay as long as it takes to get their message heard.

Cab drivers think anything similar to Uber would never be tolerated in any other industry.

“How about we start selling liquor half-price in this city? I’m pretty sure everybody wants that. Can we do that?” another cabbie asked.

Tory says the hunger strike isn’t an effective way of speeding up the process of making changes.

Council is awaiting a staff report, due in the spring, advising how to bring Uber under municipal bylaws.

Tory has previously said it’s not “practical” to ban Uber.