4 charged after cabbies stormed Coventry Connections in November

Four southernOntario men have been charged with assault and breaking and entering after a protest organized by the union that represents taxi drivers in Ottawa escalated to the violent storming of the Coventry Connections dispatch centre in November.

• Unifor buses protesters in from Quebec, Ontario for taxi driver 'day of action'
• Ottawa losing sympathy for taxi drivers as protests escalate
• Ottawa police arrest 3 in Airport Parkway taxi vandalism case
• Ottawa airport taxi fleet in labour dispute over fees

The men fromWoodstock, Meaford,Brantford andWhitby have also been charged with mischief. They are all in their 50s.

Three people working inside the call centre required medical attention after protesting cabbies charged into the building on the morning of Nov. 13 as a labour dispute between Ottawa airport taxi drivers and their dispatcherentered its third month.

Coventry Connections said some of the protesterscovered security cameraswith garbage bags and ripped out computer cords, but some of the takeover was still captured on camera. The dispatcher estimated the protesters caused $75,000 in damage.

The national president ofUnifor, the union that represents the airport taxi drivers, later apologized "if people felt threatened in any form" but emphasized that drivers are suffering financially as the dispute drags on.

Unifor bused in taxi drivers from across Ontario and Quebec for the protest.

Airport taxidrivers were locked out byCoventry Connections in Augustafter refusing to accept anincrease in fees for exclusive access to the airport's taxi stand.

Drivers have previously marched through downtown Ottawa and held protests on the Airport Parkway over the fees protests that haveat times turned violent.

HanifPatni, owner of Coventry Connections, refused to comment on the charges as mediatednegotiations with Unifor are set to starton Monday.