A FAIR day's pay for a fair day's work. That's what we all believe in, isn't it? Sadly, this is not always the reality for many Worcester taxi drivers who find themselves increasingly under pressure from disgusting individuals who refuse to pay their fares.

It's not an easy life being a cabby. These people invariably work anti-social hours, must maintain their vehicles to the highest standards and, when they're not on the road, cope with mounds of paperwork. Late shifts at weekends can also mean ferrying ignorant bigots who are likely to indulge in casual, callous racist abuse.

We understand that when drivers lock the doors and take offenders to the police station, it is not the thug of a passenger who is dealt with. True to the ways of this topsy-turvy world, there have been instances of "kidnapping" charges being levelled. This is utter madness - once again, it is the victim who is punished, while the miscreant escapes.

The Worcester News backs the city's taxi drivers to the hilt. Our sympathies go to the men and women who feel so unsupported and unprotected.

But this newspaper also believes that citizens earning an honest living should not have to put up with such stressful conditions. We therefore demand that action is taken to address the cabbies' concerns.

Sadly though, the plight of these workers mirrors the problems faced by other service workers, such as medical staff. It is symptomatic of the general decline in decent behaviour across Britain today.