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Showdown at Löwenbräukeller – Taxi München eG meets today for the extraordinary general meeting
The Taxi München eG, one of the largest taxi cooperatives in Germany, is facing a major crisis. For months, a fierce power struggle has been raging between the board, led by Thomas Kroker and Patrick Nothhaft, and parts of the supervisory board. What began as a strategic dispute over how to deal with mediation platforms like Uber and Bolt has developed into a comprehensive crisis of trust. Today, on May 15, an extraordinary general meeting will decide on the future of the cooperative.
Between Principles and Pragmatism
At the heart of the conflict is the question: Can and may a member of the supervisory board of Taxi München eG simultaneously work for a platform like Uber – and thus profit from its business model, which the cooperative has been opposing for years?
Thomas Kroker, a long-serving board member of Taxi München eG, has a clear stance. In a detailed statement, he speaks of a "massive conflict of interest" that has arisen due to the platform activities of three supervisory board members. These members – specifically Sezai Curuk, Ghulam, and Hüseyin Bayram – are active with their taxi companies for Uber. For Kroker, this means: The competitor has a seat at the table when decisions are made against this very competitor.
"The opponent is, so to speak, sitting at the table,"
writes Kroker — and refers to the years-long efforts of the Munich taxi industry to counteract the influence of Uber. The fact that now, within the cooperative, those who are economically connected with the platforms are precisely the ones who get to decide is, from his perspective, unacceptable.
Distrust on Both Sides
The board demanded the resignation of the supervisory board members in question. Insight has yet to be gained. Instead, a counteroffensive followed in March: In a supervisory board meeting, it was decided that Kroker should no longer stand for election at the next regular general meeting. Termination of his employment was also pronounced — a step that Kroker intends to legally challenge. Additionally, there is an accusation of abuse of office and breach of trust against the two board members. Patrick Nothhaft was subsequently temporarily relieved of his duties.
The mutual accusations are serious – from false statements during candidacies to unlawful resolutions, and attempted granting of power of attorney that the board claims violate the statutes and the law. An attempt at mediation by the Bavarian Cooperative Association failed, and an end to the escalation is not in sight.
The Question of Integrity
Max Weiland, a member of the supervisory board until the end of March and a long-time chairman, has observed the development with concern – and finally drew consequences. In a contribution to the members' magazine "Taxikurier," he announced his immediate resignation. The way the supervisory board operates, says Weiland, is no longer compatible with the principles of the cooperative. Formal and statutory errors had accumulated. Weiland also sees a fundamental problem in the platform activity of individual supervisory board members:
“How can a member of a supervisory board make neutral decisions when collaborating with the 'undertakers' of the taxi industry?”
More Than an Internal Power Struggle
The conflict within Taxi München eG is not an isolated case. The industry is under pressure. Platforms like Uber and Bolt are fundamentally changing the passenger transport business. The taxi industry is responding with a mixture of resistance, adaptation, and insecurity. In Stuttgart, for example, the local taxi dispatch center recently decided to cooperate with Uber - a nightmare scenario for many in Munich.
The fact that even in the Bavarian capital the fronts within a cooperative are so hardened shows the seriousness of the developments. The conflict at Taxi München eG is exemplary of an industry that needs to reinvent itself - but is divided over how far the balance between tradition and platform economy can go.
The Hour of the Members
Now, the members of Taxi München eG will gather in the banquet hall of Löwenbräukeller. They are to decide whether the entire supervisory board will be dismissed - a proposal from the board of directors. The debate is likely to be emotional, as it's not just about individuals, but fundamental questions: How does a cooperative hold together when the economic self-interests of individuals clash with the common goal? How much proximity to platform providers is acceptable? And how can integrity be safeguarded when power struggles shatter trust?
Thomas Kroker puts it bluntly:
“It’s about the sausage.”
No less than the future of the cooperative, according to the board. Max Weiland warns against a shift in power in favor of a small group of large multi-vehicle operators - at the expense of the many individual and small entrepreneurs who form the backbone of Taxi München eG.
No matter how the decision turns out: Taxi München eG stands at a crossroads. May 15 could be a turning point - or the start of a new round of internal strife.
Content automatically translated.
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