November 3, 2014

Department of Good Stuff: A taxi cooperative in Denver

Labor Notes - This month 800 immigrant taxi drivers in Denver—from 24 different countries in Africa—joined the Communications Workers (CWA) Local 7777. They hope to break out of poverty and challenge the workplace abuse many endure working for private taxi companies. The drivers also voted to build a worker-owned taxi cooperative, as an alternative to the existing companies. The local union movement is supporting the effort.

Due to precarious relationships with their employers, taxi workers have been building similar organizations around the country. In Washington, D.C., and Seattle, drivers have joined Teamsters locals; in Boston, the Steelworkers.

In New York City, taxi workers formed an independent group, which has carried out two successful strikes, started chapters in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, and become an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. And like Denver, Portland, Oregon, has a CWA-affiliated taxi worker co-op.

Three private taxi companies—Metro, Yellow, and Freedom Cab—have cornered the market in Denver for decades and are notorious for their abuses. Despite the recent emergence of new taxi companies that have tried to break the monopoly, drivers in these three companies are subject to high leasing fees, ranging from $2,000 to $3,500 a month.

As independent contractors, moreover, taxi drivers have to cover their own health insurance and benefits, and receive no time off from daily leasing fees. Although legally drivers are not allowed to work more than 10 hours a day, a Metro worker noted that many do work more, just to cover the fees and gas for their vehicles.

... In response to the companies’ exploitation, drivers decided to create an independent taxi worker cooperative, Union Taxi—and to join a union as well.

CWA has been supporting workers with protest logistics, lobbying, and coalition-building. The union doesn’t run the co-op, though.

Workers make the business decisions. The vehicle leasing fees they pay are around one-third as high as the ones at the for-profit taxi companies.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Workers union must be made. It always care for the employees rights. Travel with our metro airport cabs . We are offering special discounted rates for senior citizens.