2007
Research
Supports Growing Taxi Worker Movement
by Saba Waheed
 |
| photo:
Ron Blount |
On a chilly morning
in January, DataCenter staff arrived at the train station
in Philadelphia to meet with organizers of Taxi Workers
Alliance of Pennsylvania (TWA-PA). Starting off at TWA-PA
offices in the basement of a church, we relocated to the
local South Asian eatery. Organizers listed out the key
issues drivers face in Philly that include low wages, health
problems, excessive fining, lack of legal services and health
access and the forced use of GPS systems. These items were
then converted into a 30-minute survey being conducted by
taxi workers this summer. The project was modeled after
a similar survey project conducted by New York Taxi Workers
Alliance (NYTWA) in 2003 that helped in winning a fare increase
for drivers in NYC.
Next stop was New York,
where NYTWA discussed their campaign to halt the installation
of GPS tracking systems in taxis, a tool of labor control
that will gut drivers' earnings and invade their privacy.
A few weeks later, DataCenter consulted the Chicago Taxi
Worker Organizing Project on submitting a Freedom of Information
Act request to obtain information regarding the relationship
of the city and taxi companies.
It's no coincidence
that there is upsurge of requests within the taxi industry
for research support as it is reflective of a huge and momentous
movement that is occurring in the industry across the country.
The first ever convening of taxi drivers from across the
USA and Canada to create an international taxi alliance
was held in New York City this March. DataCenter staff attended
the first day of the historic event and look forward to
further supporting the various organizations on the ground
that will address the issues of unfair and exploitive working
conditions locally while working to building an international
movement that will transform the industry as a whole nationally
and internationally.
For further information,
contact:
New York Taxi Workers Alliance, nytwa1@aol.com, (212) 627-5248
Taxi Workers Alliance of Pennsylvania, twapa1@yahoo.com,
(215) 279-0472, www.twapa.org
Taxi Worker Organizing Project, (312) 427-8294, www.taxiworker.org
Saba Waheed is an
Information Activist at DataCenter.
