Taxi Driver Groups Taking Multiple Routes to Organize

Philadelphia taxi drivers rally against the deportation of immigrant workers

“Denied the right to organize under the National Labor Relations Act, they encounter the same fate as other workers labeled “independent contractors”—no collective bargaining, no job protection, low and variable pay, and little say over how their worklife is structured.

Now, organizing campaigns have materialized in nearly every metropolitan center, and even a few nooks and crannies. The best-known outfit is the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA), which boasts 11,000 members in the cab-heavy city. But it’s far from alone. No matter what the laws say, taxi drivers are claiming their right to workplace safety, fair wages, and better work conditions.” — from Labor Notes