Posted on 08/26/2007 7:28:34 PM PDT by neverdem
Taxi Workers Alliance Members May Curb Cabs In GPS-Privacy Debate
(CBS) NEW YORK After this month's transit meltdown, the last thing commuters want to deal with is a taxi strike that could have crippling effects on a city whose residents and tourists alike rely on the Taxi and Limousine Commission. A scary reality, however, is that such a strike could occur -- and in less than two weeks.
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance -- which accounts for more than 8,000 city drivers -- is threatening to curb their cabs on Sept. 5 if the Taxi and Limousine Commission does not get rid of their GPS system, which the union says invades a driver's privacy.
The debate over a taxi strike, however, begins first among taxi drivers. There are two strong sides to this debate, with some drivers who say a strike is imminent, while others who say no way, no how. It all depends who you ask.
"We are ready to strike," Bhairavi Desai, co-founder and organizer of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, announced during a news conference.
(Excerpt) Read more at wcbstv.com ...
They should talk to most of the trucking industry - Qualcomm and GPS in every cab...
Maybe they think we’d find out where the IED factories are...
Won’t happen.
Find another line of work, Bhairavi.
“Maybe they think we’d find out where the IED factories are...”
Hmmm.
No, there aren't. There is only one side, and that is that the taxis be equipped with GPS devices, and it will drastically cut down taxi drivers literally taking passengers for unwanted rides.
Hmm, their Web site is months out of date.
They seem to have been adopted by “social justice” groups:
http://www.watsoninstitute.org/events_detail.cfm?id=679
http://leadershipforchange.org/talks/archive.php3?ForumID=35
http://www.robinhood.org/programs/relief_profile.cfm?recipientId=169
http://socialjustice.ccnmtl.columbia.edu/index.php/Taxi_Workers_Alliance
Well....that will mean 7,900 muslims will be out of work.
The other side of it is that drivers don’t draw a salary. They rent the cabs for a flat fee plus gas. Whatever they earn beyond the fee on a shift is their profit.
As long as it isn't through unfair means.
You will see that many cabs in an hour just standing on a corner. 8000 is a drop in the bucket of the total number of cabs. I don't think anyone will notice the strike.
Opportunity to deport the undesirables.
Many would say it is through unfair means: a government-enforced monopoly controlled by a few wealthy investors.
8,000 is a little more than half of the cabs in the city.
NYC hates monopolies. It’s the nature of its capitalistic core. Cabs have to compete with car services, limos, and those bicycle things. Oddly, the bike things are giving the cabs a run for their money these days.
I don’t think the strike would last long because most of them can’t afford to strike.
...and the fact there is no place in the city that can’t be reached by subway.
The T&LC should pull the license of any cab that strikes.
Why? Is staging a strike against the law?
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