AFSCME Helping Chicago Cab Drivers Push For Greater Voice

[Omaha Steve]

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http://www.afscme.org/blog/afscme-helping-chicago-cab-drivers-push-for-greater-voice

BY JOHN BYRNE, CHICAGO TRIBUNE REPORTER | JUNE 12, 2014

The post below is an excerpt from an article that originally appeared in the Chicago Tribune on June 11, 2014.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union is joining up with Chicago cab drivers to try to help give cabbies a stronger voice in negotiating with Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration to raise fares, lower costs and push for greater regulation of the nascent ride-share industry.

According to AFSCME Council 31 spokesman Anders Lindall, the new group seeks to present a strong, unified voice that will make it tougher for city officials to ignore taxi drivers when setting fees and policies.

"This isn’t a traditional organizing campaign," Lindall said in an email. "This is about building a new kind of organization through which cab drivers can come together, be heard and have a seat at the table whenever and wherever decisions are made that affect them, their working lives and their ability to make a living."

FULL story at link.