I joined the union; I am asking you to join

I live in Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation.  Hours away is the Coal Region, a symbolic place for the unionization of miners, many of whom were immigrants, and exploited under the scope of our Constitution decades ago.  Today, in Philadelphia, taxi drivers are being exploited like the coal miners, and are in a symbolic struggle to unionize and stop the injustices.

Before unionization, the coal miners worked long hours with their life controlled by the mine owners.  They got paid according to the coal they mined, and on payday, there would be very little money left after the mine owners deducted working expenses, including water.  Mules were treated better because they cost the mine owners money if the mule got sick or died. 

The miners were exploited because of their poor English and the fear of beatings, fines, jail, firings and blacklists by the mine owners.  The mine owners controlled the political and legal systems, leaving workers with no place to turn.  Then along came the union, secret at first, by a few radicals that were necessary.  But the mine owners kept pushing the miners to the point of despair.  Having nothing to lose, the miners, all of them, decided to organize, and shut down the mines.  They won support, political power, and most important to them -good wages, benefits, and safer working conditions.

The success of the mine union led other industries to unionize.  In fact, at one time, taxi drivers were employees and had a union.  They didn’t lose money working and even had health insurance. But the taxi owners found a new way to exploit and avoid any responsibility towards the workers' well being, calling it an independent contractor relationship”.  This allows any employer to avoid payroll taxes, workers comp, and health insurance.  But, what really empowered the owners and authorities was their ability to avoid negotiating with any organized union.  Today, the taxi driver
is the exploited worker of the 21st century. Operating as an independent contractor, they live without insurance and work 7 days a week.

Today, the taxi driver is subject to regulations and fines that can be made and enforced at any time without being informed and knowing what the regulations are.  He or she used to drive with the worries of robbery, accidents, or sickness.  Now, the biggest worry is being pulled over by a white car and being hit with unjust and unreasonable fines by someone who never drove a cab before.   In 15 minutes, his entire income for one day, a week, or even a month is wiped out.  And if he wants a hearing, he needs over a hundred dollars, with no right to appeal the decision.

GPS tracking devices were installed in every cab without any respect of the opinion, need for, or demand from the industry.  The owners or cab drivers cannot make their own business decisions.  And the tracking device has made the drivers feel like they are branded criminals.  They are working as slaves, angry, insulted, and paranoid.  Credit cards, we have been forced to use a certain method and supplier, and pay fees like a loan, also we must pay for all losses caused by vandalism for something placed in the back where we have no control over.

Because of the changes, I didn’t want to drive a cab anymore.  Then I found out about the union. They are taxi drivers working day and night for freedom, justice and dignity on campaigns with support from other groups and unions.  They are doing this with great sacrifice, while being harassed and threatened.  My grandfather was an immigrant from Lithuania.  He became a coal miner.  He supported 6 kids and died of black lung disease.  I joined the union; I am asking
you to join.

Steve Chervenka