Taxi Drivers Line Up to Join New York CLC

They are New York City taxi drivers, mostly immigrants from developing countries looking for a better life for themselves and their families. And soon they will have the backing of the 1 million members of the New York City Central Labor Council. The council is expected next month to make the Taxi Workers’ Alliance, which represents 7,000 taxi drivers, its newest member—the first worker center to affiliate with a central labor council.

This is a good move for NYC taxi drivers.

Half of the 200,000 taxi drivers in the United States work in New York City, says Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the Taxi Workers’ Alliance. The drivers hope that by joining the central labor council they can negotiate better benefits, especially health care. They recognize, Desai says, there is power in being part of an organization.

Though they are considered independent contractors and cannot unionize; the taxi driver alliance gives them the chance to unite and share communications and resources.

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