Sep 3, 2007 2:50 pm US/Eastern
Taxi Drivers Set To Strike Wednesday
Says GPS Requirement Is Invasion Of Privacy
by Tony Aiello
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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The New York Taxi Workers Alliance is calling for a two-day strike beginning Wednesday to protest new rules that require GPS tracking units in yellow cabs.
CBS
Thousands of New York City cabbies are threatening to walk off the job in a few days, creating a nightmare for commuters, but it's not clear if the strike will actually happen.
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance is calling for a two-day strike beginning Wednesday to protest new rules that require GPS tracking units in yellow cabs. The Alliance accounts for over 8,000 city drivers.
Some drivers say the devices are an invasion of privacy, and they also complain it will cut their profits -- since the GSP units allow riders to pay with credit cards -- costing drivers a 5-percent convenience fee.
"GPS has become an instrument of oppression to us," said taxi driver Victor Salazar. "We're ready to strike!"
But a leader from a rival union doubts many drivers will strike over the GPS issue.
"They have to feed their families, and they're not gonna stop working for some idiotic reason," said Fernando Mateo, of the NYS Federation Of Taxi Drivers.
One driver says he's feeling pressure to put it in park.
"Since a lot of cab drivers have made up their mind to strike, I guess I have no choice," said Ishmal Jalloh. "I have to go with them."
The commissioner of the TLC says he hopes cooler heads will prevail, and drivers will stay on the job. In any event, he says the TLC will work with appropriate city agencies to be prepared
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he did not think it would go forward.
"I hope cooler heads prevail," he said. "It's not in their interest, it's not in the city's interest."
Bloomberg said the city has contingency plans in case of a strike, and he did not think a job action would be effective. "It's a week when there's not a lot of traffic, it's Labor Day week, and while people are back from vacation it's still a four-day week," he said.
The TLC is requiring all 13,000 city cabs to have touch-screen and GPS as the cabs come up for inspection, starting Oct. 1.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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