Portland cab drivers want to form union


A group of 40 cabbies in Portland hope to form a unionized cab company.

Share this article!

A group of 40 cabbies in Portland hope to form a unionized cab company.

The cab drivers, all immigrants, are calling it the Union Cab Company.

…The financial reality of driving a cab in Portland is neither pleasant nor easy, particularly for the immigrants who make up the bulk of the driver population. Most cabbies must pay their companies as much as $580 a week for the privilege of driving, even if they own their car or split time in it with another driver. They buy their own gasoline and health insurance. They’re allowed to drive only 14 hours a day. Even before the recession, earning a decent living — enough to support a family — was exceedingly difficult.

“We just want to control our own destinies,” said a veteran cabbie who asked that his name not be used because he fears being fired if his bosses discover the organizing effort. He and two other drivers met with City Council members earlier this month to pitch their idea. “For a lot of drivers, this is the only job they can find. We are willing to work very hard. We just believe that if you work hard, you should make enough to take something home.”

Read more at OregonLive.com.

{biztweet}union cab portland{/biztweet}