From the Chicago Dispatcher, December 2008
Reader Opinions
The following opinions are not necessarily those of the Chicago Dispatcher.
My take on the strike
I would like to express my opinion of the UTCC strike. I took a strong position against this strike because it was clearly not the right time to ask the public to pay more for taxi fares at a time in the economy when they are not able. I know that we deserve a better income than we are earning. However, a fare increase does not automatically mean that we will make more money. Think about it carefully, we all know it has been very slow lately and I believe that has much to do with our continually crashing economy. People who usually take taxis are now walking, taking the CTA, bicycling, etc. because they are struggling financially and can't afford taxis. Ask yourself: are these people more likely to start taking taxis again if we make if more expensive for them?
No. A fare increase at this moment in time will have the opposite effect and will decrease our income. It is very important that all taxi drivers understand our passengers are not our enemies. For the most part they are good people who agree that we deserve a decent living. Threatening the public and demanding they pay more right now is absolutely ludicrous.
It does not portray a positive image for taxi drivers as a whole when a small group is constantly using the media to send a message to the public that we are all demanding more money from passengers at a time when they are struggling to survive just as we are. For that reason, I and several other drivers decided to publicly oppose the strike by attending the UTCC's strike rally. We posted signs on our cabs protesting the strike, honked our horns and gave our opinions of a fare increase and strike to the media, so that it was clear to the public that there are taxi drivers who are reasonable and understanding of the economic situation.
Along with a few other drivers, I began passing out flyers stating the reasons that many people in the industry opposed the strike. This angered a few drivers and a couple even went to the extreme of using profanity and making threats of violence against me. I would like to make it clear right now to those particular drivers that I will not tolerate abuse and threats and I have no problem with taking legal action against anyone that chooses to threaten my well-being. You have the right to your opinion and I have the right to mine. I will not be intimidated into going along with an idea that I know is wrong.
Along with the threats and profanity came false accusations against me and other drivers who didn't support the strike. These accusations are complete lies and many of you are spreading them without asking what the truth really is. So, to those drivers who are acting like a bunch of old ladies gossiping in a knitting circle, allow me to give you an education of the difference between facts, lies and rumors.
A fact is an idea that has evidence to make it true. A rumor is a statement without evidence of any truth to support it. Webster's Dictionary defines a lie as an untrue statement made with intent to deceive. Here's an example: The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) tells drivers that the Chicago Dispatcher is run by the fleets and the city. This is a direct lie to drivers. Now that we are on the subject, let me give you my opinion. The Chicago Dispatcher is a business, just as we are. In order to provide drivers with this newspaper, money is required for this paper to be printed, pay people to report our news, to put it together and to deliver it to us. Of course the newspaper needs to have money coming in to operate. Does that mean that whomever places an ad with the Chicago Dispatcher controls the paper? No. Restaurants have placed ads in this paper, but that doesn't mean they are controlling the paper. I will say that as a woman I find the advertisement of the Admiral Theatre in this paper very distasteful and offensive. Although I dislike that ad, the fact still remains that money is required to have this newspaper provided to us. When we are driving our cabs we don't refuse customers that are willing to pay for our service, so why should the Chicago Dispatcher refuse ads from fleet owners?
As someone who has tried to gain media attention for many of the problems we face, I can tell you that the major media doesn't give us the attention we deserve and doesn't see our problems as being of the same importance as we do. The Chicago Dispatcher was created exclusively for our issues and now, instead of showing appreciation, drivers are buying into the lies of the AFSC and UTCC and are spreading them. The danger in creating lies and spreading rumors is that you take a chance of making the innocent people who are really trying to help you not want to help anymore.
Within the last week several drivers have expressed concerns regarding the lack of unity between the UTCC and all of the other taxi driver organizations. To understand why the lack of unity exists, you need to understand the history and politics of the last couple of years. A few years ago the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago (CIOGC) asked the AFSC to come into the taxi industry to organize cabdrivers. George Lutfallah met with them. The AFSC made the suggestion that he was “in with the fleets.” The AFSC tried unsuccessfully to organize drivers but could not, probably because none of them are taxi drivers and don't understand our problems.
Fast forward to the 2007 strike. Shortly after last year's strike, I disassociate myself from AFSC and in retaliation this organization put together a flyer that was plastered with outright lies about George Lutfallah, George Kasp and myself. This flyer began with the words “This is a letter to alert you.” The AFSC was trying to use a tactic to scare drivers and damage reputations. It reminds me of how the Bush administration has tried to scare the American people with terrorism alerts while there is no real threat. Peter Enger and Hong Kim began working with me and other drivers to create an organization for drivers. We all agreed not to work with AFSC until they issued a public apology for the libelous flyer.
Enger and Kim brought very extreme ideas to our committee. For example, they wanted to withdraw last year's 25% fare increase petition and submit a new one for a 56% fare increase. Their extreme ideas were defeated by majority vote and eventually they decided to resign from our organization. Kim and Enger did not simply leave our organization; they broke the agreement not to work with AFSC and sold our organization out in return for funding for the new organization, the UTCC. Over the course of the past two years, I have called two unity meetings. Everyone who was invited on both occasions attended, with the exception of AFSC, the UTCC and Fayez Khozindar, while he was with the Muslim Taxi Drivers Association. AFSC, Peter Enger, Hong Kim and Fayez Khozindar chose not to unite when the others and I extended our hands to them.
Unfortunately it doesn't end there. It is a fact that Peter Enger requested money from AFSC funds to be used to pay labor attorney Thomas Geoghegan to consult with the UTCC and ultimately work for them on their legal strategies. Thomas Geoghegan is an attorney working together with George Lutfallah and other drivers belonging to the Chicago Taxi Drivers Union. They couldn't buy off Mr. Geoghegan - he has too much class for that. It is a fact that UTCC Chairman Fayez Khozindar, a man who prays to God everyday, has lied to drivers that trust him, telling them that those of us who opposed the strike received medallions from the city. It is my opinion that he has disgraced himself and anyone he claims to represent. It is a fact that Peter Enger has spread similar lies, as well as Diane Santucci. It is a fact that none of us are still in high school, that this is not a popularity contest, and that I do not care whether or not I am liked. I will not stop advocating positive changes for drivers anytime soon, whether or not you're supportive of my efforts, or even if you outright dislike me. I will watch - as a result of my actions - when you go to McCormick Place and you are treated respectfully. I will watch - as a result of my actions - when you pick up an airport fare at a hotel that normally a limo would have stolen, and know that you can now provide a little something extra for your kids that day. In the end, the power of goodness and justice has won and to myself, I will smile.
Melissa Callahan
