Reader Opinions
The following opinions are not necessarily those of the Chicago Dispatcher.
A letter to UTCC Chairman Fayez Khozindar
Dear Mr. Khozindar,
As a 12-year veteran Chicago cabdriver, I would like to please ask you to shut the hell up and stop acting like you are in charge of us. Every time I turn on TV news or pick up a newspaper and see you make threats of a strike I honestly die a little inside. First off, who told you that you could speak for the rest of us? When were you elected “Chairman” and how many votes did you receive? Because last time I checked, you were made leader of nothing more than your little club, and your power resides only in clubhouse meetings with your fellow delusional attention *****s.
What you don't realize is that, when you make threats to “paralyze the city,” you are only hurting our chances of getting the raise we are already scheduled to get in the spring! The court of public opinion is a very powerful medium. As you should know, our image in that court has been tainted by the percentage of inexperienced, reckless, rude and ignorant drivers that permeate this business. The last thing we need right now is an unwarranted strike to send our image so far into negative land that it might never recover.
Calling for a strike in the midst of this economy is like asking for seconds at a soup kitchen: you just don't do it! People are losing their jobs left and right, the mayor just announced that Chicago corporations are preparing to layoff hundreds of employees, and you have the nerve to say we should voluntarily stop working? Do you know how many unemployed people there are in this city who would love to have the steady employment we have? Yet you want us to alienate our customers in these turbulent economic times. And for what, so you and your cronies can brag about how important you are? No thanks, Mr. Chairman. You and your four friends can strike if you'd like, but don't ask the rest of us to join in your career suicide.
We don't need a strike right now. What we need to do is focus on keeping the customers we have happy and gaining the customers we are losing to competitors. Instead of focusing your efforts on making us look like greedy ******* why don't you try working on these issues?
1.) Improving our level of service by asking for increased training and an initial supervision period for new drivers to ensure they're developing good habits and are prepared to work as “ambassadors to the city.”
2.) Stopping the epidemic of cell phone usage by cabbies through increased awareness. I was troubled to see you on WGN recently talking to a reporter from inside your cab while a blue-tooth hung from your ear. Fine example you are setting, Mr. Chairman.
3.) Stopping limousines and airport shuttles from stealing our customers at hotels and both airports by pressuring more enforcement of anti-solicitation laws.
4.) Stopping airport starters and hotel doormen from guiding passengers away from Chicago cabs and to limos, shuttles and suburban taxis, again by pressuring for more enforcement.
These points should keep you busy and hopefully away from the media where, thus far, you have managed to make an ass out of yourself and the rest of us.
