Message: we in the utcc are not opposed to the idea that we drivers should have the RIGHT to form a union, should we want to. there are serious questions that need to be answered about this prospect, however. we in the chicago taxi industry need to be realistic about our prospects and our chances of realizing the project as conceived by george lutfallah and the lawyer mr. geoghagan.
as an organizer who has worked tirelessly for the last year to organize cabdrivers to understand the need to come to unity and organization to fight for our rights as workers and to gain the benefits of being in an organization i believe i can speak with some authority about the immensity and difficulty of such a project.
it is not an easy task
1. who is thomas geoghagans client?
--george states that he has not hired geoghagan. why would geoghagan state that he cannot talk to anyone without george's ok, as george is his client?
2. what has he hired him to do? is it simply as a retainer? or for specific actions? if specific actions, what are those specific actions he's been hired to perform?
--not answered
3. how much has his client paid him? is it an hourly wage? has he been paid to come to the ghanaian drivers meeting and george's meeting of drivers?
--not answered
4. is it true geoghagan can only perform actions his client has hired him to perform?
--not answered
5. does george lutfallah have any experience in the areas of organizing social movements? or activism of any kind?
--not answered
6. is it true geoghagan would need $20,000 dollars as an initial fee to take on a legal action to win the right to form a union?
--george did answer this one. but here's a follow up: what are estimated costs of court costs? and what are the filing fees to actually form a union, should it ever come to pass?
7. what action would this be and who would be the litigant?
--not answered
8. what is the timeline for such an aciton?
--not answered
9. is it true that geoghagan said it may take 5 years?
--not answered
10. what is the percentage chances of winning such a legal action?
--not answered
11. is it true that geoghagan said that there is a 50% chance of winning?
--not answered
12. what is the timeline for raising $20,000 to hire geoghan?
--not answered
13. what is the legal entity who would hire him?
--kind of answered. some sort of organization that would be formed by nameless chicago cabdrivers that george has termed 'leaders'. as one who has worked for over a year now to form a viable organization, all i can say is, good luck, whoever you are. its not an easy task.
14. who would raise the money? and how? what is the plan?
--not answered
15. if some drivers at georges meeting said they would take on this responsibility, who are they? what are their names?
--not answered
16. is it true that 30% of all drivers would need to vote in favor of forming a union before it can be legally taken on? or is it 50%? (we have heard different accounts of percentage needed)
--not answered
17. how would an accountable voting action take place in the cabdriver community?
--not answered
18. who would count the votes? an independent accounting firm? how would they be paid? how much would that cost?
--not answered
here's a couple more george, mike and any other cabdriver who encounters this lawyer mr. geoghagan might want to ask:
19. can chicago cabdrivers afford to wait maybe 5 years for a successful resolution to this unnamed legal action simply for the right to form a union, and then how many more months or years to try to reach the 1000's of drivers to vote in favor of a union that would force the drivers into a union? is this a realistic appraisal of what drivers will agree to?
20. what is the plan to reach the 10,000 drivers here in chicago, who come from 60 plus nations who drive at odd hours of their own choosing, some of whom never go to the airports, or hotels or restaurants? seriously.
21. what kind of democratic process would decide FOR the drivers that this kind of union is in their interest without asking them? and then decide that they need to be forced into a union without their permission?
22. has anyone told mr. geoghagan that there already is an organization of cabdrivers in chicago who might be interested in talking to him about this project?
23. lastly, (for now)--why ONLY chicago cabdrivers? do we not care about our suburban cabdriver brothers? don't unions usually try to be inclusive of ALL workers who work in the industry they are organizing in? what is the rational for this stipulation?
Peter, Are these the same questions you posed many months ago? As you already know he will never answer.
Whatever "group" George is claiming to be a part or founder of has very little support. Independent drivers (we all work for ourselves after expenses) know better than to give support to an outsider with unknown motives like George. Hidden agenda or perhaps confusion would describe this man. More on this tomorrow.
Note that this posting was made almost nine months ago. I have the impression most of the questions posed then have since been answered. If not, then George Lutfallah can certainly answer them at this time.
It pleases me no end to see that Mr. Enger is posting again on the Dispatcher website - unless this is merely a re-post by Mr. Lutfallah of the Enger posting of 8/27/'08.
Likewise, it will interest me to see whether this posting reaches the light of day on the Dispatcher Forum.
Mr. Donald Nathan,
It pleases me to no end that apparently you and Peter Enger aren't communicating to the degree that you could determine whether or not this is a "fresh" posting of questions by Mr. Enger.
In fact, I would wager that you and Peter Enger aren't communicating very much of anything at all. Which would be proof that Peter Enger has some sense left.
Did you have a point or something else to contribute?
Other than kissing Peter's pompous ass with your devious lips or piggybacking onto relatively rational concerns of his with your unwarranted aspersions towards Mr. Lutfallah of what is posted or deleted by whom and when?
Especially considering the underhanded conduct of one of your dubious clients, Wolf Weiss? Did you advise him to be such an anonymous jerk or do you gravitate naturally to fake-name jerks like him? (He can be so intelligent and polite in person- I don't get it.)
Don't bother replying- I know the answer. It involves Yi Tang. Not interested in what you're hoping to sell us Chicago cabdrivers.
Go sell it to those in the "Metro" area- someplace else.
-Mike Foulks
