I'll even donate time. It might be money down the toilet, but it also might not be. You'd lose more at the track on a weekend night. Why not take a shot on One Big Union if it is explained in a coherent way.
So far, the only things I've heard are nebulous things about how it might come to pass and that it's going to take five years to realize it should it happen at all. I don't know what the it even is.
I've got the money to toss away. I've got time to donate if it's wanted. But what is it for? Maybe it's time for George to lay it out for the taxi industry to understand, and not in tiny meetings where lots of people are purposefully excluded.
Donald Nathan
1. who is thomas geoghans 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 geoghan 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 geoghan 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
8 1/2. is it true that geoghagan said it may take 5 years?
--not answered
9. what is the percentage chances of winning such a legal action?
--not answered
9 1/2. is it true that geoghagan said that there is a 50% chance of winning?
--not answered
10. what is the timeline for raising $20,000 to hire geoghan?
--not answered
11. 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.
12. who would raise the money? and how? what is the plan?
--not answered
13. if some drivers at georges meeting said they would take on this responsibility, who are they? what are their names?
--not answered
14. 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?
--not answered
15. how would an accountable voting action take place in the cabdriver community?
--not answered
16. 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 geoghagan might want to ask:
17. 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?
18. 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.
19. 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?
20. has anyone told geoghagan that their already is an organization of cabdrivers in chicago who might be interested in talking to him about this project?
21. 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?
"has anyone told geoghagan that their already is an organization of cabdrivers in chicago who might be interested in talking to him about this project?"
First of all, it's Mr. Geoghegan. Second of all, the answer to your question is yes. I have already told Mr. Geoghegan of every independent organization of cabdrivers I'm aware of in Chicago. In fact the leaders of all of these groups have already heard him speak.
John Henry Assabill of the GCA has heard him speak, as has Mike Foullks of the CCO, as has Melissa Callahan of the AUPD, as has Johnny Holmes of the Taxi Brotherhood, as has Durran Liban of the CCDAC, as well as many other cabdriver leaders.
George
