USW’s call to Drivers on AB505 6-8-2005

Las Vegas Taxi Drivers Mobilize To Get Gov. Guinn To Veto

AB 505 That Would Slash Drivers’ Income

Immediate release June 8, 2005

Steelworkers and ITPEU Alliance fighting to protect wages

Las Vegas – Taxi drivers in Clark County are calling on their brother and sister union members in Nevada to call on Gov. Kenny Guinn to veto transportation bill (AB 505) because it has an amendment that would cut taxi drivers’ pay by as much as 50 percent. The outrageous amendment was introduced late Sunday and was passed after midnight June 6 without debate or deliberation. It would outlaw the giving of gratuities to taxi drivers (but only taxi drivers), by any government license-holder. This includes restaurants, hotels, wedding chapels and clubs. It is common practice in Las Vegas for these establishments to reward drivers who bring customers to their door. “Tips are a significant portion of taxi drivers’ income,” said United Steelworkers (USW) President Leo W. Gerard in Pittsburgh. “We don’t know what sinister forces in the legislature moved to sneak this scurrilous amendment through during the sleepy hours of the session but we are going to do everything in our power to fight it.” Late this afternoon, ITEPU President John Conley and USW District 12 Director Terry Bonds concurred with the statement. “The drivers are up in arms and fighting mad,” said Ruth Jones, vice president of the ITPEU, which represents 2,000 drivers. “We are mobilizing our membership to call the governor’s office to prevent this from becoming law.” “We are not going to sleep until Gov. Guinn vetoes this attempt to gut our wages,” said USW Local 711A President Hussein Abedelgill, who represents 2,500 drivers. “We are working night and day to stop this from becoming law and we are asking our fellow union members from around Nevada to tell the governor to veto this Bill. “They can call, toll free at 866-340-9279, and tell him to veto the transportation bill,” Abedelgill concluded. The USW and the ITPEU are working in a Strategic Alliance to organize all Las Vegas drivers into a union. Contact: Hussein Abedelgill - 702-807-2611Ruth Jones - 702-808-3420

The ITPE currently represents more than 13,000 members employed on 275 contract sites located in the U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Guam. This website provides news and information about the ITPE Union. Come join us!

In 1986. Taxi drivers employed by Yellow, Checker and Star Cab Companies in Las Vegas voted to join the ITPE.

Ruthie Jones, a former Chief Shop Steward at Nellis AFB, NV, was recruited in 1986 to take over as the Las Vegas ITPE Representative and handle contracts and military base sites in Nevada and Colorado.