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*Taxi! cabs and Capitalism in NYC *
(New Press 2005)
Book Release on Friday May 13th, 2005
7PM at the Brecht Forum
(451 West Street, New York City- For Directions see below)
The author, Biju Mathew, will read from the book, and will be joined by
members of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance in discussing the book. Come
celebrate!!
INITIAL REACTIONS TO THE BOOK:
" Brilliantly combining memoir, ethnography, history, social critique,
and political alliance. Biju Mathew tells a powerful story of what is
possible when Third World immigrant workers mobilize in defence of
themselves.
-- Robin D.G. Kelley.
A stunning introduction to the lives of New York's taxi drivers. It is
destined to become classic.
-- Vijay Prashad
FROM THE JACKET:
New York city taxi drivers have the toughest of jobs, working
twelve-hour shifts, seven days a week, for not much more than minimum
wage. The vast majority are lease drivers who, unable to afford the
$300,000 for a taxi medallion, hire their cabs on a daily or weekly
contract. If bad weather or traffic hits business, the burden is
entirely theirs. To make matters worse, the Taxi and Limousine
Commission and the New York Police Department vie with each other in
imposing a get-tough approach on a largely immigrant workforce.
But, in recent years, yellow cab drivers have joined together to fight
back. In 1998 twenty-four thousand went on strike to protest relentless
harrassment by Mayor Rudy Giuliani. And a forceful campaign led by their
grassroots organization, the Taxi Workers Alliance, was critical in
obtaining the recent fare hike, an increase that went largely to the
drivers themselves.
Biju Mathew, a longstanding organizer of the Alliance, draws extensively
on interactions with the drivers themselves to tell the story of an
industry that has come to typify the ruthless exploitation of modern
business. The result is a fast-paced and often moving tale of the
struggles and occassional triumphs of those who work in the front of the
cab, connecting themes as diverse as globalization and urban politics,
immigrant history and multiculturalism. Buckle up, hold on tight, and
enjoy the ride.
EXTRACTS FROM THE BOOK:
In 1937 Mayor Laguardia got rid of a practice in the Taxi industry
called horse hiring. In 1979, the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC),
garages, brokers, and a set of corrupt union bosses brought it back.
Only this time it was called leasing. That's why the taxi driver of both
the 1930s and the 1990s could go home without a penny in his pocket.
-- Kevin Fitzpatrick.
How dare they call us "independent contractors"? I do the driving...
that's all. The medallion is owned by somebody else and those who do the
work don't own shit....I tell you, this medallion is the root cause of
all our problems.
-- Rizwan Raja.
It happens all the time. Drivers are given two, three, four tickets at
one shot. Why do the NYPD and the TLC give taxi drivers so many tickets?
They know we don't have the time to fight them because then who will pay
the lease? If I have to go to court during the day it means I don't
sleep and then I don't drive that night....So they are assured of their
money.
-- Kurshid Khan.
Directions** (PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION)**
A, C, E or L to 14th Street & 8th Ave*, walk down 8th Ave. to Bethune,
turn right, walk west to the River, turn left
1, 2, 3 or 9 to 14th Street & 7th Ave, get off at south end of station,
walk west on 12th Street to 8th Ave. left to Bethune, turn right, walk
west to the River, turn left.
PATH Train to Christopher Street north on Greenwich St to Bank Street,
left to the river.
#11 or #20 Bus to Abingdon Square, west on Bethune
#14A or #14D Bus to 8th Ave & 14th Street, walk down 8th Ave. and west
on Bethune to the river
#8 Bus to 10th & West Streets
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