National Taxi Workers' Alliance (NTWA) is a United Stateslabor union that was founded in February 1998 by organizers in New York City, as the New York Taxi Workers' Alliance. On August 3, 2011, the NTWA made history when it became the 57th affiliate of the AFL–CIO. NTWA is the first non-traditional workforce made up of independent contractors who don't work for an hourly wage to be granted membership into the AFL–CIO, the oldest labor federation in the country.[1] The Executive Council of the AFL–CIO voted unanimously "to include the NTWA into the house of labor with a national unionize taxi drivers throughout the United States".[2] The union is made up of 200,000 taxi workers operating 100,000 vehicles serving 1 billion riders per year.
The National Taxi Workers' Alliance emerged from the organizing efforts of the founding member, Bhairavi Desai. Desai founded the NTWA four years after graduating from Rutgers University.
In May 1998 Desai organized the first taxi workers strike to occur in New York City in 30 years. Over 90 percent of the taxi drivers joined the strike with a demonstration of 2,000 yellow cabs lined up at 14th Street and Avenue D. Forty thousand drivers parked their taxis and refused to work to protest the city policing of their industry.[2] In February 1998, Desai and other organizers founded the New York Taxi Workers' Alliance.[3]
During the 2013 AFL–CIO Convention, Bhairavi Desai, the Executive Director of the Alliance was elected to the AFL–CIO Executive Council.
Chapters
The National Taxi Workers' Alliance has active chapters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York City, New York, and San Francisco, California. The National describes its role as helping to "embolden the local chapters".[4] The national officers work to strategize on key campaigns and organizing drives with the local chapters. The national chapter works to secure resources to help with membership recruitment, dues development, and institution-building.
The National Taxi Workers' Alliance's most active chapter remains the one in New York. Over 15,000 taxi cab drivers are currently members of the NYC Chapter. More than 90 percent of NYC's cab drivers are immigrants, belonging mostly to the South Asian diaspora from countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.
Long-term goals
Currently the National Taxi Workers' Alliance does not have any collective bargaining rights as they represent a non-traditional workforce. Taxi cab drivers are not covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act which protects workers' safety and grants overtime pay.[2] Desai and other organizers are hopeful that the recent affiliation with AFL–CIO will help NTWA build a mass base of workers that can build their political influence and resources in order to one day win collective bargaining rights.
References
^"Home Page of New York Taxi Workers Alliance". Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^ abc"Bhairavi Desai Taxi Workers Alliance Elected AFL-CIO Executive Council". Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^"PUBLIC LIVES; An Unlikely Organizer as Cabdrivers United". Retrieved 26 February 2014.
^"NRI, New York taxi drivers organizer wins Ford Foundation award". Retrieved 26 February 2014.
External links
New York Taxi Workers' Alliance materials in the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA)
Bhairavi Desai materials in the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA)
national, taxi, workers, alliance, ntwa, united, states, labor, union, that, founded, february, 1998, organizers, york, city, york, taxi, workers, alliance, august, 2011, ntwa, made, history, when, became, 57th, affiliate, ntwa, first, traditional, workforce, . National Taxi Workers Alliance NTWA is a United States labor union that was founded in February 1998 by organizers in New York City as the New York Taxi Workers Alliance On August 3 2011 the NTWA made history when it became the 57th affiliate of the AFL CIO NTWA is the first non traditional workforce made up of independent contractors who don t work for an hourly wage to be granted membership into the AFL CIO the oldest labor federation in the country 1 The Executive Council of the AFL CIO voted unanimously to include the NTWA into the house of labor with a national unionize taxi drivers throughout the United States 2 The union is made up of 200 000 taxi workers operating 100 000 vehicles serving 1 billion riders per year NTWANational Taxi Workers AllianceFounded1998HeadquartersNew York CityLocationUnited StatesKey peopleBhairavi Desai Founding MemberAffiliationsAFL CIO ITFWebsitewww wbr nytwa wbr orgA NYTWA protest at New York City Hall Contents 1 Origins of the union 2 Chapters 3 Long term goals 4 References 5 External linksOrigins of the union EditThe National Taxi Workers Alliance emerged from the organizing efforts of the founding member Bhairavi Desai Desai founded the NTWA four years after graduating from Rutgers University In May 1998 Desai organized the first taxi workers strike to occur in New York City in 30 years Over 90 percent of the taxi drivers joined the strike with a demonstration of 2 000 yellow cabs lined up at 14th Street and Avenue D Forty thousand drivers parked their taxis and refused to work to protest the city policing of their industry 2 In February 1998 Desai and other organizers founded the New York Taxi Workers Alliance 3 During the 2013 AFL CIO Convention Bhairavi Desai the Executive Director of the Alliance was elected to the AFL CIO Executive Council Chapters EditThe National Taxi Workers Alliance has active chapters in Philadelphia Pennsylvania New York City New York and San Francisco California The National describes its role as helping to embolden the local chapters 4 The national officers work to strategize on key campaigns and organizing drives with the local chapters The national chapter works to secure resources to help with membership recruitment dues development and institution building The National Taxi Workers Alliance s most active chapter remains the one in New York Over 15 000 taxi cab drivers are currently members of the NYC Chapter More than 90 percent of NYC s cab drivers are immigrants belonging mostly to the South Asian diaspora from countries such as Bangladesh Pakistan and India Long term goals EditCurrently the National Taxi Workers Alliance does not have any collective bargaining rights as they represent a non traditional workforce Taxi cab drivers are not covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act which protects workers safety and grants overtime pay 2 Desai and other organizers are hopeful that the recent affiliation with AFL CIO will help NTWA build a mass base of workers that can build their political influence and resources in order to one day win collective bargaining rights References Edit Home Page of New York Taxi Workers Alliance Retrieved 26 February 2014 a b c Bhairavi Desai Taxi Workers Alliance Elected AFL CIO Executive Council Retrieved 26 February 2014 PUBLIC LIVES An Unlikely Organizer as Cabdrivers United Retrieved 26 February 2014 NRI New York taxi drivers organizer wins Ford Foundation award Retrieved 26 February 2014 External links EditNew York Taxi Workers Alliance materials in the South Asian American Digital Archive SAADA Bhairavi Desai materials in the South Asian American Digital Archive SAADA New York Taxi Workers Alliance Records at the Tamiment Library amp Robert F Wagner Labor Archives New York University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title National Taxi Workers 27 Alliance amp oldid 1084689935, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
