Taxi!: Cabs and Capitalism in New York City
Mathew, as a member of the Organizing Committee of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, has a unique perspective on the plight of immigrant taxi drivers. Cab drivers pay a leasing fee of $120 per day to fleet owners, and they make a living only if they can bring in more than that, which is often difficult even in a grueling 12-hour shift. They are thought of as second-class citizens, harassed by police and passengers, and are subject to stiff fines for minor offenses. The system is rigged so that the most vulnerable person, the driver, takes on all of the risk. Yet this diverse workforce that speaks over 80 different languages organized a strike in 1998 in the face of opposition from Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Mathew explores the history of New York's taxicab industry, which has been in a cycle of corruption, reform, and corruption since the Depression. The book culminates in an essay on globalization, immigration, racism, and the false veneer of multiculturalism in neoliberal society.David SiegfriedCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.