The Daily Worker Newspaper, January 22, 1927, Page 12

Organize the New York Taxi Drivers! By SYLVAN A. POLLACK. Tho New York tami driver ig not the “hard-boiled” individual he is generally supposed to be, this writer discovered after an investigation among that group of workers. Working as long as twelve to fourteen hours a day, suffering abuse and terror tem from the police, exploitation by the bosses and Might club owners, and being ignored by A. F. of L. organizers, ‘the lot of the New York cab driver has become so hard that at last, of his own initia tive, he and his fellows are demanding unionization. A reeital of the hardships suffered by taximen will doubtless arouse little sympathy from the mass @ workers, so familiar are the latter with similar eonditions in their own trades and industries. But what makes things so unbearable for the New York “cabbie”. is tle fact that, having no union and hay- ing been prevented by police terrorism from organ- izing, he cannot even attempt to fight for better conditions. Like the vassals of feudal times, he must bow hig head meekly and kiss the hand that tightens its grip on hig throat. Get Poor Pay. — The day shift, working nine hours, from 7 a Mm, till 4 p. m,, earns an average wage of $3.60 a day. The night sbift, working from twelve to fourteen hours, 4 p. m, to 6 a. m., usually averages only wo dollars more, $5.12. These figures were secured from a statement made by the bosses, who give the @rivers only 40 per cent of their gross receipts. Forty-five thousand drivers are employed in New York’ City, yet there is no organization of cah driv- ers. There are, however, ten independent associa «:bions of owners, the employing class having always _yealized the benefits of organization. * After much pleading on the part of these workers, hho A. F. of L. union, the International Brotherhood Ww Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen and Helpers, wiempted to hold an organization meeting for them : % Beethoven Hall during the summer of 1925. The meeting had hardly been called to order when the police arrived and by wielding night clubs and blackjacks, broke it up. Whether the police acted on their own initiative, or were influenced by the Yellow Taxi Corporation, has always been an unsettled question to local la- porites. They recal] that the former mayor, John ¥. Hylan, had made a special pet of the Yellow Cab Co, because of the financial interest a near relative of his had in it. Double-Crossed by Walker. When the present mayor, “Jimmy” Walker, was campaigning for the job, he published a paper called “The Square Deal” that was circulated among the cabmen. Among the many promises he made to them wag one that he would play no favorites, and that stands would be distributed fairly. He also promised to better the working conditions of the cab driver, and by virtue of these promises secured many votes, The disillusioned cab drivers have learned, now that “Jimmy” has been in office for a year, that his promises were typical “Tammany ballotpait,” the mayor having done his best, through the new traf- ft regulations, to make the lot of the cab driver a harder one. Parking is no longer permitted on Fifth Ave. from 5 till 7 p. m. Heavy traffic on that thoroughfare. be- gins at .3 o’clock, but the police have shifted the hour from 3 to 5 p.m, so as to accommodate the owners of the Cadillacs, Rolls-Royces, Hispano-Sui- zas, and Packards who cannot be hampered by laws. The Fifth Avenue Association, an organization of the merchants on that avenue, were influential in having the hour made just late enough so that they would lose no business. The cabman was left to shift for himself. Why Pay Dwindles. But miserable pay, abuse from the police, and interference from the law-makers are not the only factors that make driving a taxi a poor job. The drivers must purchase their own uniforms. They must pay for stolen equipment like batteries, tires, jacks and lamps, When the taxi has a breakdown, they receive no compensation for time lost. Many small companies furnish their cabs with patched-up tires, called in the parlance of the trade,— “Moe Levy tires.” These “bolonies” are constantly in need of repair, and the job of repairing them falls to the driver, naturally, but for this he re- ceives no pay. Often, due to the poor condition of his tires, a driver is forced to drive slowly for fear a tire might burst, and thus he not only loses cus- tomers, but brings down upon his head the wrath of the traffic cop for blocking traffic. Fifth Ave, buses are limited by police regulation to two buses a block. Little 4s said, however, when ten or lve line up in a gingle block. ‘The taxi driver-must wend his way as best he can thru the maze, taking his chances on a disastrous smash-up. Other hazards that make the job dangeroug include the poor conditions of the brakes. The companies care so little about the safety of the driver that brakes are often neglected, resulting in collisions in which the driver is either killed or confined to a sick-bed for many months, Yellow Fears Union. The Yellow Taxicab Corporation, which by vir- tue of its political influence with the previous ad- ministration had quite a monopoly on the service in this city, only paid its 2,000 men a commission of 33 1-8 per cent up to two months ago. Discontent among its employees became so pronounced that, afraid they might unionize, the company raised this commission to the standard 40 per cent. To save money, it stopped distributing the small. monthly bonus it gave prior to the increase, and also the publication of “The Yellowgraph,” the yellow com- pany sheet that wag issued to keep the slaves in chains. ; Many of the cab drivers have become interested readers of The DAILY WORKER, hoping that this militant labor paper will take up their cause and agitate for their unionization. They point out, as an example of how they ‘could be benefited by om ganization, to the Mogul Checker Cab strike of 1923. With only a slipshod strike association, these work- ers raised the commission percentage from 33 1-3 to 40 per cent. Their plight becomes more bitter when they re call that drivers in other branches of the trade have. organizations, such as the funeral auto driv- ers, the milk drivers, the truck drivers, the news paper drivers, and others. The New York taxi driver has long been a subject of jest and abuse from everyone. Like all other wage slaves, he has done his best to withstand the trials and vicissitudes of his craft uncomplainingly. But the breaking point has come, He can no longer bear up under his burden. He has broadcast his appeal. The question that now confronts organized labor is, what shall be done to aid him? The American Federation of Labor is, by virtue of his undeniable plea, subpoenaed to answer. - Review of the Women’s Work in 1926. NGLAND—A conference was held om May 26, with delegates from all over the kingdom and two delegates from the C. E, C. of the British Com- munist Panty. In the year 1925 an organization was formed to centralize the work of organizing the working women. Today in all thickly populated dis- tricts, there are now branches of this women’s or- «panization functioning. At the time this women’s gonference was being he'd the British Communist Pariy was also in session, and the minutes of the Women’s Conference were presented to this body Biong with the resolution of the Comintern on wo men's work and these were approved. At the Brit- tsh Communist Party’s convention about 12 per cent sf the total delegation were women. asian France most of the women’s groups are in Paris. In tradition Paris has more wo- men and more influence than any country in the world. The women’s groups there also have a spec- fal organizer. In‘ the Profintern they are in one un- fon, and this well disciplined group is calied the “Red Unit.” In the provinces where there are large fndusiries they are also trying to organize women’s ns of the Communist Party of France. In gen- eri! in Franee there is only a small per cent of wo- men members in the Communist Party, possibly two per cent. ‘ALY—In spite of the opposition of the Fascisti, = in Italy the women ane doing wonderful work. Thcir central body is composed of representatives of the largest bodies, and among whom are women from all industries. Especially from the industries of Lombardy, Turin and Milan. Thanks to the or- ganization these women are a well disciplined body. Even in the smaller villages they are well organized and harmonious groups of workers, peasant and pro- letarian housewives, who are in sympathy with the Communist Party. These women have a journal, “Campaign,” around which they center their work. This organ is not even legal im Italy and enjoys an pver larger list of women correspondents, ZECHO-SLOVAKIA—In the fall of 1925 together with the women’s conference in Czecho-Stovakia, the Party thrn the women’s secretariat of the Com- Intern, organized the women. Their central body ls called ‘the central women’s committee of Qzocho-Slovakia and they have their secretariat, The york or organizing the women of this country has spread to the mines and mills under the guidance of fheir Communist Party, maintaining close connec- tions with their central committee; 20,000 women amo members of the Communist Party, this making ap 25 per cemt of the total membersbip of the Slo wakian Party. s ERMAN Y—f all work done in the party, the wo- men’s work in Germany has gone down till in some places there is hardly enough to call it an or- ganization. In their central committee they have had one secretariat and recently another was added along with an advisory committee of 10. These wo- men are drawn from the largest industries of Ber- lin and each has her special work to Carry out, and as a result of getting in new members they are be- ginning to see their aims develop. Industries have special nuclei for women, and the press and po- 4 4 Pi 7 CAD a re Ay ea es AtEt het bP HAH LY } ¥ Htical committees are getting valuable help from them. From Berlin the work is directed in organ- izing the provinces, which for some time have been disconnected. Women members in the party number about 12 to 13 per cent of its members. WITZERLAND, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and in the last few months in Austria, the United States and Canada some success has been achieved. Espeo iaHy was International Women’s Day in 1924 very successful under the leadership of the Comintern, 15 countries participated! ee