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TAXI STRIKE
I: FAR FROM HUMAN HABITATION
It don't bother me. Ya see me waitin for a call? I'm
always waitin. Business is lousy anyhow. Owner, driver, hackie,
cabbie: it all registers the same thing. If it's good with the next
guy it's good with me. Ya think I blame those guysl They take
plenty of abuse. It's a dog's life. The man walking on the street
thinks if a hackie asks for 45 percent, it's a lot, Figure it up,
what does it amount to? A dollar a week, maybe. Let them take it.
I say, they're entitled to it.
I got my awn worries. Plates, license, repair bills: it
eats up dough. I play the line here, it's a quiet section, business
people, they all know me, it's a steady clientele. The longer you're
in it the poorer you get. Take me; started three years ago I had
three thousand dollars. No I got nothin. But I'm still hopin, an
I'm still in it. It's my office; I eat here, I sleep here, I see
the same faces
People are scared to ride now. The headlines was a bit
too sharp. Coupla minutes ago I got a call. The man says, you think
we'll be stoned if we go uptown? I says lissen mister, it's alright
with me. What can I tell him? He walks away. Don't get me wrong,
I got nothin against the boys. But I think they'll make a failure
ottov it.
Ya think it's so good for me on the night shift? Weak
eyes. The Doc keeps tellin me: Mister Schoenfeld, ya gotta quit,
it ain't doin your eyes no good. Seventeen years I'm drivin at
night. So look at me, does it look like I can quit? Ya gotta live,
so I'm still here, far from human habitation, I don't know what's
goin on in other places, I don't care; I got my own troubles
23 UNION MAN
We're one of the worst people in the world, exploited I
mean. Percentage ain't our main demand at all, don't get that into
your head. "What we want is recognition, so the union can actually
run things for our benefit. 14 been kidkod aroun quite a bit ya know,
we ain't lettin on -one kid us. It's human natures when the Company
got control they run things for themselves, you can understand it.
That's the way it works out. If we can squeeze a few bucks outta
the bosses an get some security, that's the only goddam thing we can
do. We wenn a little more dough an we venue work every day, thass all.
Tell ya how it is in this rackets a hackman works 12 hours
a day on an average; that's not unusual at all, it's not over -estimated
one bit. When he got an income of four dollars, that's considered kinda
high. The worst part as far as I can see it is conditions. The
hackie goes down to the garage, an he don't even know if he'll get
work. He's kinda guessin, that's right, that's the method, keepin him
guessin alla time. Then there's crazy competition on the street, he
gotta get calls, so he keeps gone at a maddening pace, an what happens?
They crash their cabs, these hackies, they steal calls, they go in
for this double -parkin business, they turn in the middle of the
street. I don't say it's right but what can they do? The fleet
owners keep drivin and drivin, so a man who wants to get a cab
sort of tries to beat his next fellow -man ottov a call. It's human
nature, ain't it?
On account of low bookins they gotta way of keepin a man
off a cab. It's stupid when you come to tiink of it, you can see
it's stupid, because look, there's a certain amount of people ridin
cabs; the rest oan't afford it no matter what ya say. So it's a
matter of luck; like yoU're in a certain spot and you grab a call
comm n ottov a building, an I don't. Is it my fault? It's a matter
of luck, or chance, or whatever you wanna call it. Commonsense
tells ya, when the Company takes an average of bookins, halfa the
men are above the average, an halfa them below. So if everybody
below don't get on a cab, what does that leave? It's simple arith-
metic.
The main point is we're livin in a day when things are
supposed to be better for the workinman, there's even such a thing
as legislation, they're trying ta lift men up from the bottom if ya
know what I mean, and here's thousands and thousands of guys family
men, workin 12 and 14 hours a day in the biggest city in the world.
Hell, we're not playing for marbles; we're fightin with men's bellies
here:
It's unbelievable when ya come ta think of it. There's
men over 40 and 50, mosta them; they don't know nothin else but
hackin. Many of these guys never even see their families. Kids
growin up without a fathers what kind of family life is that?
What kind of upbringing is it for a kid? Even farmers, they're
exploited, they're worse off than us in some ways, at least they're
in with their families, it's more human if ya get what I mean. Some
a these hackies work so goddam hard their minds get dull, they can't
think of anything different, they just keep sinkin and sinkin. You
know what they say: there's worms in apples and worms in radishes.
Take the worm in aradish, he thinks the whole world is radishes.
My personal reaction is, we're out for what's reasonable
and we're gonna win. It don't make so much difference ta me, as far
as what I stand to gain for myself: if an idea is good, it's good.
I've been in and outta this business an I figure, if the union is
organized the way it should be, I'll be out. Part-timers like me
will evenchally be eliminated, that's to be expected. No, I don't
belong ta no party. I still got my card in the Democratic party,
but it's got nothin ta do with politics here. Any party that's
willin ta help, if it's communist, socialist, anarchist, we don't
care, if it benefits us we don't ask no questions. Sure, the papers
talk about reds. But it's meaningless, it don't mean anything, it
don't require any attention. Anybody who wantsa start any disruption
hollers you're a communist. So what?
Me picket? Naah, I nova picket. Ledda guys wid tree kids
go out picketin. Too much like work fa me. Doan worry, I belong in
dis place. Paid up ta December, manna see my book? Ask anybody. I
jus doan like ta picket, dass all. Doan care for it. I'm sorta on a
temporary basis. Tink I gotta be a hackie all my life? But nobody
kin get me ta cross a picket line. Dat's de way I am. Ya neva hold
of it? Truckin's my racket. Soon as I save up fifty bucks fa plates
I take da Ford outta cole storage. Sure, I'm no hungry Joe. I'gotta
liddle business. Make more in a couple hauls dan I make here all week.
Hey,Harry, where da hell you been? I been lookin all ovah
for ya. Two swell broads come ovah ta da blimp: what's about takin us
to de Hotel St. George, dey asks me. I figger it up quick; it's a buck
an a quarter, put it on de watch an take it out in trade. Still, wot
for, wot da hell, am I gonna buy it? It's only a bounce. Stumpyphe
wuz sittin on de rack an takin it all in. He grabs de two a dam an
puts em right in da cab an sez "get in". Dey wuzn't bad, 28 or toity,
bote.
Dere givin out checks fa night men. Stumpy got his aready.
Waddeya say, we go ovah? Less get dressed up en celebrate. Ya know
wot I had ta eat tday? Strawberries an cream. America I luv ya. Djeva
hear a dat, strawberries in da mintertime,wiseguy? Tamorra maybe I'll
be satisfied mid oleomargarine. Wot's da difference? Haifa wot ya eat
keeps ya alive, de udder half kills ya. In die racket, afta ya pay fa
yer room, ya get a hunk in ya belly en a piece en de lousy eighteen -fifty
is up in smoke. Ya see an uncle evvy week en a relative evvy udder week.
I'm no weeper. At de same time I ain't gonna takea lickin like some a
dose jerks.
I know how Pop feels about die strike. He's got his heart
en soul in it. He wantsa make a pile outta all de cabs en put a match
to em. Wot's a couple bucks extra mean ta him? He pullzin six in de
mawnin, leaves de house when his kids'r in school en comes back when
dere sleepin. He sees is kid Jake an hour a day. Know how e does it?
-6
He sea ta Jake: "Jake, when ya come home fa lunch, I'll give ya a
penny." So when de kid gits home at twelve &clock, he slaps de ole
man right in da pud en hollers, "Pop, gimme a penny." Dat's rights
I ain't kiddin. Djeva heara die hours -wages, or wages -hours bill?
pat applies to us. Buhlieve me. Hey Barry, fa chrissakes quit
beefin an less git dressed neat en go ta Nint Avenya fa some hump.
Cmon: I guarantee hump.
4: HEADLINES
TAXI STRIKE BEGINS: 13,000 CALLED OUT
...In issuing the strike call, the union said
action became necessary because of the complete
refusal of the operators to bargain with the
union. The union declared it had no alternative
but to exercise the strike authority voted to
the executive board by the men last week.
the Parmalee spokesman said: "Their (workers')
earnings depend upon the amount of business avail-
able. It is out of the question to raise the per-
centage.
New York Times.
POLICE ON STRIKE DUTY CARRY THEIR NIGHTSTICKS.
New York Times.
GENERAL STRIKE, Effective Jan. 3, 3 P M
*therefore the General Strike is hereby in
full force and effect...ON GUARD AGAINST PROVOCA-
TIONI Unscrupulous operators will as in the past
use every means to discredit your union.
Watch out for stool pigeons .LET UNITY BE
YOUR MOTTO STICK TOGETHER!
Official Taxi Bulletin No. 2
MAYOR SETTLES TAXT STRIKE
Hearst's Journal -American.
5: SPEECH
*Brothers there are rumors floating around to the effect that the
strike is settled. This is nonsense, this is untruo, this is asarely
a ruse and a trick an the part of the operators whioh the bose-inspired
newspapers are only too willing to play up. Brothers, tho strike is not
settled. The strike is still on. But remmiber, you can't inn the strike
in this hall. Out to the garage., everybody; get out on the picket line,
stop those oars from rolling. Seep every fleet oar from rolling and the
strike is nine -tenths won. Out to the garages, everybody! Stop than*
oars..
Oa COP
No, were not oxpeotin no trouble. That's off the record of course.
We're enforoin law an order an so forth. Always perteot life en property
yafklow. Hell, that's our job..
71 NEWS IT ALL ABOUT/
I ain't baokin do union if doy ain't baskin as. Buck en a quarter
fa dues, dot's a lotto money. Night be all right if we got two dollars
a mile, heh hoh. Not kin de union do ft me? We oletimers gotta knockin
aroun by do union before, dose who dint make dobookins. Nhjority, eight,
pissent, is ex•votrins. Troo, de union done mew widda blackball system,
but if ya falls down on boOkins, sot kinna union do fa ye Pin over 40
myself and I gotta look out fa nyself, nobody oleo is gonna do it. Afiaak
Va forty it doatt matte hew good y aro, ya suit make a job. I buklieve
inn& =Lima, sure, bht I don't like de °Usk wet's da head uv it. Deres
too much cemmuaisn. Day can't pull aaya die stuff mid ne, I 'wasn't born
yostiddy. Ds las tree strikes, dint da comminista serve samoiches an
wuzalt dey sheltie pitchers of da Scarburra case? NO, I ain't persnly
talked to anybody you'd say-wus a oemminist, it's easy wet ya hear. Ny
may, if day dean like it ova hero, leddee get do hell Out; adbodyld miss
-6
lot I like betta is a kinda bruddahood, like a company outfit,
ya get a vacation too, en ya get sick benefits. De Magner Law sez ya
gotta have a bruddahood, dat don't mean a union. flat's oney my persnal
opinion, but ta tell de hones troot, I dunno wot de hell it's all about.
Wotever way ya look at it it's tough. If ya book tree dollars ya can't
make de company give ya six. Woteva way it toins out I ain't afraid,
heh heh, I ain't worryin. I gotta bunka lumba here on de floor
De °nay trouble is, Jesus Christ, ya can't tell people ta ride inna
cab. Dere's enough inna street, but no work onna street.
Ss IN CASE THEY DIE.
We just put that sticker on the windshield to avoid trouble. "BROAD
STREET TAXI OWNERS ASSOCIATION", that's right. We're 200 boys who own our
cabs and we don't want any trouble. We're all oldtimers. 14 backed the
curb market over sixteen years ago, it was out on the street than, maybe
you don't remember. I'd like to see them win the strike, sure, why not.
But we just sit quiet and listen to everything. We stick together, that's
the idea of the association, to help the boys in every little way. In
case one of the boys happens to die, you understand, we try to help him
out.
9: MAJOR DEMANDS
I. MEER COMMISSIONS
2. VACATIONS WITH PAY
3. MAXIMUM JOB SECURITY
4. END ALL RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
6. HOURS OF WORK
6. SENIORITY
7. HEALTH CONDITIONS
From leaflet of Transport Workers Union.
10: A BUNNERD PISSENT SATISFIED.
No, I got no kicks camin. Nuttin wotsoever. I'm a hunnerd pizsent
satisfied. All I got to say is leave us alone, don't bodder us, dat's
Die =mein de wife sets Mike, don't go out if dare's trouble. But wot
trouble kin dere be?
de cabs. De Journal
all a bunch a liars.
In die outfit I'm -old, dere's a hunnerd pissent on
set 400 went out. Dat's a bunnerd pissent lie. Dey're
Everybody ya see is a bunch a liars, de best ting is
ta trust nobody. My own company union I don't trust even. De CIO? I
despise de CIO. In nineteen-toity-faw I was out too. Dat was anudder phoney.
Not hackdrivers, I dunno, somebody else wuz in do middle ov it, I woulden
be sure a dat. CIO promised us de jobs, den everybody wuz left dumbfounded.
Ion tellin ya we dint know where we muz standin; all de doors wuz automatically
locked. It was real surprizin. Dere wuz nuttin doin wotsoever. Dot's why
we pushed out all de CIO men. Don't worry,
radical we'll push him out. We don't trust
lls PHONEY
Lissen, lissen, don't tell nobody, I ain't a hackie ya see
tell you one thing: You ain't goin to get nowhere unless you
if dare's any left an
nobody in die outfit.
he's a
but let me
dump a few
a dela guys. That's my persnal idear, an I don't think there's nuthin
detrimantary about it. JUA hurt am in a nice way, not physically ya know,
jus beat en up a little so their mothers an sisters will tell am ta watch
out. Oh, I ain't suggestin it, it's jus voluntary offerings on my part.
Ya know, dare's too many phonies aroun here; too many phonies fa my taste.
You hackies think ya know it all, but ya don't know nothin. I'm tellin ya
now, I'm tellin ya anybody got de price uv a drink?
12: DOWN TO THE POLLS TONIGHTI
"And I want to tell you men, we're proud of the may
you've 00M...
ducted yourselves in this strike. There's been no violence, and there's
not going to be any as far as wk. concerned. The public has sown an
an example of perfect discipline and control; despite provocation we have
succeeded in keeping 80 to 85 percent of the cabs off the street, and not
a man has been hurt. Now one last word. All those who have not yet voted
are urged to go down to the polls immediately, get down there tonight
before they close, and cast your vote to put an end to rotten conditions
in the taxi industry! Everybody, down to the polls tonight! Let's swing
into it, men, for a new deal in the taxi industry!