USW Announces Western Cab Drivers are Now Union Members

Contact:  Hussein Abdelgilil, 702-477-7620; 702-807-2611; USW711@lvcoxmail.com
              Steve Sullivan, 626-252-8149; ssullivan@usw.org

Las Vegas  (Apr. 2) – Hussein Abdelgilil, the President of Local 711A for the United Steelworkers (USW), today announced 280 drivers for Western Cab have joined the union and negotiations for a first labor contract will begin shortly.

“We kicked off the organizing campaign among the Western Cab drivers earlier this month with an enthused committee of lead drivers on key employment issues of no reimbursement for high gas prices, no health care, no pensions and reduced income by the long hours behind the wheel,” said the USW Local 711A leader.

According to Abdelgilil, USW Local 711A represents more than 3,000 cab and transit companies who operate in Las Vegas. “We are the largest union for cab, limo and shuttle bus drivers in Las Vegas.”  He said the USW now has drivers at seven cab companies, plus a limousine and bus shuttle company. The USW also represents cab drivers in other cities in the U.S. and Canada that include Boston and Hamilton, Ontario.

Gezahegne Teffera, a driver at Western Cab, helped setup an initial meeting of nearly 100 drivers at an area restaurant. “We all debated the merits of a union, looked at the reductions in our pay checks from rising gas prices and no job security benefits, then gave our nod to ‘Go Steelworkers,’” he said.

USW-represented drivers Kellie Obong and Dina Khaito at Vegas-Western Cab Co. typically took time off between shifts to meet up and advocate the Western Cab drivers join the union. Obong said: “We went to taxi stands, garages, even gas stations while drivers were refueling their cabs to talk union and relate the strength of the USW with members in diverse industries all across North America and in the Caribbean.”

Organizers Bill Fears and Steve Sullivan came in from out-of-state to give Local 711A added support. Fears said the owner of Western Cab, through their attorney, provided a written commitment last week to voluntarily recognize the USW for the purpose of negotiating a contract after the union filed for a representation election before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). “This is a good faith sign the cab company wants to keep their drivers and sit down to negotiate a fair agreement,” he said.

In Las Vegas, USW Local 711A now represents drivers at Western Cab; Ace Cab; Virgin Valley Cab; A-North Las Vegas Cab; Union Cab; Vegas-Western Cab; Whittlesea Cab, and Bell Transportation limousine and shuttle service. For a photo of the USW Local 711A lead organizing committee at the Western Cab Co, CLICK HERE.

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