Unionized taxi drivers vote to authorize strike

Union drivers at Las Vegas' second-largest taxi cab company have voted to authorize a strike, although it would not start until Dec. 16 at the earliest.

Drivers belonging to Industrial Technical Professional Employees Union approved a strike by what a union official called an "overwhelming margin," but the exact figure was not disclosed. The voting station at the union's office was open 56 consecutive hours from Tuesday morning through Thursday afternoon, with the results announced Friday.

This came after drivers in November rejected a proposed five-year contract offered by Yellow Checker Star Transportation, which holds permits for 25 percent of all cabs in Las Vegas. The company says it has about 1,700 drivers, with 1,264 belonging to the union.

"This (strike vote) result gives us the authority to do whatever we need to on behalf of our members," union representative T. "Ruthie" Jones said. "This is not a joke. It needs to be taken seriously."

Company officials could not be reached for comment.

Negotiations are scheduled to resume Wednesday. The union didn't lay out what would happen if they and the company fail to reach a deal. Jones added that the authorization vote does not mean drivers will automatically walk off the job Dec. 16.

"I would hope we can settle this," Jones said. "A strike does not benefit anybody."

Drivers continue to work under an extension of the previous contract, which expired Sept. 30.

December is typically slow for drivers. But the pace quickens sharply in the year's final few days as tourists pour in for New Year's Eve. Some of the largest conventions of the year come to town in January.

At its Tuesday meeting, the Nevada Taxicab Authority again will consider issuing temporary operating permits, known as medallions, to other taxi operators to fill any shortfall created by a strike. In October, authority directors voted to issue as many as 30 medallions to the other 13 cab companies, although it's unclear how many extra cabs could be put on the road on short notice.

At the time, Yellow Checker Star endorsed the move while union representatives opposed it. Those temporary medallions expired at the end of November.

Drivers at Frias Transportation Management, a holding company with five brands that has the city's biggest fleet, have worked under short-term contract extensions since Sept. 11. A proposed contract was rejected almost unanimously in October. Neither the company nor United Steelworkers Local 711-A representatives could be reached for comment on the status of talks.

Frias opposed temporary strike medallions, saying it had a contingency plan. A company attorney did not reveal specifics.

During voting on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30, Yellow Checker Star drivers rejected a contract that management had termed "the most generous contract proposals in the taxi business." It included enhancements such as larger annual and safety bonuses, quicker access to company-provided health insurance, and two added unexcused sick days without penalty.

But Jones said drivers objected to the basic pay structure, under which they receive from 39 percent to 43.5 percent of the fares they collect, minus certain expenses. The proposed contract was unchanged except for advancing drivers to a second pay step of 41 percent after 12 months instead of 18.

Also, drivers would not qualify for flex time if they choose 12-hour shifts until they have been with the company six years. As it stands, drivers have to work only four days a week if they opt for 12-hour days, but would have to be on the job for five days a week until the six-year threshold.

One driver, who asked not to be identified, said he was voting for the strike authorization and would oppose any contract with the provision because he thought it would force him to work a 60-hour week.

Contact reporter Tim O'Reiley at
toreiley@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290.