A group of Chicago cab drivers have planned a 24-hour strike Thursday to protest Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to allow rideshare services access to O'Hare and Midway airports.
The United Taxi Drivers Community Council (UTCC) claims 30 to 40 percent of taxi business on the street was lost this summer lost to rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. The union also claims the city's policies favor rideshare services.
"Let's not even look at the airport scheme yet — which will be a freaking nightmare for the airport officials, they can't even handle the taxi and limo business right now — the costs of cab rides will go up about 20 percent, while the Uber rides only go up 20 cents per fare, a 2 percent hike! If you were a consumer, which one would you pick?" said Rocky Orok, vice chair of the UTCC.
In response to the planned protest Thursday, the Chicago Department of Aviation released a statement encouraging people traveling to and from O'Hare and Midway airports to take the CTA or shuttle bus services.
In September, several cab drivers with the Cab Drivers United/AFSCME Local 2500 organized a protest against the mayor's airport plan and halted cab service to and from O'Hare and Midway airports for about two hours.
