Some Chicago Cabbies to Strike Monday

Chicago taxi drivers plan to strike during rush hour every Monday until the city approves a fare increase

Chicagoans may have trouble flagging down taxi drivers on Mondays.

Some cab drivers plan to strike during morning rush hour every Monday until the city permits a fare increase, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Despite the fact that taxi drivers are individually contracted workers and not part of a union, the United Taxi Drivers Community Council said Wednesday it hopes a substantial amount of the city’s nearly 12,000 taxi drivers will join in to voice their frustrations.

The strike comes as regulations set to begin July 1 will drive up the cost of leasing the bright yellow vehicles by 30 percent and limit drivers to a 12-hour work day.

The mayor's office said in a statement the new guidelines "will result in safer drivers, cleaner cabs and better options for patrons."

"Until those reforms are fully implemented, it is premature to talk about charging more for a ride."

Though the City Council approved a permanent $1 surcharge for fuel, the United Taxi Drivers Community Council said many taxi drivers are still facing bare-minimum wages and are forced to work 13- to 14-hour workdays, according to a study done by the University of Chicago.

The new regulations honor some cabbie’s concerns, such as posting a $50 fee for vomiting riders, but the drivers say the surcharge does not account for increasing gas prices and the lease increase will cost even more money, the Tribune reports.

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