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Michael Tatham collection on the United Taxi Workers Organizing Committee

Call Number

WAG.005

Date

1978-1981, inclusive

Creator

United Taxi Workers Organizing Committee
Tatham, Michael
Tatham, Michael (Role: Donor)

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

The United Taxi Workers Organizing Committee (UTWOC) was formed in 1979 in response to a change in many Boston taxicab companies away from an employee-driver basis to one of voluntary leasing. Dissatisfied with the actions of the two existing unions - the Back Bay Taxi Drivers Association and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 496 - a small group of dissidents concluded that their best hope lay in a new organizing drive. Despite many difficulties, including a high turnover, a broad mix of personal and ethnic backgrounds, and a lack of militant support, the union was able to win recognition from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in November 1980. After a brief campaign the union was defeated in a general membership vote on December 5, 1980. The collection contains leaflets relating to organizing and to union elections as well as documents from the UTWOC's appeal to the NLRB for recognition. An unpublished typescript on the history of the UTWOC by Michael Tatham, an organizer for the union, is also included.

Historical/Biographical Note

The United Taxi Workers Organizing Committee (UTWOC) was formed in 1979 in response to a shift in many Boston taxicab companies, including Checker Taxi and Town Taxi, away from an employee-driver basis to one of voluntary leasing. The drivers contended that this change rendered them powerless to control their hours of work, lease, and gas charges. The two existing unions – the Back Bay Taxi Drivers Association and International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 496 – allegedly did little to protect the drivers.

Boston taxi drivers were difficult to organize because of high turnover and a broad mix of personal and ethnic backgrounds. The UTWOC was founded by a small group of dissidents who concluded, as tension over new employment terms mounted, that their best hope lay in a new organizing drive. Efforts were made throughout the winter of 1979 to 1980 to get drivers at Town Taxi, the city's second-largest garage, to sign union cards. The high turnover rate of drivers impeded this process, as did the already-established jurisdiction of Teamsters Local 496 and the Back Bay Taxi Drivers Association.

Despite a lack of militant support, UTWOC leaders filed with the National Labor Relations Board for recognition in the summer of 1980. On November 5th, the NLRB ruled in favor of the UTWOC and ordered an election. After a brief campaign in which it was blocked at every turn by management and its agents, the new union was defeated in a general membership vote on December 5, 1980.

Sources:

Tatham, Michael. "UTWOC History." Unpublished typescript, undated.

Arrangement

Folders are arranged alphabetically.

The files are grouped into 1 series:

Missing Title

  1. I, General Files, 1978-1981

Scope and Content Note

The collection contains leaflets from the UTWOC and Teamsters, Local 496 relating to organizing and union elections as well as copies of the union's newsletter. Also present are documents from the union's appeal to the NLRB for recognition, including proceedings, trial notes, correspondence and correspondence. An unpublished typescript on the history of the UTWOC by Michael Tatham, an organizer for the union, is also included.

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection, created by Michael Tatham and the United Taxi Workers Organizing Committee was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date; United Taxi Workers Organizing Committee Records; WAG 005; box number; folder number;
Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012, New York University Libraries.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Michael Tatham, 1984. The accession number associated with this gift is 1981.001.

Collection processed by

Anne H. Greenberg, 1984; Hillel Arnold, 2008

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 16:43:46 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Description is in English

Edition of this Guide

United Taxi Workers WAG 5.doc

Repository

Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012