The Metro Taxi strike—straight from a cabbie

Metro Taxi's workers are still seething. Despite a strike that has lasted two weeks, Metro Taxi, the largest taxi company in New Haven, has refused to meet the demands of its protesting employees. Forced to hand over approximately 70 percent of the money they earn every week in order to pay lease rates on their vehicles, the Metro Taxi drivers are asking for lower leases and the right to unionize. About 60 of the 109 Metro Taxi drivers are involved in the strike. Tony Pagan, one of two drivers who recently left Metro Taxi due to what he termed "inhumane conditions", spoke with the Herald about his views.

KATHERINE ALDRICH/YH Cabbies angered by the Metro Taxi's policies are out on strike—but the cabs are still running.

Pagan worked for Metro Taxi for two and a half years until he quit three weeks ago. "I just turned in my keys and I quit," he said. Pagan chose a Tuesday, the day that the Metro Taxi's weekly lease payment is due, to quit. Though he was making $1,000 a week, having to pay $690 for his weekly lease, $25 for insurance, and gas costs left him with only $385 to live on, an arrangement that he found difficult. Drivers who lease new cars have even less to bring home. The weekly lease rate for new cars is $710. If its drivers are a day late in handing in their payments, the company bills them $15 for every day past the deadline. In order to expand their incomes, Pagan claims that many Metro Taxi drivers resort to breaking the law by driving over the limit of 12 hours or 200 miles a day. "Metro [Taxi] has a lot of good drivers and they don't deserve to be treated like this," he said.

William Scalzi, who owns Metro Taxi, recently offered a temporary reduction in lease rates, lowering the lease price on older cars to $660 and that on newer cars to $690. Pagan complained, however, that lowering the lease is just not enough because the rate reduction is slight in comparision to past lease increases. In his case, Pagan is still angry about when Metro Taxi increased his lease, then failed to notify him of the lease hike and charged him late fees.

However, despite Pagan's claims of mistreatment, no one has followed him and the other driver in quitting. Pagan explained,"I don't know if others will leave Metro [Taxi] because...they might not have a job on which to fall back. Other companies in New Haven are small and don't have a lot of cars. It's really hard for the drivers."

Pagan felt that the only way to force Scalzi to make concessions to the drivers is to keep striking. "It would be best if we would all turn in our keys and strike," he said. "No Metro drivers should be driving. But I know that Metro drivers have to work, so that will be tough." Pagan is somewhat optimistic about the situation because the striking drivers have gained the aid of the United Auto Workers International in their attempt to unionize. And later this month, on Thurs., Apr. 27, the Connecticut Department of Transportation will hold an investigative hearing.

On the other hand, Pagan is concerned that if gas prices go down again, Scalzi will raise lease rates again. He is also worried that Scalzi will add more cars to Metro Taxi to replace those drivers who are striking. He said, "If they put 30 new cabs out there, no one is going to make the $690."

Pagan now works for New Haven Taxi, where he feels that drivers are given better contracts. For example, the company charges drivers a flat lease rate of $475 for new and old cars alike. With this increase in income, Pagan says that he can now afford to work just five days per week. "I like that," he said. "I don't have to kill myself working all of those hours, and I can take time to enjoy myself and watch The Honeymooners. Thank God for New Haven Taxi."

But as the strike goes on, Pagan has decided that although he no longer works for Metro Taxi, he will continue to strike with his former colleagues, saying, "I've got to be there with those guys."

Back to News...