Working Class Heroes Radio

In episode one, Carlos and Julian reported on the crisis in the New York City Taxi Industry. They told us about what taxi drivers consider a war over the future of the industry. This is a war between Taxi drivers and app companies like Uber and Lyft. Immigrant communities are on the forefront of this war making up a majority of the driver workforce. On October 1st of 2018, another immigrant driver committed suicide.

Fausto Luna, was the first Uber driver to commit suicide following the suicides of several black and yellow car drivers. Luna was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and an Uber driver since 2013.

New York City Taxi drivers haven’t always been immigrants but beginning in the 1980’s, the taxi labor force dramatically shifted from a largely native born workforce to one where less than 10% are native born. Even though New York City has always had a large immigrant community, they have largely been seen by the city’s elite as a community to exploit, scapegoat or use and abuse for their own selfish gains. In this episode, Carlos and Julian are reporting back on the challenges these immigrant Taxi drivers face in their fight against Uber, Lyft, and the TLC.

Music Credit:

Respiration - BlackStar

Fuck the Police - NWA

New York State of Mind - Nas

Road to Zion - Damian Marley & Nas

Ballad Of the Black Gold - Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek

In episode one, Carlos and Julian reported on the crisis in the New York City Taxi Industry. They told us about what taxi drivers consider a war over the future of the industry. This is a war between Taxi drivers and app companies like Uber and Lyft. Immigrant communities are on the forefront of this war making up a majority of the driver workforce. On October 1st of 2018, another immigrant driver committed suicide.

Fausto Luna, was the first Uber driver to commit suicide following the suicides of several black and yellow car drivers. Luna was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and an Uber driver since 2013.

New York City Taxi drivers haven’t always been immigrants but beginning in the 1980’s, the taxi labor force dramatically shifted from a largely native born workforce to one where less than 10% are native born. Even though New York City has always had a large immigrant community, they have largely been seen by the city’s elite as a community to exploit, scapegoat or use and abuse for their own selfish gains. In this episode, Carlos and Julian are reporting back on the challenges these immigrant Taxi drivers face in their fight against Uber, Lyft, and the TLC.

Music Credit:

Respiration - BlackStar

Fuck the Police - NWA

New York State of Mind - Nas

Road to Zion - Damian Marley & Nas

Ballad Of the Black Gold - Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek

Welcome, everyone, to the Working Class Heroes Podcast. I’m your host Lupita Romero and this is Episode One.

“In 1984 I joined the Air-force and went through basic training. My basic training photo I had given to Douglas, as soon I had left basic I sent a 5x7 copy of my photo. He had kept it with him and had it displayed on a fireplace mantle piece all the time. All this time...During that last week of spending time with him packing his home. Amongst our conversations after telling him it’s not too late. I said listen Doug, you’re going to go through this experience but I don’t want you to do it alone I want you to have me with you. During the process of packing the fireplace where he kept a few other photos of family members, I had packed those photos in a box and left him just that one and I said this one, I want you to keep. I want you to keep it with you so that you know you’re not alone. That I’m there with you and I’ll always be with you. He did.”

That was George Schifter talking about his brother, Douglas. Douglas Schifter was a long time taxi driver who for years wrote about the dire situation the industry found itself in. He had a regular column in one of the taxi industry newspapers, the Black Car News. He committed suicide early Monday morning, February 5th, right in front of City Hall. Douglas Schifter was the first recorded casualty in a war backed by Wall Street investors and led by app companies like Uber and Lyft. It’s a war over the streets, taxi fares and over who will own the New York Taxi Industry. Caught in the crossfire are more than a hundred thousand taxi drivers. A few of these drivers have made the ultimate sacrifice.

“He took all of his possessions and a box of zip-loc bags, and the shotgun. He got dressed up in a custom tailored shirt and pants and his best shoes and took the shotgun, box of shells. And his tablet, drivers license, ID card and some money and my picture. He drove up to city hall with everything in a zip-loc bag except for the shotgun and the shells he proceeded to clear off the top of his head. Just drove up and did it. But he was not alone. He knew I was there with him. He knows I’m still there with him. I miss him. I think of him just about everyday."

This story is part one in a series dedicated to stepping onto the frontlines of this struggle, reporting on how this war began, why its gone so long, who’s involved and what taxi drivers are doing to win the war. in June, four months after Douglas Schifter committed suicide, drivers are holding a vigil on 86th street and East End avenue for the fifth driver to commit suicide...Carlos Perez and Julian Guerrero are reporting back….

Music Credits:

Nas - Street's Disciple

Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us.

Welcome, everyone, to the Working Class Heroes Podcast. I’m your host Lupita Romero and this is Episode One.

“In 1984 I joined the Air-force and went through basic training. My basic training photo I had given to Douglas, as soon I had left basic I sent a 5x7 copy of my photo. He had kept it with him and had it displayed on a fireplace mantle piece all the time. All this time...During that last week of spending time with him packing his home. Amongst our conversations after telling him it’s not too late. I said listen Doug, you’re going to go through this experience but I don’t want you to do it alone I want you to have me with you. During the process of packing the fireplace where he kept a few other photos of family members, I had packed those photos in a box and left him just that one and I said this one, I want you to keep. I want you to keep it with you so that you know you’re not alone. That I’m there with you and I’ll always be with you. He did.”

That was George Schifter talking about his brother, Douglas. Douglas Schifter was a long time taxi driver who for years wrote about the dire situation the industry found itself in. He had a regular column in one of the taxi industry newspapers, the Black Car News. He committed suicide early Monday morning, February 5th, right in front of City Hall. Douglas Schifter was the first recorded casualty in a war backed by Wall Street investors and led by app companies like Uber and Lyft. It’s a war over the streets, taxi fares and over who will own the New York Taxi Industry. Caught in the crossfire are more than a hundred thousand taxi drivers. A few of these drivers have made the ultimate sacrifice.

“He took all of his possessions and a box of zip-loc bags, and the shotgun. He got dressed up in a custom tailored shirt and pants and his best shoes and took the shotgun, box of shells. And his tablet, drivers license, ID card and some money and my picture. He drove up to city hall with everything in a zip-loc bag except for the shotgun and the shells he proceeded to clear off the top of his head. Just drove up and did it. But he was not alone. He knew I was there with him. He knows I’m still there with him. I miss him. I think of him just about everyday."

This story is part one in a series dedicated to stepping onto the frontlines of this struggle, reporting on how this war began, why its gone so long, who’s involved and what taxi drivers are doing to win the war. in June, four months after Douglas Schifter committed suicide, drivers are holding a vigil on 86th street and East End avenue for the fifth driver to commit suicide...Carlos Perez and Julian Guerrero are reporting back….

Music Credits:

Nas - Street's Disciple

Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us.

Welcome to Episode Zero of the new, narrative-investigative podcast series - Working Class Heroes.

Lupita Romero and Julian Guerrero, of the Muckrakers Union, speak about the upcoming Working Class Heroes podcast in an interview with Lea Ramirez. Subscribe to our soundcloud or itunes podcasts accounts and take quick look of our sample website before it goes live with the first episode mid-July 2018 (https://bit.ly/2lWZJz7)

Music: The Guillotine by The Coup

Welcome to Episode Zero of the new, narrative-investigative podcast series - Working Class Heroes.

Lupita Romero and Julian Guerrero, of the Muckrakers Union, speak about the upcoming Working Class Heroes podcast in an interview with Lea Ramirez. Subscribe to our soundcloud or itunes podcasts accounts and take quick look of our sample website before it goes live with the first episode mid-July 2018 (https://bit.ly/2lWZJz7)

Music: The Guillotine by The Coup