User:Johnthecoopdude/Union Cab of Madison Cooperative
| Company type | worker cooperative |
|---|---|
| Industry | taxicab service |
| Founded | July 22, 1979 |
| Founder | Jim, Stephen Krumrei, Steven Stepnock, James Cooley, |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | Madsion MSA |
Key people | General Manager Karl Schulte, President Butch Hanson |
| Members | 215 |
Number of employees | 215 |
| Website | www.unioncab.coop |
Union Cab of Madison Cooperative is a worker cooperative providing taxi cab and courier service to the greater Madison, WI metropolitan area. It is one of several worker co-operative cab companies named "Union Cab"; however, it is the only one in which every employee is also a member of the cooperative.
History
[edit]Union Cab began operations on October 29, 1979. This was the culmination of a 10 year effort to organize cab drivers in Madison. For most of that decade, cab drivers attempted to organize traditional labor unions in order to address concerns over pay, safety and discipline. [1]
Ties to the Labor Movement
[edit]Organizers chose the name Union Cab to identify with the labor movement. They have consistently worked to support labor unions. In 1980, they hired striking bus drivers. Since the early 1980's the cooperative has had a standing political support policy that prohibits the organization from endorsing candidates or causes with the exception of supporting labor unions and refusing to cross picket lines.
In 2011, the Governor of Wisconsin proposed the elimination of almost all collective bargaining rights to public employs at the state, county and municipal level. Union Cab's board of directors immediately passed a unanimous statement of support for the collective bargaining rights of all workers. Johnthecoopdude (talk) 20:24, 10 April 2011 (UTC)