United Taxi Workers of San Diego, OPEIU Local 1218

DRIVERS, JOIN THE BEAMRIDE TEAM WITH UTWSD TODAY (READ POST LISTING FOR DETAILS) Benefits include: 1) New business opportunities 2) More technological and better customer service... 3) Lower union fees and MORE! See more

Got ticket violations? Let UTWSD wiped them out for you today. Service for members and non-members (fee required) Call us: 619-280-4444 (24 hours a day)

Thanks to the drivers, community members and many others for your support in 2020!

Attention: UTWSD Taxi Drivers who are interested in working at the Airport After a four-year battle, UTWSD has finally gained access to the San Diego Airport. You must act fast in order to be part of this process. UTWSD can help you scan your documents to PDF but you must email them online. Come to our office at 4265 Fairmount Avenue, Suite 180, San Diego, CA 92105 and we'll help as much as we can. *** A service fee for uploading may apply *** ... Read below to see what San Diego Airport requires in order to apply.

Originally posted at http://utwsd.org///january-2021-open-the-airport-progress/ After years of campaigning, lobbying, and many delays, The San Diego Airport will soon open the permitting process for new cabs to pick up customers at the Airport. This is a tremendous victory, and is a result of our persistent efforts with the Airport authority over the past 4 years. Additionally UTWSD will soon sign a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the San Diego Airport Authority so t...Continue reading

The last day to vote is here, and UTWSD urges all the members, family, and friends to make their voice heard. UTWSD & Engage San Diego is providing Free Taxi Ride to take you to the polling station that's near you. If you want to take advantage of this free ride, call 619-280-4444 #ElectionDay #Vote #LetsVote

Starting today (10/31 until Nov. 3rd) UTWSD is providing FREE tax rides to your nearest polling station for drop-off ballots as well as Election Day in-person voting for UTWSD members and Engage San Diego Partners. Take advantage of this opportunity by calling 619-280-4444 today.

Dear members, UTWSD is supporting No on 22. Uber and Lyft pay their CEO's millions, while drivers make less than minimum wage and are denied benefits like health insurance and unemployment benefits. Now, they're spending $200 million to pass Prop 22 - a law they wrote themselves that would allow them to exploit drivers in perpetuity. We're encouraging everyone to vote NO on Prop 22. Prop 22 only benefits the Uber and app company, not the hard-working- drivers and their family. Uber/ Lyft wants to pass Prop 22 and wants to take the basic protection of our drivers. Don't help companies like Uber/Lyft buy their law that will deny our rights. Corporate greed

Hello all UTWSD member and supporters! We are excited to announce the full UTWSD 2020 General Election endorsement list. There are a lot of races in each area of the county, and we encourage everyone no matter where they live to vote all the way down the ballot. We have recommendations for the large majority of races, propositions, and measures. If you have any questions about our endorsements, please feel free to call our office at 619-255-7355. As usual, members and support...Continue reading

Dear community memebers, UTWSD is proud to be part of the Census 2020. Throughout Count Me 2020, UTWSD did 300 pledge cards, 120 magnet advertisements, phone banking 1000, and help our members fill the census online. We did the pledge cards in city heights, Lemon Grove Imperial, and the total impression were 300.... The phone banking total impression was 1000. UTWSD also did a magnet advertisement on 120 magnets and paid the drivers 25 dollars a week for two months. We want to thank these organizations we work throughout the census use The Labor Council, United Way of San Diego County, and San Diego Grant Makers, who make this work possible. UTWSD would like to remind you of the census 2020 counting in ending tomorrow and is urging the community to do their census online or mail your response. UTWSD would also like to remind our members to bring back the magnet advertisement to the office by October 01, 2020.

UTWSD is proud to be part of the solution for the taxi industry sustainability for the last 11 years here in San Diego. We are also proud to champion change the council policy No: 500-2 the past 5years or so we have been asking to make this industry compete for TNC's like Uber/Lift. And we WON. UTWSD wants to thank the TAC team and the new Taxicab Administration Manager Mr. Leonard Fewell commitment to change and help the taxi industry to come back. We The UTWSD always welc...ome MTSTA administration help to help our drivers here the recommendation the City of San Diego to review and approve proposed revisions to City Policy No: 500-02. If you like to read the changes, you can find the link down below. Thank you so much. See more

Dear members, UTWSD is promoting magnet ads for the 2020 Census, and we would like our members to take part in this promotion. Utwsd will provide you 2 magnet ads for the 2020 census and will attach to both sides of your car and, we will pay $25 per week for 2 months. if interesting in promoting the magnet ad census 2020 come to our office 4265 Fairmount Ave San Diego CA 92105 or call 619-255-7355.

Dear Friend, The online application for the City of San Diego’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program is closing tomorrow. If you live in San Diego and are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19 you may be eligible to apply for rental assistance. The Emergency Rental Assistance Program is administered by the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) and will provide one-time payments of up to $4,000 per qualifying household to help pay past-due and/or upcoming rent.... Payment will be made directly to the household’s landlord through direct deposit on behalf of the tenant. Households that meet the following requirements are eligible for help: A city of San Diego address. Household income in January 2020, at or below 60 percent of the San Diego Area Median Income ($64,200 per year or less for a family of four). Eligible immigration status (U.S. citizen/U.S. National, lawful permanent resident/conditional permanent resident, a refugee/person seeking asylum or granted asylum). Financial hardship directly related to COVID-19. NOT currently receiving any rental subsidies. NOT currently a tenant of an SDHC-owned/managed property. Household savings do NOT meet the household’s financial need. The deadline to apply is today, Friday, August 7, 2020. Funding for the program is limited. In order to disburse funds fairly and assist households who are most in need, a prioritization system and random-selection process will be used to select the applicants who will receive a rental assistance payment. For more information about this program or to apply, click here. if you need help you can come to our office for help. Thank you

UTWSD argues to all our members to respond to the 2020 census questionnaire, so the community gets counted on. If were are unable to return to the census, we as a minority will lose a lot of founding. Undercounted for our community will result in the funds that can help our programs such as affordable housing, better school for our children, which is the disparities between the counted community and the uncounted ones. Let's remember if the census misses one person is a loss of benefits to someone else. Our participation is essential, so let's stand and be counted. @Mikaiil Hussein

UTWSD staff actions to serve the community in light of COVID-19: UTWSD is proud to report since Early March, we did some research regarding resources for our members and community members when this epidemic started. UTWSD helped to voluntary surrenders for taxi permits/Insurance, united way rental/utilities, UI/PUA/SBloans/food assistance, Tenant eviction issues, EDD Inquires, and Translations and other relief assistance. United Way application assistance 300 plus families... UI/PUA/SBloans 312 individual cases with the help Lorena G office Tenants Evictions 64 cases with the help Councilwomen georgette office Food Assistance758 families partnered the Labor Council Total individual/families help since March 1465 Volunteer hours since March 844 hours Working 7days of week 10 am to 5 pm. Saturday/Sundays by appointment only. If you need support or have any questions about these services, please contact us at 619-255-7355. UTWSD staff and Volunteers will assist you by setting an appointment or referring you to trusted partners: Thank you.

"To All Taxi Drivers. UTWSD attended the TAC WORM Subcommittee meeting last week where the MTS regs about COVI-19 were discussed. The Taxi Manager has issued the new regulations' REQUIREMENTS for taxis and a copy of the paper sign you must post in the front seat of your cab. If you have any questions about this please call the MTS Taxi Manager or the UTWSD office. We want you to be able to drive safely and keep your customers safe, too. We will continue to review some of ...Continue reading

UTWSD Supports Our Labor council Statement! and Stands with Black Lives Matter! STATEMENT BY SAN DIEGO & IMPERIAL COUNTIES LABOR COUNCIL ON THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD We condemn the brutal murder of George Floyd and stand with the protesters demanding the police officers responsible be brought to justice. We mourn with his family, and with our community in trauma.... His death is a tragedy that is the direct result of a history that began with slavery, continued with the use of Black Codes to imprison freed slaves for forced labor, persisted through Jim Crow, and exists today in a system of discriminatory policing and mass incarceration of people of color. Racism is not a set of isolated incidents or bad actors. It is ingrained in the fabric of our laws, our culture, and our public policy. It is also a cornerstone of our economy. The brutal control and suppression of black lives serve the ends of a wealthy and powerful few, and robs generations of black men, women, and children of their basic humanity. Eradicating racism and white supremacy will not simply require individual change, but rebuilding our systems and institution's root and branch. As a labor movement, we are determined to raise up the voices of workers to take on these injustices and to accelerate change that has been far too slow for too long. We must end the legacy that racism has wrought, replace oppressive laws and broken institutions. Unequal access to housing, healthcare, education, banking, and employment must be confronted. And we must end the economic inequality that leaves so many in despair. Our criminal justice system must fundamentally change. We must commit to addressing inequity within our labor movement and do the daily and enduring work of eradicating racist systems in every industry - including law enforcement. We know the power we, as workers have to create change - to amplify the voices of the most vulnerable and use our collective strength to defend the fundamental humanity of every person. Only then can we begin to heal, as a movement, a community, and a nation. In Solidarity,

Thank you for tuning in. UTWSD first time live update. Action to serve members/community in light of COVID-19 epedemic

On behalf of UTWSD we would like to invite you to our first town hall live face/GH. Update how UTWSD dealing COVID19 with its members and community. Please join us Monday May 25th at 6pm. Topic: UTWSD Town Hall Time: May 25, 2020, 05:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/91408929607 Password: 066962... Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll): +16699006833,91408929607# or +13462487799,91408929607# Or Telephone: Dial: +1 669 900 6833 (US Toll) +1 346 248 7799 (US Toll) +1 253 215 8782 (US Toll) +1 646 876 9923 (US Toll) +1 301 715 8592 (US Toll) +1 312 626 6799 (US Toll) Meeting ID: 914 0892 9607 International numbers available: https://cccconfer.zoom.us/u/aFy2Zlt7N Or Skype for Business (Lync): SIP:[email protected] Thank you

To All Taxi Drivers We are posting the new taxi rules by MTS in San Diego about public safety requirements to follow during this COVID-19 pandemic. UTWSD saw an earlier version from MTS that did not include the requirement for all passengers to wear masks that help protect our taxi drivers. Mr. Fewell quickly revised the rule to include this protection. Now our taxi drivers have the right to refuse service to someone who is not wearing their face mask. See the rule for h...ow to report those cases when you refuse to serve someone for not wearing a face mask. If you need a facemask to drive your taxi safely, please contact UTWSD and we will help you get a mask to protect yourself. Once again, UTWSD is here to represent you taxi drivers like no one else in the taxi industry, Come join UTWSD and help us protect and advance all taxi workers! In Solidarity, Mikaiil Hussein President Memorandum DATE: May 1, 2020 TO: All MTS Regulated Vehicle Permit Holders and Lease Drivers FROM: Leonardo Fewell, Taxicab Administration Manager SUBJECT: COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO MANDATORY USE OF FACE MASKS The County of San Diego and other cities within the County have issued orders requiring the use of face coverings (masks) for the general public. Face masks must be worn if out in public and within six feet of a person who is not a member of the household. Taxicab, Non-Emergency Medical, and all other for-hire drivers engaged in the transportation field have been classified as essential workers by the State of California. As such, drivers are expected to follow each and all protective measures to ensure their safety and that of their passengers. In accordance with these directives, all drivers of an MTS regulated vehicle must wear a face mask if out in public and within six feet of a person, and at all times while on duty in all MTS trolley stations and parking lots. Failure to follow these directives may result in the taxicab being placed out of service, and additional fines and penalties by local authorities. Additional sanitation procedures, such as wiping exterior and interior door handles with disinfectant after each trip, are highly recommended. Passengers are also expected to wear face masks at all times while riding a taxicab. Drivers should refrain from providing service unless passengers are wearing face masks. If this occurs, document the incident and notify your dispatch service. Discrimination against passengers on the basis of race, national origin, or other reasons as described in MTS Ordinance No.11 is not allowed. Additional information on mandatory face coverings and Covid-19 for Taxicab and other for-hire drivers can be found at the following links: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov//community_epidemi/dc/2019- nCoV/face-coverings.html https://www.cdc.gov//organ/rideshare-drivers-for-hire.html 1255 Imperial Avenue, Suite 1000 San Diego, CA 92101-7490 619.231.1466, FAX: 619.234.3407

On behalf of UTWSD, I want to thank UTWSD Staff and volunteers. In the past two weeks have helped more than 300 Members/community and residents gain access to the United Way relief program benefit. By assisting them in completing the online application process. We were also helping to file UI benefits and Economic Assistance for San Diego Business affected by COVID-19. We are open to 6days a week if you are interested in these services. Please visit or call our office at 61...9-255-7355 for more information. Another Health tips: from Nathan Flecher County of San Diego: When you leave your place, cover your face: This week, we revised our guidance to strongly encourage the public to use a face covering when you leave your home. Key points: 1. As things change, we must change what we do. 2. Medical masks should go to medical workers. Face covering could be a bandana or something you can make at home. 3. A face covering is in ADDITION to everything else you are doing (physical distancing, stay home except for essential reasons, etc.). Watch our daily brief for our full public health update. You can also catch our daily update on Facebook HERE.