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GUESTS: Zahid Butt, member of the Los Angeles Taxi Workers Alliance, Gary Blasi, UCLA Professor and co-author of the report, “Driving Poor,” Associate Director of the Institute of Industrial Relations

This afternoon, the Los Angeles Taxi Workers Alliance, or LATWA, will be holding a community hearing calling for reforms to the Taxicab Industry. Panelists at the hearing include LA City Council member Wendy Greuel and Taxicab Commissioner Bruce Iwasaki. Coinciding with the community hearing will be the release of LATWA’s report on recommendations for the LA taxicab industry. The report entitled “Sweatshops on Wheels,” was primarily researched and written by Betty Hung of the Legal Aid Foundation. The report recommends improvements in wages, health insurance, and workers compensation, as well as financial transparency and corporate accountability. A second report authored by two UCLA professors entitled “Driving Poor,” has found that the City of Los Angeles has failed in its responsibility to regulate its taxicab franchises.

There will be a Community Hearing organized by the LA Taxi Workers Alliance on Tuesday September 26th at 4 pm at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, 111 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

For more information about LATWA and the Community Hearing, contact Zahid Butt at 213-270-5210, or Hamid at 562-403-0488, or visit www.latwa.org.