NEW YORK, NY (June 30, 2015) – The United Taxi Workers of San Diego (UTWSD) and Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, jointly announced today an affiliation between UTWSD and OPEIU. The UTWSD is an association in a group of more than 1,500 taxi driver professionals in San Diego, California.

The executive boards of both organizations approved an affiliation agreement that will add to the more than 2,500 taxi drivers in Las Vegas, Nevada, that are represented by OPEIU, an organization of more than 105,000 members.

UTWSD and OPEIU are in the process of developing plans to increase the strength of taxi drivers in San Diego to become a model for taxi drivers throughout the United States.

“This affiliation strengthens OPEIU’s representation of taxi drivers, a group of workers who usually don’t have the advantages of union membership and who traditionally work for substandard wages and benefits,” said OPEIU International President Michael Goodwin. “Now the drivers in San Diego will have the strength of OPEIU and the 12 million members of the AFL-CIO behind them.”

UTWSD President Mikaiil Hussein said, “We are very excited about our affiliation with OPEIU and the AFL-CIO and we look forward to working together to accomplish great things for our members.”

ABOUT UTWSD
UTWSD is a multi-ethnic membership-based organization formed in January 2010 immediately following the taxi drivers’ strike of December 2009. High lease prices, harassment by law enforcement and public transportation officials, and a generally languishing taxi industry necessitated better self representation and organization among drivers. Striking drivers appointed leadership and formed UTWSD. Since then UTWSD has led the charge in effectuating real change for taxi drivers in San Diego.

ABOUT OPEIU
The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, represents more than 105,000 members in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. OPEIU represents employees and independent contractors in hospitals, medical clinics, banking and credit unions, insurance, higher education, shipping, utilities, transportation, hotels, administrative offices and more. 

Professional organizations and Guilds affiliated with OPEIU are a diverse group that includes podiatrists, nurses, appraisers and adjusters, clinical social workers, teachers, minor league umpires and helicopter pilots. For more information on OPEIU visit www.opeiu.org.