An impromptu protest among Las Vegas cab drivers lasting several days resulted in more than a dozen being arrested after disrupting transportation services to and from the Las Vegas Convention Center during the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show held April 8-11.
Starting on Sunday, April 7, taxi cab drivers from Yellow Checker Star, who declared a strike on March 2, disrupted taxi cab services to the convention center during the annual NAB Show, which drew about 90,000 attendees. Yellow Checker Star drivers are striking due to their recent rejection of two contract offers, elements of which have been implemented without their consent, according to the union officials.
“Together, we have a refusal to provide relevant information and an imposed contract,” said Dennis Arrington, president, ITPEU/OPEIU Local 4873. “The drivers were left with no choice but to move forward with the strike.”
Of an estimated 400 cab drivers on strike, 15 reportedly were arrested on Tuesday, April 9, after the protest shut down much of the taxi cab service to the convention center in the two days prior. A dozen cab drivers were cited for not obeying a traffic signal, one for disobeying a police officer’s traffic signal, one for walking in the roadway and yet another for an outstanding warrant, according to news reports.
Also on strike are drivers from Frias Transportation Management, which is the largest taxi cab company in Las Vegas. Frias drivers walked off the job over the weekend despite having a contract in place and approved by the United Steel Workers Union, which did not allow union members to vote on ratifying the new collective bargaining agreement.
