Proposed legislation before the Los Angeles City Council will protect taxi industry workers from employer retaliation and improve safety conditions. The motion introduced by Councilman Richard Alarcon requests the Transportation Committee to draft voluntary labor relations provisions for taxi cab drivers and seek voluntary compliance of franchisees consistent with existing labor law. The provisions would prohibit a franchisee from discharging or discriminating against an employee, taxi worker, lease driver or franchisee member, or shareholder for certain activities. Those activities would include making a written or oral complaint against the franchisee, a franchisee agent, a government agency or representative, or a community organization regarding working conditions. The protected activities would also include engaging in activities to improve working conditions, lawfully participating in a community organization that seeks to improve working conditions for taxi workers and providing assistance to or causing to institute an investigation or proceeding. The action follows another taxi industry-related motion introduced by Alarcón on Oct. 15, which aimed to create a lending program for taxi owners and operators purchasing environmentally efficient vehicles. Jessica Vernabe
