ASSAL NEWS CONFERENCE FOR-HIRE DRIVERS DEMAND JUSTICE FROM LOCAL DISTRICT ATTORNEYS

UsaNewsOnline.Com, New York : The Alliance of South Asian American Labor (ASAAL) joined with the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA) and Medallion Owner Driver Association (TMODA) and held a news conference on June 5, 2018 in front of the Queens County Criminal Court 125-01 Queens Blvd., Kew Gardens, NY 11415 to demand justice for victims of assaults on For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) drivers.

For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) Drivers include those who drive yellow taxis, green taxis, black taxis including Uber, Lyft, or any app-based platform. These drivers, over 100,000 of them are participating in one of the most dangerous professions in America where the majority of drivers are South Asians. There is an increase in the amount of drivers who are being assaulted on the job. Drivers and community groups are concerned that many of these assaults are not taken seriously enough and result in dispositions too favorable to the assailants without any deterring effect.

These Taxi drivers are over worked and under paid in the most dangerous profession working over 12 hours a day while abused and victimized on a daily basis. “An injustice to one is an injustice to all and an attack on one is an attack on all of us, we all have a responsibility to represent this voiceless group”, said ASAAL National President Maf Uddin. He added, “Taxi workers are good citizens, they work hard, pay taxes, but to the powerful they are the least, they are the lost, they are the last but to ASAAL they are one of us, we will always fight for them”.

Among those who spoke were the three victims, Tofazzal Bhuiyan, Irfan Hyder, and Jaswant Singh who gave their heart touching stories. Mr. Bhuiyan is out of work for over 8 months and had to go through spinal cord surgery! Mr. Singh said his million dollar’s Medallion is worth nothing, the government must take this responsibility! “Drivers are demanding that local District Attorneys in the five boroughs prosecute such cases more aggressively and seriously”, said ASAAL National Political Director Attorney Ali Najmi who also represents two of the three Victims who spoke about their story today.

The NYS Assembly refuses to pass the Taxi Driver Protection Act, A2880 sponsored by Assemblyman Ron Kim and S5690 sponsored by Senator Marisol Alcantara to include the assault of a driver of a for-hire vehicle within the class D felony of assault in the second degree. ASAAL demands this bill be reintroduced

in the Assembly immediately!