Taxi boycott at the Hilton Hotel, the first day

Photos by Charles Rathbone

Taxicab drivers picketed the San Francisco Hilton on Thursday July 10, 2003 to protest doormen who steer airport-bound customers to limo drivers.

Parked cabs lined the Taylor Street side of the Hilton. Meanwhile, on the other side of the hotel...

Limos lined up on the Mason Street side of the Hilton as cabs boycotted the main entrance on O'Farrell Street.

At the main entrance, about 50 drivers carried pickets demanding a stop to corrupt practices. When hotel guests ask for a taxi to the airport, doormen steer them to limos instead.

The noisy demonstration put a crimp in the hotel's style for a day.

But how long before the doormen have their hands out again, taking kickbacks from limo drivers?

A steady procession of cabs passed by the front of the hotel showing support for the picketers.

Demonstrator Peter Witt's sign sums up his view of the problem in two words.

Taxi boycott at the Hilton Hotel, the second day

Taxicab drivers picketed the San Francisco Hilton on Friday, June 11, 2003 continuing a boycott begun the day before. The issue is hotel doormen who steer airport-bound customers to limousine drivers.

Demonstrators were relentless in getting their message across, much of it directed explicitly toward the offending doormen.

A police officer risks life and limb to bawl out a cab driver who slowed down to sound off and show support for the demonstrators.

Home-made protest signs got the message across, along with spirited chanting and the beat of an African war drum.

Organizer Barry Taranto holds his ground as police and hotel security press him to tone the demonstration down.

Unclear on the concept, a taxicab driver seeks a fare at the Hilton, and gets an earful from picketers.

Late in the afternoon, there was an offer from management to end the strife. Driver Ruach Graffis ticks off details of the three-point proposal.

Organizer Tone Lee explains the proposed Memorandum of Understanding between drivers and Hilton management. Doormen will be prohibited from soliciting kickbacks.

Is it good enough that limos can only stand at the curb for five minutes?

Limo drivers will need waybills filled out in advance of their pickups, but how can we be sure?

Time to make a decision.

"Keep your word or we'll be back!"

The consensus was to accept the agreement. The MOU with Hilton management will be finalized in a couple of days and the results watched closely by drivers. It is SF's first anti-steering agreement. Cab service to the Hilton has resumed.

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