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About two dozen people gathered in front of the Washington Heights metro station Sunday afternoon to remember a Uber driver who became the seventh driver for someone else to commit suicide in New York City. during the last year. The atmosphere at the wake went from dark to anger in less than 30 minutes.
Fausto Luna jumped in front of a train on September 26th at 175th Street and at Fort Washington Avenue Station. He is the first Uber pilot to commit suicide in New York this year. The other six drivers drove by yellow taxis, delivery services or black cars.
While carpool vehicles have upset the taxi market in New York, taxi drivers have been in debt despite the fact that they work longer, resulting in incredible stress and depression for some.
But these financial difficulties are not limited to taxi drivers. Uber and other strike drivers have also complained of low wages and endless competition as more and more people sign up to drive.
Uber said Mr. Luna was a long-time driver with a high rating and steady earnings. He owned his vehicle and the vehicle was fully paid for, the company said.
During the vigil, participants brought signs bearing the name of Mr. Luna and the names of the other six deceased drivers. Many have denounced the mistreatment of drivers for others.
"I am proud to serve the capital of the world," said Victor Salazar, a taxi driver in Spain for more than 26 years. "But we are in a very deep crisis right now. We must focus as workers and we are the people. "
Luna's death comes after New York becomes America's first big city put an end to new vehicle licenses for mobile phone services as the city studies the sector further.
Meera Joshi, the city's taxi commissioner, urged drivers struggling for help in the city.
"It's one of the priorities of the problem, to make sure people know how to ask for help," she said on the previous day.
But she added, "It's convenient to blame someone and if I have to be angry at people, that's fine. I can take it. It does not bother me, but I do not know if that really addresses the basic fundamentals of the driver's situation. "
His advice, however, does not seem to have resonated with some people at the vigil who shouted at him. Some of them blamed for the recent suicides, and some cursed her as she moved away and then disappeared into the subway station.
The vitriol became so intense that Allan Fromberg, a spokesperson for the taxicab commissioner, kept Joshi's bodyguard at the time of his departure.
"We wanted to talk about available resources," said Fromberg about the disruption. "But we do not want to hurt the family. That will not happen today, "he said.
"But another time, another place."
Uber spokeswoman Alix Anfang said in a statement: "We are shocked by this news and our deepest condolences go to Mr. Luna's family and loved ones during this difficult time."
But Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, criticized Uber.
"Every city needs to take a closer look at what happens when you let Wall Street-backed companies use billions of dollars in capital to lock workers into a prison of poverty," she said in a statement.
On the eve, Ms. Desai pointed out that the alliance is fighting for change "to make things better".
"If we do not come here and shed tears or make no noise, who will?", She said. "We do not want these suicides anymore. We must fight. "
Jeffery C. Mays and Emma G. Fitzsimmons contributed to the reports.
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