As an Uber driver in Chicago for over eight years, I’ve seen it all — long hours, unpredictable pay, unsafe conditions and almost no support from the company I work for. But I never expected to be blamed for a $1.50 downtown congestion fee that Uber quietly added to rides without telling drivers or passengers.
I’m a mother, and I’m also the primary caregiver for my aging parents. I drive because it gives me the flexibility to support my family. But that income is barely enough to cover the bills, so I have to have a second job as a school bus driver in the mornings. Every day is a juggling act just to keep our heads above water. So when something like this happens — Uber quietly adding a fee that we didn’t authorize, costing us in tips and trust — it hits hard. It makes an already difficult situation even harder. It’s a blow to our livelihoods and our dignity.
Uber now claims it was a “mistake,” but that doesn’t undo the harm. For riders, it meant higher fares. For drivers, it meant fewer tips, lost trust and more frustration in an already broken system.
That’s why drivers like me are organizing with the Illinois Drivers Alliance. We need a union — not just to protect ourselves, but to build a system that works better for everyone.
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The union is good for drivers and riders. When drivers are treated fairly, respected and supported, we can offer safer, more reliable service. Everyone benefits when there’s accountability and transparency.
Uber’s $1.50 “mistake” may fade from the headlines. But for those of us on the ground — behind the wheel— it’s a daily reminder of why we must organize, stand together, and fight for the dignity we deserve.
If Uber won’t stand up for us, we’ll stand up for ourselves. We’re not just drivers — we’re parents, caregivers and essential workers. And it’s time for independent contractors like us to have the right to form a union.
Chicago City Council and Illinois lawmakers: Stand with us. Give us the power to fight for our dignity, our families and our future.
Terry Valentine, Chicago
The case against physician-assisted suicide
llinois is debating whether to legalize assisted suicide or what its advocates call “medical aid in dying.” This proposal faces opposition from disability rights groups, some doctors, religious groups and others. I wish to add my voice as a prosecutor to those strongly opposed.
Prosecutors rely on clear rules to protect our elderly and infirm. Consider one of our recent cases. Wilma Melchert, 85, had diabetes, hypertension and dementia. She was given six months or less to live under hospice care and was released into the care of her daughter-in-law, Amy, a registered nurse. Wilma died hours after Amy took over. Toxicology revealed excessive levels of morphine. Texts showed Amy’s obsession with an upcoming vacation and resentment. In 2023, Amy was sentenced to five years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.
Prosecuting Wilma’s killer reflects a collective commitment to the idea that all lives have value, no matter how frail. Assisted suicide rejects this and replaces it with a lie: Some lives are simply not worth living.
We should not give this lie legal sanction, or it will spread shockingly fast. In the Netherlands, assisted suicide cases skyrocketed from 1,882 in 2002 to over 8,700 by 2022. Canada saw 1,018 deaths in 2016 soar to 15,343 by 2023 — 4.7% of all deaths.
Promises of strict limits always prove false. The Netherlands now allows physician-assisted suicide under certain condition for dementia and mental illness, and even for terminally ill children. Canada’s law was supposed to be limited to the terminally ill, but no longer. One man’s suicide request was even approved even though the only health condition he listed was “hearing loss.”
And the pressure on the most vulnerable becomes unbearable and unfair. Roger Foley was repeatedly offered suicide instead of care for his neurological disorder. Oregon’s data shows “fear of being a burden” as a reason for assisted suicide jumped from 13% in 1998 to 54.2% by 2017. That’s not choice — it’s a form of coercion. “Death with dignity” morphs quickly into “die already.”
We must reject this proposal and spend our efforts investing in real care — palliative services, family support and safeguards against abuse — not lethal shortcuts that breed fear and devalue life.
The vulnerable, including our precious elderly and those with disabilities, should be able to trust that the law will protect their fundamental rights and dignity as they face challenges and never validate those who view their lives as worthless.
Tom Haine, Madison County state’s attorney
Mayor’s major misstep
In Fran Spielman’s recent article on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s missteps in office on staff changes, how could she have left out Dr. Allison Arwady? She was an amazing public health commissioner, smart, hardworking, loved by her staff and guided the public through the COVID-19 pandemic with poise and integrity. Firing Arwady was Johnson’s dumbest move by far.
Gerry Gainer, Beverly
Noem’s illogical logic
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is claiming that Gov. JB Pritzker is protecting murderers, rapists, etc. by using distorted racist logic (also promoted by Donald Trump), which is that some undocumented immigrants have committed felony crimes; therefore all undocumented immigrants are criminals. This simplistic form of deductive reasoning could be applied to any group, such as “men commit more crimes than women, therefore all men should be deported.” These are just more lies manufactured by the Trump administration for the benefit of his gullible followers.
Michael Shawgo, Edgewater