Thousands of taxi drivers strike in Chicago

The head of a Chicago taxi driver advocacy group says about 3,500 of the city's 15,000 drivers stayed home from work on Sunday in a strike for increased fares.

Chairman Fayez Khozindar of United Taxidrivers Community Council says drivers want a 16 percent fare increase by Jan. 1 and they want fares to be revised every two years.

Other Chicago taxi groups opposed the strike, saying they don't want to anger customers in a bad economy. The striking taxi drivers say they want to send a message to the city and are not trying to inconvenience riders.

Khozindar says taxi drivers work 12-hour days and make less than minimum wage. He says they are considering another strike in the near future.