Date-night strike
Thousands of US, UK delivery, ride-hailing drivers stop work on Valentine’s Day
THOUSANDS OF ride-hailing and delivery workers in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) went on strike on Valentine’s Day, calling for higher pay and other changes to their working conditions.
In the US, Uber and Lyft drivers planned daylong strikes in Chicago; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Miami; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Hartford, Connecticut; Newark, New Jersey; Austin, Texas; and Providence, Rhode Island. Drivers were also holding midday demonstrations at airports in those cities, according to Justice for App Workers, the group organising the effort.
Meanwhile, UK delivery drivers for Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat and Stuart said they would turn off their apps and refuse deliveries between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. The group Delivery Job UK, which called for the walkout, said on Instagram that the strike was “a crucial opportunity to be seen and heard by society”.
Of eight delivery drivers who spoke with The Associated Press on the streets of London yesterday, all but one said they planned to halt work at 5 p.m. Several, however, questioned whether the strike was long enough to make enough of a financial dent in the businesses.
“One day is not effective,” said Evadur Rahman. “If we strike more than one day – two, three, four days – they’re gonna be affected.”
Rahman, a Deliveroo driver who planned to participate in the strike, said his daily pay dropped in recent months from about 140 pounds ($175) for eight hours of work to around 100 pounds ($126). He said he wanted the company to raise the minimum rate it pays per order from 2.90 pounds ($3.64) to closer to five pounds ($6.28).
“They must improve the minimum pay,” Rahman said. “It’s not enough for survival in this country.”
Delivery Job UK said 3,000 people planned to strike, but it was unclear how many US drivers would be participating. Uber said on Tuesday that based on past walkouts, it didn’t expect the strike to have much impact on its operations.
LITTLE TO NO IMPACT
“These types of events have rarely had any impact on trips, prices or driver availability,” Uber said in a statement. “That’s because the vast majority of drivers are satisfied.”
Uber and other companies that rely on self-employed gig workers say those workers appreciate the flexibility of the job. But many gig workers are pushing to unionise, saying that would give them the ability to bargain over compensation, safety measures and other benefits.
In November, that unionisation effort saw a setback in the UK, when Britain’s top court ruled that Deliveroo couriers don’t have collective bargaining rights because they aren’t considered employees.
Deliveroo said yesterday that it has a voluntary partnership with a union that includes annual discussions on pay, and it also provides couriers with free insurance and sick pay.
“Rider retention rates are high and the overwhelming majority of riders tell us that they are satisfied working with us,” the company said in a statement.
Rachel Gumpert described ride-hailing as a “mobile sweatshop”, with some workers routinely putting in 60 to 80 hours per week. Justice for App Workers, which says it represents 130,000 ride-hailing and delivery workers, is seeking higher wages, access to healthcare, and an appeals process so companies can’t deactivate drivers without warning.
But ride-hailing companies say they already pay a fair wage and have an appeals process in place for deactivations.
Earlier this month, Lyft said it began guaranteeing that drivers will make at least 70 per cent of their fares each week, and it lays out its fees more clearly for drivers in a new earnings statement. Lyft also unveiled a new in-app button that lets drivers appeal deactivation decisions.
“We are constantly working to improve the driver experience,” Lyft said in a statement. Lyft said its US drivers make an average of $30.68 per hour, or $23.46 per hour after expenses.
Uber said its US drivers make an average of $33 per hour. The company also said it allows drivers to dispute deactivations.