Workers rights groups warned that thousands of US and UK drivers from sharing economy platforms, such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and others, are planning a large-scale work stoppage tomorrow, on Valentine’s Day. The proposed labor action is caused by an ongoing fight over drivers and delivery workers’ working conditions.
Few days ago, Justice for App Workers, a coalition advocating for over 130,000 delivery drivers in the United States, expressed concerns about their unfair payment and called for modifications from all the app companies benefiting from their efforts.
On Valentine’s Day, one of the busiest days for the industry, the group announced a two-hour suspension of operations in at least 10 major US cities, including Chicago, Miami, and Philadelphia. Additionally, its workers will decline all requests to and from airports for the entire day.
Justice for App Workers issued a statement last week, declaring that drivers are fed up with the mistreatment they receive from app companies. The statement emphasized their exhaustion from working long hours just to get by, their constant fear for their safety, and their anxiety about being deactivated at any moment. As a result, they are considering going on strike.
Lyft’s announcement of ensuring a weekly income for its drivers has prompted the upcoming protests, scheduled one week later. The company emphasized its commitment to enhancing the driver experience in a statement.
According to Gridwise, an app for rideshare assistance, analysis indicates that Uber drivers experienced a 17% decrease in their gross monthly income in 2023. Furthermore, Uber reported that drivers earned an average of $33 per utilized hour of work in the last quarter of the previous year.
Nicole Moore from the Rideshare Drivers United union suggests that additional supervision is necessary for the payment methods, which utilize an algorithmic pricing model to calculate customer charges. Moore highlights that drivers have experienced a significant decline in their earnings since the implementation of algorithmic pricing one year ago.
According to Ms. Moore, the calculations and algorithms they are utilizing are completely worthless.
On Valentine’s Day, Delivery Job UK – a workers’ advocacy group in the United Kingdom, announced that approximately 3,000 of its members intend to stage a five-hour strike. Via social media, the group conveyed their straightforward demand for equitable remuneration and expressed their weariness of being taken advantage of. They emphasized that although Valentine’s Day symbolizes love, it should not diminish the significance of their ongoing fight.
In November, the UK Supreme Court delivered a ruling stating that delivery drivers are classified as independent contractors, not workers or employees. As a result, they are not bound by minimum wage regulations. This decision was the outcome of a sustained effort by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain to organize and negotiate collectively for these drivers.
