Some drivers for ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft turned off their apps Wednesday to protest what they say are declining wages at a time when both companies are raking in billions of dollars from investors.
Demonstrations took place in 10 U.S. cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, as well as some European locations like London. But they did not seem to cause much disruption and many riders were still able to hail a car with ease.
The protests arrive just ahead of Ubers initial public stock offering Friday. Uber hopes to raise $9 billion, putting the companys valuation in excess of $91 billion.
Its not the first time drivers for ride-hailing apps have staged protests. Strikes were planned in several cities ahead of Lyfts IPO last month, although the disruption to riders appeared to be minimal then, too. More cities are participating in Wednesdays protest.
Drivers built these billion dollar companies and it is just plain wrong that so many continue to be paid poverty wages while Silicon Valley investors get rich off their labor, said Brendan Sexton, executive director of the Independent Drivers Guild. All drivers deserve fair pay.
The Guild organized a caravan of Uber drivers across the Brooklyn Bridge Wednesday.
Some drivers went offline in New York between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., though it was still easy to locate a driver during rush hour near Wall Street in lower Manhattan.
Drivers in Los Angeles are participating in a 24-hour strike and picket line at Los Angeles International Airport.
In the UK, the Independent Workers Union said some Uber drivers are observing a nine-hour boycott. The union demands, among other things, increased fares per mile and a decrease in commissions paid to Uber.
Uber, in a prepared statement, said it is constantly working to improve the working environment for drivers.
Drivers are at the heart of our service we cant succeed without them and thousands of people come into work at Uber every day focused on how to make their experience better, on and off the road.
Uber is not a poor company. It paid its top five executives $143 million in compensation last year, including $45 million to its CEO.
So why are Uber drivers struggling to put food on the table?
I stand with striking Uber and Lyft drivers today. The greed has got to end. pic.twitter.com/4esvwHApjX
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 8, 2019
Lyft said its drivers hourly earnings have increased over the last two years, that 75% of its drivers work less than 10 hours per week to supplement existing jobs and that on average the companys drivers earn over $20 an hour before subtracting expenses such as gas and vehicle maintenance.
We know that access to flexible, extra income makes a big difference for millions of people, and were constantly working to improve how we can best serve our driver community, Lyft said.
Labor actions also took place in Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, San Diego and Stamford, Connecticut.
?Labor, labor – read all about it!
Your Direct Action for today: Dont take an Uber or Lyft just for the day. (Just today! Cabs are fine! You can do it!)
Its a small but big way you can help all the drivers youve met get paid more to feed their families + support themselves. https://t.co/oaQZsYqukV
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 8, 2019
(AP)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
