Related Articles
Drivers working for platforms including Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee are planning to log off and refuse work this Valentine’s Day to demand better pay and conditions.
The 14th of February log off was first announced by Addison Lee drivers belonging to the IWGB union, following a previous log off in September 2024. The announcement inspired union members working for other ride-hailing apps to launch their own Valentine’s Day action, which has now won support from thousands of drivers in cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and Brighton.
Organisers hope the log off will be an important step in uniting drivers up and down the country faced with low pay and insecure conditions, many of whom it says are working 70 to 80 hour weeks to survive.
The action comes exactly a year after food delivery riders working for UberEats and Deliveroo staged the biggest courier strike in UK history on Valentine’s Day 2024.
In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that Uber drivers are entitled to worker status and must therefore receive basic workers’ rights like holiday pay. However, drivers report that their conditions have only worsened following the ruling, since Uber responded to the forced introduction of rights by cutting its rates.
Alongside demands for fairer pay and more secure work, the union is calling for the introduction of safety measures for drivers like rider ID verification, complaint tracking systems, and support for victims of assault.
Calls for improved driver protections have been at the forefront of the IWGB Private Hire Drivers’ campaigning since one of their members, Bolt driver Gabriel Bringye, was killed by a passenger in Tottenham in February 2021. The union says that since then, Bolt has made no meaningful safety improvements nor compensated the family for their loss.
As part of a planned demonstration and motorcade outside London’s City Hall on Friday, drivers will hold a candlelit vigil for Gabriel, to commemorate the four years since his death and demand better protections in his name.
Nader Awaad, Chair of the IWGB Private Hire Drivers Union, says:
“Up and down the country, drivers whose lives have been torn apart by apps like Uber are saying the same thing – it’s time for us to take back the wheel. As private hire drivers we offer a great service to the customers and form an essential part of the transport system. We deserve to be paid well and to have our jobs protected. Instead, industry profits have soared at our expense. The government and licensing authorities have abandoned us to the mercy of these companies. We are left with no choice but to come together and take action ourselves. This log-off on the 14th has reignited drivers’ faith that by uniting we can transform this industry for the better.”
Saifullah Hussainkhel, an Uber driver for 12 years, says:
“Believe me, these apps are destroying people’s lives. I have to work 30 hours a week just to cover my driving costs, before I can even start earning money to take home and support my family. My GP has just put me on antidepressants because the longer and longer hours on the road are affecting my mental health. What kind of lives are we leading if we don’t have the time to see our families, to exercise, to rest, or take a single holiday? We can’t afford to stay silent any longer.”
A driver for Addison Lee, who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of repercussions, says:
“Everywhere you look in the Addison Lee workforce you find health problems, depression, and debt. The bosses have no humanity – just last month they were found lying in court to try and deny us workers’ rights. We know they will not choose to make our lives easier until we force them to. It’s incredible to see that a log off campaign which began with Addison Lee drivers back in September last year, has now inspired drivers working across all apps in cities all over the UK to stand up, join the movement, and claim back what we deserve.”
Source link
