‘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’
Drivers connected to several leading apps, including Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee, plan a Valentine’s Day strike over pay and working conditions.
In solidarity with driver groups from UK cities such as London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, and Brighton, the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has announced that workers will switch off on February 14 for six hours, starting at 4pm. Due to financial pressures, drivers claim they’re clocking in 70-80 hour weeks just to get by. This protest aims to unite those enduring low earnings and unstable job prospects.
Pushing for fairer remuneration and steadier employment, the IWGB also seeks safety enhancements for drivers – these include rider identity confirmation, systems to track complaints, and support structures for assault victims. IWGB chairman Nader Awaad declared: “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 has reignited drivers’ faith that by uniting we can transform this industry for the better.”
A spokesperson from Addison Lee commented: “We have a close working relationship with our drivers, which was further reinforced in our recent bi-annual driver satisfaction survey. We do not expect to see any disruption to volumes or service levels on February 14.”
An Uber spokesperson stated: “As workers, all Uber drivers are guaranteed to earn at least the national living wage when taking trips, with Uber topping up their earnings if they ever fall below this level. The majority of Uber drivers can and do earn much more. Uber drivers have the freedom to work where and when they want and have access to industry-leading rights such as holiday pay and a pension, as well as formal representation through GMB Union.”
Uber also highlighted that all its drivers receive paid holiday weekly in cash, adding an extra 12% to their earnings, and they get a weekly statement detailing what Uber deducts from the riders’ fares.
