(MENAFN) On Valentine's Day, thousands of drivers associated with gig economy platforms such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and others in the United States and the United Kingdom are set to participate in a coordinated work stoppage to highlight their grievances over working conditions. The strike, organized by the Justice for App Workers coalition, which claims to represent over 130,000 drivers and delivery workers, aims to draw attention to what they perceive as unfair pay practices by these tech companies.
Justice for App Workers, in a statement released last week, asserted that drivers are demanding changes from "all the app companies profiting off of our hard work." The coalition alleges mistreatment of drivers, citing concerns over inadequate pay and safety issues. As part of the protest, drivers plan to suspend operations for two hours in at least 10 major cities across the United States, including Chicago, Miami, and Philadelphia. Notably, the strike is strategically planned on Valentine's Day, one of the busiest days for the gig economy.
In addition to the temporary work stoppage, drivers affiliated with the coalition will refuse all requests to and from airports throughout the entire day. The move is intended to underscore the drivers' dissatisfaction with their current working conditions and to bring attention to the challenges they face on a daily basis.
The planned demonstrations come on the heels of Lyft's recent announcement that it would guarantee a weekly income for its drivers. In response, Justice for App Workers contends that such measures are insufficient, emphasizing the need for broader improvements in pay and overall treatment of gig economy workers.
Uber, a major player in the gig economy, reported last week that its drivers earned an average of USD33 per utilized hour of work in the final quarter of the previous year. However, analysis provided by the rideshare assistant app Gridwise indicates a 17 percent drop in the gross monthly income of Uber drivers in 2023. The ongoing dispute between gig economy workers and the platform companies raises questions about the sustainability of current labor practices in the ever-expanding gig economy and the potential for future reforms to address the concerns of the workforce.
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