On Wednesday, Lyft, Uber, and DoorDash drivers mounted one of their largest strikes ever as part of a push for fair pay and better protections.
The strikes, which took place in as many as 44 cities across the country, lasted at least two hours and featured drivers refusing to give rides while gathering at airports in cities including Chicago, Newark, and Philadelphia. Drivers are protesting the wages they’re being paid, a lack of transparency around how pay is calculated, and concerns about abrupt account deactivations by the apps.
The protests underscore how few protections gig workers — who have been classified as independent contractors under state and federal laws — have, compared to employees. While companies are required to abide by minimum wage laws and provide health care benefits for employees, gig workers lack this same safety net and must rely on corporations voluntarily improving their working conditions.
“Pay has gotten significantly lower in recent years,” Nupur Chowdhury, an Uber driver who planned a rally at Reagan Airport outside Washington, DC, told the Washington Post. “That’s why people are super angry right now.”
The strikes were largely organized by Rideshare Drivers United and Justice for App Workers, two labor organizations that focus on advocacy for app-based independent contractors. The groups chose Valentine’s Day for the protest because of the level of business the apps tended to see on the holiday and of the symbolism it has for drivers’ inability to spend time with people they care about.
“Too many Uber and Lyft drivers are unable to spend time with their own children and loved ones, as they work extreme hours in mobile-sweatshop conditions with virtually zero protections on the job,” Justice for App Workers told Vox in a statement.
Ride-hail workers are uniquely vulnerable
In response to the strikes, Lyft and Uber have cited median and average pay figures above minimum wage for drivers, as well as…
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