February 13th 2024.
On Valentine's Day, thousands of rideshare drivers linked to popular companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash are planning to go on strike all across the nation. According to FOX Business, these drivers are demanding fair compensation for the services they provide. This strike is being organized by the Justice for App Workers coalition, which represents over 100,000 drivers. They are accusing the ride-sharing companies of offering inadequate wages and taking a significant portion of their commissions.
In a statement released by the coalition, they expressed their frustration and stated that rideshare drivers should not have to struggle with financial instability. They are urging app companies to listen to their concerns and take necessary actions. The coalition also shed light on the challenges that drivers face, such as long working hours, safety issues, and the constant fear of being deactivated with just a click of a button.
"We are tired of working 80 hours a week just to make ends meet," emphasized the coalition. This strike comes after Lyft's recent announcement of guaranteeing weekly earnings for their drivers, which was seen as an attempt to attract more drivers to their platform. In response, Lyft stated that they are constantly working towards improving the driver experience and have recently introduced initiatives to increase driver pay and transparency.
Meanwhile, Uber downplayed the impact of such strikes, stating that only a small percentage of their drivers participate in these actions. Uber's CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, reported that drivers in the U.S. earned an average of $33 per utilized hour in the last quarter. However, statistics from Gridwise, a gig mobility data analysis firm, showed a 17.1% decline in monthly average gross earnings for Uber drivers last year, while Lyft drivers experienced a 2.5% increase.
Protests are scheduled to take place in several cities, including Austin, Chicago, Hartford, Newark, Miami, Orlando, and Philadelphia. Jonathan Cruz, a driver in Miami and a member of the Justice For App Workers coalition, described this strike as the biggest one he has ever witnessed. Nicole Moore, president of the California-based Rideshare Drivers United union, criticized the algorithmic pricing system implemented by these companies, pointing out the drastic decrease in driver pay. Shantwan Humphrey, a driver in Dallas, emphasized the struggle for a livable wage, stating that drivers can barely afford the basic necessities.
This strike brings attention to the ongoing issue of the gender wage gap in the ridesharing industry. A state-by-state breakdown of the gender wage gap shows that there is still a significant disparity between the earnings of male and female drivers. This is a concerning issue that needs to be addressed by these companies to ensure fair compensation for all their drivers.
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