Valentine's Day Protest: Uber, Lyft, and Deliveroo Drivers Demand Fair Compensation and Security

Feb 13, 2024 10:59 PM EST

(Photo : PEXELS/ freestocks.org )

Thousands of Uber, Lyft, and Deliveroo drivers in the United States and United Kingdom, are gearing up for a Valentine's Day protest. Their strike aims to address grievances regarding compensation and working conditions.

Valentine's Day Protest: Uber,Lyft, and Deliveroo Unite

In the U.S., the activist organization Justice for App Workers highlighted in a recent blog post the frustration of drivers for Uber and Lyft and DoorDash riders over the necessity to work extensive hours-up to 80 per week-to barely scrape by financially.

As reported in CNN, these workers are planning to gather for a rally at the ride-share waiting area of O'Hare International Airport from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, vowing to log off their apps and refrain from accepting any passenger pickups during this time. The strike, spanning across the U.S. on Wednesday, is a collective demand for equitable pay.

The organization, claiming to represent 130,000 drivers and delivery personnel throughout the East Coast and Midwest, stated that its members are set to halt all airport rides in 10 cities, such as Chicago and Miami, for a duration of two hours on Wednesday.

CNN's report also shared that in the UK, a representative from the advocacy group Delivery Job UK mentioned that over 3,000 food delivery riders are planning to strike for five hours on Wednesday.

The majority of the riders involved in the strike speak Portuguese and are employed by various delivery services, such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat. According to the spokesperson, these riders have experienced a decrease in earnings over the past few years due to the companies reducing the delivery fees charged to customers.

Furthermore, Chicago Times alsor reported details about the strike set today, on Valentine's Day. During this time, they intend to deactivate their applications and abstain from accepting any airport rides.

In their statement, the coalition expressed their exhaustion from laboring up to 80 hours weekly just to achieve financial stability, their ongoing concerns for personal safety, and the constant anxiety over the possibility of being abruptly deactivated at a moment's notice.

Chicago Times also reported that in late January, the Chicago Police Department issued a warning to delivery drivers following three armed robberies on the same block in the Near West Side.

Reason for the Valentine's Day Strike

Advocacy groups for gig workers in the city have demanded more safety precautions following recent incidents, including some that have been deadly, targeting delivery and ride-hailing drivers.

In January, an attempt to carjack a ride-hailing driver left him severely injured on the 900 block of North LeClaire Avenue in Austin, according to the police. Lyft driver Adriana Arocha-Duque was tragically shot and killed in December on the 4800 block of West Thomas Street, within the same area.

Weeks before, another tragedy struck when Mohammed Al Hejoj was shot while driving his black 2017 Cadillac Escalade ESV with four passengers on the 1700 block of North Lotus Avenue around 5:40 p.m. on December 3rd, as an assailant began shooting.