Hundreds of drivers are protesting this Valentine’s Day, saying they’re not feeling the love for Uber or Lyft.
More than 100 Uber and Lyft drivers gathered near Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on Wednesday (February 14) to protest working conditions and wages in preparation for the International Day of Strike Action on Valentine’s Day.
In British Columbia and across Canada, rideshare and food delivery drivers are not considered employees and are not unionized. Although no official strike can be held, many companies have “gone dark” with their respective apps. In some cases, the service is scheduled to be offline for 24 hours, while in others the service will not be available during the YVR protests.
The strike will be held under the banner “No Uber/Lyft Love This Valentine’s Day!”
Kuljeet Singh, a Vancouver resident who has been working as a gig driver for more than four years, said drivers are not guaranteed to earn B.C.’s minimum hourly wage and can still be denied work if a customer complains. talk.
“That’s not what humans tell you [that] You did something wrong… it’s the algorithm or the app,” he told VIA, adding, “There are no charges to the police. There is no investigation… no video, no discussion.”
After an account is blocked, drivers must appeal to Uber’s support team, which often requires a two- to three-hour call out of the country.
Uber spokeswoman Keerthana Lang told VIA ahead of the strike that the company was aware of the strike but did not expect it to have a material impact on operations.
“That’s because the vast majority of drivers are happy. Earnings continue to be strong, and as of last quarter, Vancouver drivers earned $36.03 per hour before tips. I am.”
He also said Uber drivers who take part in the protests will not have their licenses revoked or face disciplinary action.
“Uber didn’t tell us anything about the strike.”
But the protesting drivers say the company did not address their concerns ahead of the protests and that many of the drivers are paid minimum wage if they miss a ride during a long shift. He said there was no guarantee.
“Uber hasn’t told us anything about the strike,” Singh told VIA about Wednesday’s airport protest. “They never told us about this.”
The disgruntled workers are among many who say B.C.’s major rideshare and food delivery companies are understaffed, resulting in low pay and poor working conditions. He is one of the people.
A large crowd gathered in the sunshine at Chester Johnson Park near YVR just after 10 a.m., after reportedly being told to move by airport officials.
During the demonstrations, people chanted, “We want rights,” “We want fair wages,” “We need transparency,” “Shame on Uber,” “Shame on the NDP,” and “We need safety.”
The signs have messages that include worker demands and slogans of support, such as “Independence equals poverty,” “Sell out Uber,” “Call for help,” and “Uber drivers are on strike.” .
Singh said more drivers joined the crowd as the demonstration continued. He also spoke to drivers who did not take part in the rally but had suspended service in support of the “strike.”
Uber/Lyft drivers want to be employees, not “gig” workers.
Facebook group called BC(Van) Uber/Lyft Driver Grouphas more than 1,000 members and hundreds of drivers from across the Lower Mainland, many of whom say they plan to attend the protest. Singh livestreamed it on his page.
Ejaz Butt, executive director of the Toronto-based International App-Based Transit Workers Alliance, says Canadian drivers are pushing for some important changes.
Uber and Lyft drivers want “unionized employee status” rather than contract or “gig” workers. Currently, a driver may work 12 hours, but he may only be on duty for 3 hours and not be paid for the remaining hours. This means their income could be significantly less than the minimum wage, Butt told VIA.
Drivers also say rideshare companies lack transparency about how much customers are paying for their trips.
“We want to share data with full transparency,” he said.
Gig work includes paid work outside of traditional employment, such as app-based ride-hailing or food delivery jobs. These employees typically have set hours.
The B.C. government has announced that Some issues with gig work In recent years, these include low and unpredictable wages, being fired from jobs without warning, and a lack of workers’ compensation if injured on the job.
On February 14, World Strike Day against Transport and Delivery Gig Companies was held in cities across Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
Lyft did not respond by VIA’s comment deadline for this story.
