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A series of [[general strike]]s was coordinated onOn March 25, 2019 by [[Lyft]] and [[Uber]] drivers in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, [[California]], United States, held a strike, led by rideshare advocatedrivers groupunion [[Rideshare Drivers United]].<ref name="stallworth">{{cite web |last1=Stallworth |first1=Leo |title=Rideshare drivers hoping to unionize, force companies to improve pay |url=https://abc7.com/traffic/rideshare-drivers-hoping-to-unionize-force-companies-to-improve-pay/5113751/ |website=[[KABC-TV]] |accessdate=May 1, 2019 |date=January 30, 2019}}</ref> The strikesstrike aimed to protest low wages, long hours, working conditions, and lack of benefits. The event was planned following [[Lyft]]'s [[initial public offering]], during which time the company cut drivers' pay by 30%.
A second [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/08/technology/uber-strike.html strike took place on May 8, 2019] in anticipation of [[Uber]]'s initial public offering.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=By CNN Business |date=2019-05-08 |title=Live updates: Uber and Lyft strike for better pay |url=https://www.cnn.com/business/live-news/uber-lyft-strike-may-2019/index.html |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> TheUber strike inwas responsepoised to Uber'smake [[Initialbillions publicof offering|IPO]]dollars, tookwhile placedrivers were continuing to take major decreases in pay. Rideshare Drivers United called the strike, and the strike spread to 25 major cities across the United States, and wereglobally alsoas joinedwell, bywith driversstrikes held in otherIndia, locationsthe United Kingdom, Europe, Chile, Panama, Indonesia, Australia, Nigeria, and many other worldwidecountries where Uber operates.
== Background ==
==Strikes==
The first major 24-hour strike was held simultaneously, in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco on March 25, 2019,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Holder |first1=Sarah |title=Why L.A.’s Ride-Hail Drivers Went on Strike |url=https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2019/03/uber-lyft-nyc-la-driver-wage-strike/585715/ |website=[[Citylab]] |publisher=[[Emerson Collective]] |accessdate=May 1, 2019}}</ref> the day Lyft went public and following a pay-cut announcement from Uber.<ref name="fobes mar 25">{{cite web |last1=Burns |first1=Janet |title=Uber And Lyft Drivers Strike In LA After Yet Another Uber Pay Cut |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/janetwburns/2019/03/25/uber-and-lyft-drivers-strike-in-la-after-yet-another-pay-cut/#7719cbc126e4 |website=[[Forbes]] |accessdate=April 30, 2019 |date=March 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Hawkins |first1=Andrew J. |title=Lyft Drivers Strike as the Money-losing Company Goes Public |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/29/18286873/lyft-ipo-share-price-driver-protest-future |website=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |accessdate=April 30, 2019 |date=March 29, 2019}}</ref> This prompted both companies to announced financial allocations for driver bonuses,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uber and Lyft Can’t Find Drivers Because Gig Work Sucks |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kvej4/uber-and-lyft-cant-find-drivers-because-gig-work-sucks |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=www.vice.com |language=en}}</ref> which the [[Rideshare Drivers United (California)|California based Rideshare Drivers United]] union sayssaid iswas inadequate, and still only amountsamounted to a pay of $8.55 per hour. As of mid 2019, all bonuses offered were removed from drivers pay incentives, including the drivers' share of Ubers’s “surge”, or Lyft’s “prime” pricing for passengers during busy commute times. The companies still charge riders the higher fares, but have stopped sharing those profits with drivers. <ref name="cbs apr 25">{{cite web |last1=Gibson |first1=Kate |title=Uber and Lyft drivers plan 24-hour strike to protest pay |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uber-lyft-drivers-plan-24-hour-strike-to-protest-pay/ |website=[[CBS]] |accessdate=April 30, 2019 |date=April 25, 2019}}</ref>
After drivers’ earlier strike against Lyft, a second 24 hour strike was planned on May 8, 2019.<ref name=":0" /> This strike included not just California drivers, but drivers from 25 major cities across the US, and was also joined by several other international locations where Uber operates, inciting a highly publicized worldwide strike against Uber Technologies, Inc.<ref name="cbs apr 25"/> The May 8 date was chosen as it coincides with Uber's IPO, which was estimated to raise the company $9 billion.<ref name="conversation apr 25">{{cite web |last1=Rodino-Colocino |first1=Michelle |title=Uber’s $9 billion IPO rests on drivers’ 80-plus hour workweeks and a lot of waiting |url=http://theconversation.com/ubers-9-billion-ipo-rests-on-drivers-80-plus-hour-workweeks-and-a-lot-of-waiting-115782 |website=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |publisher=The Conversation Trust |accessdate=May 1, 2019}}</ref> In addition to Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, drivers went on strike in [[Chicago]], [[Boston]], [[Minneapolis]], [[Philadelphia]], and [[Washington, D.C.]], and were also joined by drivers from several international locations where Uber operates.<ref name="metro philly">{{cite web |last1=Homan |first1=Nate |title=Philly Uber, Lyft drivers join nationwide protest as rideshares go public |url=https://www.metro.us/news/local-news/philadelphia/philly-uber-lyft-drivers-join-nationwide-protest-rideshares-go-public |website=[[Metro (Philadelphia newspaper)|Metro]] |publisher=[[Metro International]] |accessdate=May 1, 2019}}</ref>
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