2019 Lyft and Uber drivers' strikes: Difference between revisions

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Reverted poorly sourced, good faith WP:GF edits. Wikipedia does not allow Original Research. Please see: WP:OR. All statements must be sourced from Reliable Sources WP:RS - Many of the added statements are not supported by the references provided. For example the "nytimes.com/2019/09/11/technology/california-gig-economy-bill.html" source never mentions this strike, so claiming that this strike led to that legislation is disallowed WP:OR.
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OnA series of [[general strike]]s was coordinated on 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 driversadvocate uniongroup [[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 strikestrikes aimed to protest low wages, long hours, working conditions, and lack of benefits. The event was planned following [[Lyft]]'s [[initial public offering]],. duringA whichsecond timestrike thetook companyplace cuton driversMay 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> The strike in response to Uber's [[Initial public offering|IPO]] took place in 25 major cities across the United States, and were also joined by 30%.drivers in other locations worldwide where Uber operates.
 
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> Uber was poised to make billions of dollars, while drivers 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 globally as well, with strikes held in India, the United Kingdom, Europe, Chile, Panama, Indonesia, Australia, Nigeria, and many other countries where Uber operates.
 
== Background ==
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==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 saidsays wasis inadequate, and still only amountedamounts 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>
 
== Demands ==
In California, Uber and Lyft drivers demanded that the companies adherepay totheir the [https://www.drivers-united.org/p/drivers-bill-of-rights Drivers'a Billbase ofminimum Rights],wage whichof included$27.86 aan lowerhour, commissionso fromthat farespay by companies,after expenses paid by the company, as wellsuch as benefitsgas dueand alltoll workersroads, inwould Californiabe suchat asleast unemployment$17.22, workers'allowing comp,drivers sickto pay,keep andup more. Drivers believedwith the companiesrising werecost purposelyof misclassifyingliving thein driverstheir ascities.<ref independentname="cbs contractors,apr while25"/> keepingFurther themdemands underinclude closeovertime controlpay, ofsick the companypay, includingaccrued settingpaid theirtime rates.off Furtherand demandspaid includedfamily leave, a voice on the job through a driver-led union, safety measures to be implemented protecting both driver and passenger safety, and healthcare benefits.<ref name="nbc mar 25">{{cite web |last1=Chen |first1=Ted |last2=Kesslen |first2=Ben |title=Uber and Lyft drivers in Los Angeles strike over pay, working conditions |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/uber-lyft-drivers-los-angeles-strike-over-pay-working-conditions-n987276 |website=[[NBC]] |accessdate=April 30, 2019 |date=March 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Doctorow |first1=Cory |title=Uber drivers across America are going on strike -- UPDATED |url=https://boingboing.net/2019/04/29/may-8.html |website=[[Boing Boing]] |publisher=[[Happy Mutants]] |accessdate=April 30, 2019}}</ref>
 
== Results ==
In California, the CA legislature had been considering a bill that would clarify the difference between independent contractors and employees afforded full labor rights under CA law. The driver strike for full labor rights gave a major push to lawmakers, and in September of 2019, [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/technology/california-gig-economy-bill.html the bill, called AB5, passed]. AB5 became law on January 1st, 2020, but was not enforced. Driver members of Rideshare Drivers United again took action to enforce the law, with [https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-630-million-wage-claims-drivers-contractors-ab5-california-2020-4 over 5000 drivers filing wage claims with the CA Labor Commission], with a total amount owed to the drivers of $1.3 billion in back wages, expenses, benefits, and damages. [https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/Lawsuits-Uber-Lyft.html The Labor Commission in turn sued the companies] on behalf of all drivers in California, and that court case is still in process.
 
== References ==