2019 Lyft and Uber drivers' strikes: Difference between revisions

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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, which the California based Rideshare Drivers United union says is inadequate, and still only amounts 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="settlement">{{cite web |last1=Isidore |first1=Chris |title=Uber settles disputes with thousands of drivers ahead of its IPO |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/09/tech/uber-driver-deal/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |accessdate=May 9, 2019 |date=May 9, 2019 | quote=Uber says it has reached settlements with a large majority of the 60,000 drivers in the United States who filed arbitration demands over their employment status. ... Uber (UBER) disclosed the settlement was disclosed in a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission Thursday just ahead of its initial public offering. Uber (UBER) said the settlement will cost it between $146 million and $170 million. It had already set aside $132 million in anticipation of reaching a settlement. }}</ref>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 pay their drivers a base minimum wage of $27.86 an hour, so that pay after expenses, such as gas and toll roads, would be at least $17.22, allowing drivers to keep up with the rising cost of living in their cities.<ref name="cbs apr 25"/> Further demands include overtime pay, sick pay, accrued paid time off and paid family 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>

== Reactions ==

On May 9, 2019 the day before Uber's initial public offering and the day following the second general strike, the company announced that it reached settlements with a majority of the 60,000 drivers who filed arbitration demands over their employment status. The company said the settlement cost the company between $146 million and $170 million. In anticipation of the settlement, Uber allocated $132 million.<ref name="settlement"/>

== References ==