Thousands of drivers for apps including Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee have begun strike action across London, Newcastle, Bristol and Manchester in a dispute over pay and conditions.
The drivers have all pledged to go offline from 7am to 9am and refuse trips and block airport collections today (1 May) as part of a ‘log off’ organised by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB).
The action is part of a co-ordinated 24-hour global strike, including drivers in the US, Nigeria, and Uruguay. They are demanding higher base fares and fairer pay structures, improved working conditions, and greater safety measures, such as protection against unfair account deactivations, for gig economy drivers.
According to IWGB, passengers arriving at Heathrow and other airports in London, Newcastle, Bristol and Manchester on Thursday may be affected by the strikes.
An Uber spokesperson said: “We regularly engage with drivers, especially through our agreement with GMB Union, [which is] not taking part in this action. Uber is currently meeting with hundreds of drivers across the country to hear directly from them about how we can improve their experience on the platform.”
Uber added that its UK drivers are designated as workers, meaning they all receive at least the national living wage, holiday pay based on 12% of their earnings paid out weekly in cash, and a pension plan with employer contributions.
Nader Awaad, chair of IWGB Private Hire Drivers, added: “Drivers around the world today are not living but surviving, we’re hanging on by a thread. Pay isn’t the only thing that causes stress, we live with the constant threat of losing our income if our accounts are unfairly deactivated, and the anxiety that, with no proper safety protections, we might be the next driver to face violent assault. This is a global fightback against a broken system.”
Bolt and Addison Lee were also contacted for comment prior to publication.
