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Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash Drivers Set to Strike Nationwide for Fair Pay

by Riley Cook

Thousands of drivers for ride-share giants Uber and Lyft, alongside food delivery service DoorDash, are poised to stage a nationwide strike on Valentine's Day, marking one of the largest protest actions against these gig economy titans to date.

Organizers have orchestrated 24-hour strikes across 17 U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, Philadelphia, and Orlando, according to two prominent ride-share labor groups.


The crux of the drivers' grievances lies in the increasingly hefty cuts that Uber and Lyft take from their earnings, leaving many drivers struggling to make ends meet. Demands for a living wage, transparent pay structures, and an end to unfair deactivations—when drivers lose platform access—dominate their rallying cry. "Survival is the main challenge," explains Nupur Chowdhury, an Uber driver and ride-share organizer in Arlington, who underscores the struggle to maintain previous income levels despite doubling work hours.


Safety concerns also loom large, with drivers citing a rise in carjackings and assaults, particularly in the Washington area. Against this backdrop, drivers are mobilizing outside airports nationwide and Uber's offices to voice their discontent.


Across the pond, app-based food delivery couriers in the United Kingdom are set to join the strike over pay concerns, amplifying the global reverberations of this movement.


The roots of this uprising trace back to declining pay rates in recent years, culminating in sporadic strikes at airports across the country in 2023. These localized protests sparked a groundswell of discontent among drivers, culminating in this year's Valentine's Day walkout. The movement has been largely fueled by grassroots efforts, propagated through word-of-mouth and amplified by ride-share influencers with sizable social media followings.


A recent report from Gridwise, a gig economy trend analysis software company, reveals a 17.1 percent decline in Uber drivers' average monthly earnings before expenses in 2023 compared to the previous year. Lyft drivers, however, saw a marginal 2.5 percent increase over the same period.


In response to the impending strike, Uber and Lyft downplay potential disruptions, emphasizing driver satisfaction and strong earnings. According to Alix Anfang, an Uber spokesperson, drivers in the U.S. were earning approximately $33 per utilized hour as of last quarter. Lyft's spokesperson, CJ Macklin, asserts that their drivers averaged $30.68 per hour before expenses in the latter half of 2023, with a commitment to ensuring they receive at least 70 percent of weekly rider fares after external fees.


DoorDash, similarly, anticipates minimal impact on deliveries on Valentine's Day, asserting their commitment to listening to Dashers and enhancing the platform.


However, the sentiment among drivers remains resolute. Strikes are planned in several cities, including Miami, Tampa, San Diego, Austin, Pittsburgh, Newark, Providence, Portland, Toronto, and Vancouver. Adalgisa Payero-Diarra, a seasoned Uber and Lyft driver from New York City, emphasizes the drivers' call for fairness in earnings.


Despite the partnership with app companies, Payero-Diarra stresses the disproportionate workload borne by drivers and urges a more equitable distribution of earnings.


As Valentine's Day looms large, so too does the resolve of drivers nationwide to fight for fair pay and improved working conditions in the gig economy.

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