PROTEST PLIGHT


UBER, BOLT & VEEZU PROTEST AS CONVOY BRINGS BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE TO STANDSTILL


Another protest convoy, involving drivers from Uber and other app- based services, took place on 1 July in Birmingham


Uber, Bolt and


Veezu workers stopped working as part of a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions. The Private Hire Drivers’ Alliance has sent a list of demands to Uber and Bolt focusing on five issues: • fair distribution of profits for drivers.


• stop fixed pricing strategies that undermine drivers’ earnings.


• stop dynamic pricing which often exploits drivers during peak demand periods without provid-ing them with fair compensation.


• end unfair terminations . • stop excessive recruitment of new drivers that saturates the market.


Minhaj Uddin, official spoke-


sperson for PHDA, said: “The exploitation of private hire drivers through aggressive pricing strategies, unfair profit distrib- ution, and inadequate working conditions must end. “Our demands for fair profit sharing, an end to


exploitative pricing


practices, transparent termination processes, and improved working conditions are crucial for ensuring dignity and fairness for all drivers in the industry.” Ayoub Khan, MP Perry Barr, said: “The private hire trade is one of the key trades in Birmingham and one of the hardest working. They are working unsociable hours, often dealing with all kinds of customers and putting their lives on the line. “We’ve had incidents where they’ve been attacked and murd- ered. They are often picking up the most vulnerable and elderly,


WAKEFIELD LICENSED PH DRIVERS PROTEST OUTSIDE TOWN HALL


Private hire drivers have again protested outside the Town Hall in Wakefield again. Yasa Ahmed chair of Wakefield drivers association said: “Private hire driver Fiaz had his taxi licence revoked for a CD10 offence 3 points for hogging the middle lane - it shows this Suitability & Convictions policy is draconian and must be amended.” Cabbies have a list of grievances which flashed across a screen as drivers listened to speeches. Drivers want: a reduction in licensing fees, restitution to all


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drivers, the six-month compliance test to be scrapped as well as the Suitability and Convictions policy to be amended.


carrying people’s shopping. “Uber, Bolt and these operators have carte blanche on the private hire trade. They can promote the apps. Drivers are having terms and conditions imposed. The drivers have no equality of power.” The drivers met at 11am at Uber Greenlight Hub in Aston. Iftekhar Hussain, who gave a speech there, said afterwards: “I work as a rep. When Uber receives a complaint from a passenger, they need to engage with the driver. “They need to hear the driver’s side. They need to investigate the passenger and see how many complaints they’ve made. They get their fare refunded. We need a fair complaints procedure.” Kate Gorton, from the GMB, said after giving a speech: “There’s a problem with the way the drivers’ accounts are deactivated and we would like to see a fair process. Drivers’ earning opportunities have gone down drastically.” One Uber driver said: “A passenger was charged £17, Uber deducted £11 from the fare. I got £6.67.” After the speeches, the drivers then formed a convoy to travel to central Birmingham, finishing at Holloway Circus in the city centre. Uber issued a statement saying: “All drivers on Uber are guaranteed holiday pay, access to a pension plan, free sickness protection and guaranteed National Living Wage – though the vast majority earn more. We regularly engage with drivers, including through our industry-leading agreement with GMB Union which ensures all drivers have access to full union representation.”


AUGUST 2024 PHTM


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