Uber and Lyft drivers in Minnesota sent a strong message to their Silicon Valley overlords Thursday, turning off their apps and rejecting airport fares to demand better compensation and improved safety measures. Up to 2,000 drivers across the state took part in a strike sparked by frustrations with pay cuts that they claim are slicing their livelihoods in half.
"I'm a stay-at-home mom. This is how I feed my family. This is how I make up for inflation in 2023. Like, this is very important because, in the last six months, we've seen our pay get cut in half," driver Amanda Vandyke told MPR News. The Minnesota Uber/Lyft Drivers Association, led a charge at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport during peak hours from 1 to 7 p.m., rallying its members to stand up against what they see as exploitation by rideshare companies.
Strikers have pinned their hopes on a proposition that calls for Uber and Lyft to pony up $1.30 per mile and $0.25 per minute. "We have been taken advantage of Uber and Lyft taking 70% to 80% of every ride that you are getting," Yusuf Haji, a spokesperson for the drivers' association, said in a statement obtained by MPR News. The strike concluded with a rally designed to draw public attention to their cause.
In response to the strike, Uber and Lyft released statements that both, companies are keen on finding a middle ground. A spokesperson for Uber said, "We haven't seen any impact from the action, but we are looking forward to discussing legislation that maintains driver's flexibility while guaranteeing minimum compensation and new protections." Lyft similarly positioned itself as a driver-friendly platform, touting a new $5 per-ride minimum earnings guarantee and a recent partnership to support Twin Cities drivers, according to statements sent to MPR News.
Earlier attempts to legislate increased wages and protections for drivers have been stymied in Minnesota. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed a rideshare bill mandating pay increases, and Gov. Tim Walz vetoed a measure that would have raised drivers' wages statewide earlier in the year. However, drivers remain steadfast in their pursuit for a fair slice of the pie. "You sometimes ask us drivers, ‘Why are we getting charged so much money?’ It's not us who take the money, it's Uber and Lyft that are taking the money," Haji said, as per MPR News.
