Ride-hailing drivers across the U.S. are revving up for a major strike that aims to disrupt Valentine's Day travel. Workers for Uber and Lyft are parking their cars and setting up picket lines at some of the nation's busiest airports, including O'Hare in Chicago. Justice for App Workers, the coalition fronting the demonstration, says the strike is motivated by the persistent plea for improved pay and working conditions. The Chicago Tribune reports that the movement's local chapter, representing over 30,000 drivers, has rallied its members to congregate at 11:00 a.m. at O'Hare's ride-share staging lot.
Valentine's Day, a typically lucrative day for ride-share operators due to high demand, was chosen to hash out their grievances. Steven Everett, from the Independent Drivers Guild of Illinois and partners with Justice for App Workers, told the Tribune that income for drivers like himself has been on a downward trajectory, necessitating longer hours behind the wheel to make ends meet. Despite the anticipated disruptions, both Uber and Lyft have downplayed the potential impact of the protests, with Uber asserting in a statement to the Tribune, "These types of events have rarely had any impact on trips, prices, or driver availability."
The coordinated strike isn't just a Chicago City phenomenon but part of a national push, with Fortune detailing actions at airports in Philadelphia, Newark, and other cities. Rachel Gumpert, a spokesperson for Justice for App Workers, likened the conditions faced by drivers to a "mobile sweatshop" and cited the success of last year's automaker strikes as a source of inspiration. Yet ride-hailing companies are standing firm on their compensation structures. Lyft highlighted its new initiatives, like a safety feature connecting drivers with ADT security agents and the implementation of an earnings commitment, ensuring drivers rake in at least 70% of the weekly rider fares after external fees.
As drivers wave their picket signs, corporations like Lyft tout an average hourly earning rate of $30.68 before expenses, a figure meant to illustrate their stance on fair pay. However, the swelling ranks of discontented drivers, as evidenced by the actions on Valentine's Day, indicate a dissonance between the companies' statistics and the street-level reality. According to Fortune, Uber reports a comparable average hourly earning of $33, assuring that drivers have the opportunity to dispute deactivations.
