Drivers with Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash are planning a Valentine’s Day walkout over wages and working conditions.
Thousands of rideshare drivers plan to turn off their apps on Valentine’s Day in a demonstration meant to drive improvements for independent contractors using the platform, according to Rideshare Drivers United (RDU), an independent association.
“Drivers across the country are telling Lyft and Uber enough is enough! With the significant decrease in pay we’ve all felt this winter, drivers are taking action across the globe,” said RDU in a statement on its event page.
Shantwan Humphrey, a driver in Dallas, Texas, told Reuters, “By not paying drivers a livable wage, drivers are barely able to afford the bare necessities.”
Wednesday’s demonstration was initially planned for Los Angeles. However, Justice For App Workers (JFAW), a national coalition of over 130,000 drivers and delivery workers, expanded its airport-specific version of the walkout to include a handful of other cities.
Rideshare and delivery driver walkouts are now additionally set to play out in Austin, Chicago, Hartford, Miami, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, and Tampa.
“Uber, Lyft, and delivery drivers are tired of being mistreated by the app companies,” said JFAW in a February 8 blog post. “We’re sick of working 80 hours/week just to make ends meet, being constantly scared for our safety, and worrying about being deactivated with the click of a button.”
“We’re not taking rides to or from any airport on February 14. We’re going on strike and telling the app companies that we won’t take it anymore!” JFAW added.
Representatives with Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash said they don’t forecast a major impact from the demonstration.
“Driver earnings remain strong, and as of Q4 2023, drivers in the U.S. were making about $33 per utilized hour,” Uber said in a statement, per CBS News. DoorDash also said it would face no “significant impact” from the Valentine’s Day demonstration.
“We are constantly working to improve the driver experience, which is why just this month we released a series of new offers and commitments aimed at increasing driver pay and transparency,” Lyft said in a statement to Reuters.
