Taxi Driver Online

Suspect there's about as much chance of this happening as me winning the Euromillions


Private hire drivers call for sick pay protection amid coronavirus outbreak

https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glas ... k-17890850

A union of drivers claims poor working conditions within the industry could led to an escalation of the virus.

A union of private hire drivers is calling for operators to implement sick pay amid the coronavirus outbreak.

United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) is urging the likes of Uber, Network Private Hire, Hampden Cars and Glasgow Private Hire to protect workers rights, while they have also written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon regarding their concerns.

It is feared poor working conditions within the private hire industry in Scotland could lead to an increase in coronavirus cases.

UPHD say: "Drivers demand immediate implementation of sick pay provision, minimum wage and the right to cancel high risk work at operators including Uber, Network Private Hire, Hampden Cars, Glasgow Private Hire and others.

"Poor working conditions in the Scottish private hire industry risk escalation of Covid-19 infection rates.

"Poor working conditions in the UK’s app dominated private hire driver industry present a significant risk to public health during the current coronavirus crisis unless urgent action is taken by the government, local authorities and operators such as Uber, Network Private Hire, Hampden Cars and Glasgow Private Hire.

"UPHD calls on the First Minister of Scotland and Glasgow City Council to support their call for large operators to take urgent action."

Meanwhile it is claimed by the union, drivers may 'not be able to afford to stop working', even if infected.

They say: "With drivers working as much as 30 hours per week to cover vehicle rental and other costs just to break even, and without access to worker rights such as minimum wage and sick pay, drivers who are infected may simply not be able to afford to stop working.

"The situation could be further exasperated with drivers, denied the security of a guaranteed minimum wage, forced to work even longer hours to compensate for a sudden reduction in public demand for private hire services in the event of a more widespread Covid-19 outbreak in Scotland."

Barry Sloan, Chair of United Private Hire Drivers Glasgow commented: "Scotland faces a public health crisis from the coronavirus outbreak yet poor working practices and failure to respect worker rights within the licensed private hire trade is putting working drivers and the travelling public at increased risk.

"Private hire operators, licensing authorities and the Scottish government must take responsibility to ensure that any driver infected with Covid-19 can afford to stop working so they may recover."

Worth noting that employment law is reserved to Westminster and nothing to do with the Scottish Parliament, so the employment status of drivers no different to that in England.


Presumably the word in the first line should be 'exacerbated', not 'exasperated'?

Although the whole thing is a bit exasperating

But to be honest I'm not that worried about catching the virus from a work perspective - it's more the 'sudden reduction in demand' mentioned that I'm worried about

Things certainly seem quieter than normal here. And although it's mostly students here at this time of year, there seems to be even fewer non-students than normal. Recently did five shifts and only three non-student runs in total

Which is bad enough, but students off shortly for their spring break. Or at least some of them - doubt so many will be travelling compared to usual

What's business like elsewhere?

that reduction in demand is already happening

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Fine. In fact it's been quite busy.

Now what happens if things start to shut up is another matter, but at the mo it seems people are still coming into the city, and I'm not so sure crowded buses are as popular as they were.

But Gatwick was like a ghost town tonight.

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IDFIMH

This largely a carbon copy of the Glasgow article, which is unsurprising since it's UPHD-sourced, and this guy has featured before.

Usual waffle from the MP and PH operator quoted, though, but interesting nugget from Uber, which I hadn't been aware of


Taxi drivers call for sick pay to be honoured amid fears of coronavirus spread

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/not ... ay-3942756

Nadia Whittome MP has also joined the calls


Image: Nottingham Post

A taxi drivers union and Nottingham MP have called private hire operators to honour sick pay and other worker rights in a bid to prevent wider coronavirus infection.

United Private Hire Drivers said working conditions in Nottingham's app dominated private hire industry present a "significant risk" to public health during the current coronavirus situation unless urgent action is taken by the Government and operators such as Uber and DG Cars.

They said with drivers working 30 hours per week to cover vehicle rental and other costs just to break even - and without access to worker rights such as minimum wage and sick pay - drivers who are infected may simply not be able to afford to stop working.

They added the situation could worsen further if drivers are forced to work longer hours to compensate for a sudden reduction in demand for private hire services in the event of a more widespread COVID-19 outbreak in the UK.

Azeem Hanif, chairman of Nottingham United Private Hire Drivers, said: "Licensed private hire operators cannot now stand back and allow long standing illegal and poor working conditions within the private hire industry risk wider COVID-19 infection in the city simply because drivers cannot afford to stop working to self isolate.

"Operators must offer sick pay and minimum wage guarantees, not only because it is a legal obligation, but because not doing so now could exacerbate a growing public health crisis."

Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, added: "The coronavirus has shined a light on the appalling state of workers’ rights in this country.

"Uber must give sick pay, to protect the health of their workers and the general public.”

A spokesperson for DG Cars told Nottinghamshire Live: “We have the same concerns as everyone else in the country about coronavirus.

"Relying on the advice issued by the Government, we have made sure all self-employed drivers working with us have received that advice, so that they can do all they can to protect themselves and the travelling public.

"Although drivers are self-employed, we are not unsympathetic to the position some of them might find themselves in if they contract coronavirus or are required to self-isolate, as a result of having been in close contact with someone with the virus.

"Uber must give sick pay, to protect the health of their workers and the general public.”

"At present, all we can do is to reassure all concerned that we are closely monitoring the situation and will, if we consider it necessary and economically viable to the company, take whatever gratuitous action we consider appropriate to assist drivers. Our Driver Support Manager is available to discuss this matter with our drivers."

Andrew Macdonald, Senior Vice President at Uber, added: "We are always working to help ensure the safety of our employees and everyone on the Uber platform, and we continue to be concerned by the ongoing spread of coronavirus.

"We are supporting drivers and couriers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed in quarantine by a public health authority. Drivers and couriers in these situations will receive compensation for a period of up to
14 days.

"This has already begun in some markets and we are working to implement mechanisms to do this worldwide. We believe this is the right thing to do.”

This was also quoted in an alternative version of the Glasgow article a couple of days ago, but I didn't notice the bit about the 14-day compensation, and instead posted the article that didn't quote Uber.

But not clear what precisely this compensation will amount to, or how widely it'll be applied

Uber's PR machine has been rolling out this 14 day compensation claim for a week or so, but in none of the articles does the amount appear.

I suspect it will be minimal at best.

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IDFIMH

Strange how most taxi/private hire drivers want to be self employed when it suits, whilst when we have times like this they want to be PAYE and have full employment rights.
PAYE and self employed both have there benefits and pitfalls.
The payment is likely to be at least statutory sick pay, since Uber drivers have been classed as employees by the courts which in the uk its £94.25p per week.

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now a licensed hackney driver

Who'd have thought this?


Uber and Deliveroo accused of undermining sick pay promises

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article ... y-promises

Gig economy companies Uber and Deliveroo were accused today of undermining pledges to give sick pay to workers affected by the coronavirus.

The firms, which run private car travel and food delivery services, are demanding sick notes from workers affected by the virus.

But the NHS is telling virus sufferers to immediately self-isolate and not go to a GP, health centre or hospital, meaning that a sick note is just about impossible to obtain.

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) says a coronavirus hardship fund introduced by Deliveroo has been set up in such a way that it is “impossible for many riders that are genuinely sick or self-isolating to claim the payments.”

IWGB couriers and logistics branch chairman Alex Marshall said: “Once we pull the curtains on Deliveroo’s announcement on assistance for workers that are sick or self-isolating, it is obvious that, behind the PR spin, it is more of the same old deceitful tactics.

“Deliveroo and other so-called gig-economy employers have to stop blocking their workers’ access to these funds and immediately introduce full contractual sick pay, without preconditions.”

The United Private Hire Drivers union (UPHD), representing Uber workers, said its members too were being denied sick pay through demands for a sick note or a written instruction from health professionals to self-isolate.

UPHD chairman James Farrar said: “If Uber can’t provide sick pay and respect the legal right of drivers to earn at least the minimum wage even during this time of pandemic, then when can we ever trust them to do the right thing?

“It’s time for the government and licensing authorities like Transport for London to step in and insist on a fair deal for drivers as an ongoing condition of licensing for Uber.”

A Deliveroo spokeswoman claimed that the company “is committed to providing financial support for riders across the world who are diagnosed with the virus or who are told to be in isolation by a medical authority.

“We are providing riders with continuous advice on how to stay safe, based on expert guidance. We will continue to explore other ways in which riders can be supported.”

Uber had not responded to requests for comment at the time of going to press.

I'm not sure Uber are in any state to fund such measures.

I also think that the current situation we are all in will help those fighting for workers rights in the gig economy.

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IDFIMH