Taxi Driver Online

Uber strike 2022 Bristol: When are drivers striking ahead of Christmas and why - are Ubers still running?

https://www.bristolworld.com/news/uber- ... ng-3945709

Trade union ADCU confirmed the Uber driver strike in Bristol will last 24 hours with a public demonstration taking place in the city.

Uber drivers across Bristol will log off for 24 hours ahead of Christmas as they go on strike in a dispute over a number of issues including pay. The planned industrial action involves members of the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU).

It will take place on Wednesday, December 14 from 12.01am to 11.59pm. On top of the planned Uber blackout, drivers will also be working with the trade union to spearhead a public demonstration in the city.

The protest will take place outside the Uber Greenlight Hub offices located in Upper York Street. All ADCU members and any supporters from the general public will plan to join the picket line by the time it starts at 1pm and ends at 2pm on December 14.

Uber drivers have joined an ever growing list of industries and professions that are walking out ahead of Christmas Day. Rail workers, NHS nurses, bus drivers, civil servants, and Royal Mail staff are just some taking a stand during the festive season and beyond.

The ongoing cost of living crisis that is financially crippling individuals and families across the United Kingdom is a common motivation for industrial action. Energy bills continue to soar, as does the average weekly grocery shop with inflation at a 40 year high of 11.1%.

But why are Uber drivers in Bristol planning to go on strike and what are the ADCU’s demands? Here is everything you need to know.

Why are Uber drivers in Bristol going on strike?

The ADCU and its members have agreed to take industrial action against Uber for a number of reasons. Their demands range from improved workers rights, unfair pay and Uber’s political influence in other countries abroad and at home.

In an official statement, the trade union explained: “Uber has failed to comply with the Supreme Court and lower court rulings to pay drivers at least the minimum wage after costs for all working time from log on to log off. They exclude waiting time which leaves drivers short-changed for about 40% of their true working time.

“In addition, last year Uber arbitrarily set the HMRC reimbursement rate of 45p for the purposes of calculating driver costs in determining minimum wage payments. However, this rate is not appropriate for commercial vehicles and was anyway set in 2011 and certainly does not reflect 36% fuel inflation since last year.”

Bristolian Uber drivers also take issue with unfair pay settlements and claim the company is taking advantage of them to reach voluntary financial settlements. The ADCU has said that its members are not happy with Uber’s alleged political influence and lobbying in the UK and abroad, as well as its relationship with the Labour Party.

The ADCU and Bristol Uber driver’s demands are as follows:

• Full compliance with the courts, fares to be increased to £2.50 per mile and 20p per minute and that Uber commission be capped at 15%
• Uber simply pays all drivers all that they are owed without exception or excuse and bear all legal costs
• Uber end all corrupt political influencing and that elected and local politicians commit to zero influence contact with Uber until the company demonstrates full compliance with employment, transport and taxation laws

Will you still be able to call an Uber in Bristol on strike day?

It is understood that Uber will be running an extremely disrupted service in and around Bristol on strike day. ADCU has advised the public to not use the service at all on December 14.

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IDFIMH

well there's plenty of alternatives why not mention them for balance ? Oh sorry I forgot Journo's are allergic to balance and unbiased articles

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

This is the BBC's report on the protest. Nothing particularly new here, and photos are a bit big for the forum.

But have included the photos because they're perhaps the main reason I bothered reading the article. Not that the photos are particularly interesting, but they look professional-quality snaps, rather than the newspaper-reporter-with-a-cameraphone look of some of the images from other news sources

And the image size is further compressed on the BBC's website, making them look even more high quality...


Bristol taxi drivers stage protest over Uber fare prices

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-63970174


Image: BBC

Taxi drivers have said they are struggling to make a living due to the commission taken by booking apps like Uber.

About 300 taxi drivers held a demonstration outside Uber's offices in Bristol on Wednesday.

Bristol United Private Hire Drivers (BUPHD) said they are unhappy with pricing structures and that they have to work longer hours to break even.

Uber said drivers are always shown an upfront price before accepting a trip.

The private hire drivers are now calling for booking apps to increase their fares so they can earn more money, adding that they can not cover their costs due to the current rates and charges imposed on them.



UPHD's Shaban Ali said the cost of living, fuel prices, as well as maintenance and licensing fees, were making it "difficult to make ends meet".

"We're looking at commission upwards of 50%, so for example every £10 that a passenger might spend with Uber, they're potentially getting £5.

"It's impacting our private lives because we're having to be on the road a lot longer," he added.

Uber said that it does not take 50% per trip and said the average is closer to 25%, although it said it does vary.

'Ethical and proper'

Drivers have called for Bristol City Council to step in but the council said although it is their responsibility to licence taxis, they are not responsible for regulating fares charged by apps.

Mr Ali said drivers had no choice but to work with the apps but wanted them to sign up to an "ethical and proper" code of conduct.

"We have to work alongside them, we can't just boycott them and go direct to the customer, that's not how were regulated," he said.

"But if Uber decided to act in a more ethical manner, they're a market leader in Bristol and whatever they do all the other operators would follow."



Uber said that it increased pricing across the UK by around 10% in August 2022.

A spokesperson added: "We are the only platform to provide holiday pay and access to a pension plan which have grown significantly due to recent fare increases and growing rider demand.

"Drivers are always guaranteed to earn at least the national living wage and will receive automatic top-ups from Uber if they ever fall below this level."

Good luck with that

But if other operators followed the "market leader's", er, lead, then it would be for competitive, market-driven reasons rather than because they're acting ethically, I suspect


Yes, with POB, not for all the time they're working. So, in reality, it's a meaningless pledge.

It's like saying that recently I earned a pound a minute (or £60 per hour equivalent) for a £7.40 trip from the station, which probably took about five minutes, and earned me about a fiver profit.

The fact that I waited four hours at the station for the run (and thus earned not much more than £1 per hour profit) would be irrelevant using Uber's methodology.

maybe a slightly more accurate conclusion ?

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

Maybe, Edders, but all start-ups are disrupters, to a greater or lesser extent

But thanks for drawing attention to my rogue apostrophe in the (plural) "operator's", which has been amended in my post

Interesting that they are now changing their take depending on the job.

I suppose someone has got to pay their VAT bill.

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IDFIMH

depends if it's a direct booking or through Uber local presumably.

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