Uber drivers mounted protests at Heathrow Airport and Trafalgar Square as part of a 24-hour global strike over pay and conditions.
Thousands of private hire drivers, including those working for Bolt and Addison Lee across the UK, logged off from 7am on Thursday to protest against the “gig economy”.
More than 50 private hire drivers met outside Heathrow Airport from 7am – 9am, said to be one of Uber’s most lucrative spots in Europe.
Drivers then set off in a motorcade from the airport to Trafalgar Square, honking horns and waving flags along the route.
The action was organised by the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union. It estimated that thousands of drivers joined the strike across the country.
It said the protest caused a surge in prices due to a shortage of drivers working.
But Uber said there was no impact on its customers at Heathrow.
According to the union, drivers are being pushed to “breaking point” by plummeting fares, long hours and a lack of basic protections.
Drivers said this was having a serious impact on their mental health, physical wellbeing and relationships.
Nader Awaad, 58, chair of the IWGB Private Hire Drivers, said: “Drivers around the world today are not living but surviving - we’re hanging on by a thread.”
Kambiz Hemati, 69, a driver of 12 years, said: “I don’t think the riders who get in the back of our cars know what life is really like for most of us.
“I work seven days a week, but only take home three days’ worth of pay after Uber’s commission and the cost and maintenance of my car is taken out.”
Khalid Edah-Tally, 34, who has been an Addison Lee driver in London for 12 years, previously told the Standard he works up to 100 hours a week to make the same wage as he used to amid skyrocketing costs.
He said drivers in the capital were being pushed to “breaking point”, with some having to stretch their night shifts until 8am or 9am - which he said made it less safe for passengers and other drivers.
Demands from drivers include higher base fares and fairer pay structures, protection against unfair account deactivations, and better safety measures.
Other areas affected include Newcastle, Bristol, Manchester, America, Nigeria and Uruguay.
Mr Awad said: “There are hidden epidemics of depression, chronic pain and broken relationships plaguing the workforce, because of unhealthily long hours spent on the road trying to scrape a living.
“Pay isn’t the only thing that causes us stress – we live with the constant threat of losing our income if our accounts are unfairly deactivated, and the anxiety that, with no proper safety protections, we might be the next driver to face violent assault.”
From 2018-2021, 81 attacks and assaults on taxi and private hire drivers were recorded, according to data published by the Metropolitan Police.
A driver at the Heathrow protest held a poster of Gabriel Bringye, a 37-year-old taxi driver who was killed in Tottenham in February 2021, which read “Drivers demand safety in Gabriel’s name.”
Mr Bringye was stabbed and killed while working, by two then teenage boys. They were sentenced to 10 years’ detention in a young offenders’ institution.
The action comes after private hire drivers have taken to the streets multiple times this month to protest at delays to the Transport for London private hire licensing system which is estimated by IWGB to have left thousands in London out of work for several months.
The IWGB said it has been contacted by over 800 drivers affected by the delays, many of whom have been pushed into debt and destitution as a result.
A strike was held on Valentine’s Day as drivers gathered outside City Hall for six hours to demand safety and fair pay.
A spokesperson from Bolt said it had not had drivers log off, with service levels unaffected.
The Bolt spokesperson said: “All drivers receive holiday pay and monetary supplements to ensure they earn at least the national living wage, alongside a pension.”
Uber drivers are not allowed to drive on the app for more than 10 hours at a time for safety reasons.
Uber said it had designated UK drivers as “workers’” - meaning they received at least the National Living Wage, holiday pay and access to a pension plan that included contributions from Uber.
An Uber spokesperson said: “We regularly engage with drivers, especially through our industry-leading agreement with GMB Union, who are not taking part in this action.
“Uber is currently meeting with hundreds of drivers across the country to hear directly from them as we are always looking at how we can improve their experience on the platform.”
Addison Lee was contacted for comment.
