Drivers of ride-sharing apps Uber and Lyft in Florida will stage a work stoppage and protests at airports in Orlando, Miami and Tampa this Friday.
Employees of these companies will protest for their rights and, in turn, launch the Florida chapter of the Independent Drivers Guild.
With simultaneous rallies and work stoppages at airports in Orlando, Miami and Tampa, rideshare drivers are uniting in a statewide effort to win higher wages, end unfair opt-outs from app companies, improve safety, and create a union for Uber and Lyft drivers.
The work stoppage at the airport will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.
“Floridians rely on Uber and Lyft drivers to get around, but what they may not realize is that rideshare drivers have no say with app companies, even on basic things like salary and how much the app companies charge for each fee,” they said in a press release.
They also said that as gas prices and other expenses skyrocket in Florida, driver pay has not held up and drivers are struggling to break even.
What are the drivers asking?
✓ A living wage
✓ A fair deactivation system
✓ The right to form a union so that we can negotiate directly with Uber and Lyft for fair pay, enforcement policies and labor protections.
This says Uber about driver requests
The company said in written statements to Telemundo 31 that “driver earnings on our platform continue to be strong. On average, a driver earns $25 per hour while active on the app in Tampa. Before accepting the ride, all drivers can view price and destination information for each ride.”
Furthermore, they indicated that, on average, the service rate is 19.2%. Supposedly, an independent study conducted by The Rideshare Guy noted that the average service fee at Uber “is as low as 12%”.
They also said Florida drivers charge some of the highest insurance prices in the country, and companies like Uber are required by law to cover drivers and passengers up to $1 million. “The cost of this coverage has recently increased in Florida, which has resulted in higher passenger charges,” they said.