Pay: Drivers log off for Valentine's Day

In November last year, Independent Workers union of Great Britain (IWGB) drivers, working for apps like Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee, voted to call a ‘log off on Valentine’s Day’, Friday 14th February.

This was as a result of low pay, high car rents, long hours and the threat of unfair deactivation. Together, drivers and their families experience devastating financial, physical and mental impacts.

Valentine’ s Day is a busy night for drivers and a strategically important moment to maximise impact. Activities to build support included posters in driver hotspots around the country, with drivers giving out leaflets, and thousands of drivers pledging to switch off their apps on Valentine's Day.

IWGB point out that “despite wins such as the introduction of holiday pay on some apps, drivers have seen pay and conditions decline rapidly. This has led to many drivers losing hope in the idea that collectivising through unions can be a solution to the current situation.” They point out the benefit of co-ordinated action across unions to come together on the same day and maximise impact. “This action is bigger than any one organisation - this is about the working conditions and lives of every private hire driver in the country, and if we are to stand any chance of winning, we must be united.”