Private hire drivers are set to strike on Thursday as part of a global movement demanding better pay, working conditions, and protections for gig economy workers.
The 24-hour strike, coordinated by the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB), will see drivers log off apps like Uber and Bolt in cities across the UK, including London, Newcastle, Bristol, and Manchester.
A two-hour walkout is also planned at Heathrow Airport from 7am, though the airport has stated that terminal operations are expected to continue as normal.
The strike will see UK drivers join colleagues in countries around the world, including the United States, Nigeria, and Uruguay, in a united call for change. The IWGB argues that falling fares, long hours, and a lack of basic worker protections are pushing drivers to their limits.
Nader Awaad, of the IWGB, said: “Drivers around the world today are not living but surviving – we’re hanging on by a thread.
“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.
“Shareholders at the top of this industry think they can get away with devastating drivers’ lives to fund their luxury lifestyles, but workers around the world have had enough, and are uniting across borders to send a powerful message this May Day. This is a global fightback against a broken system.”
Uber said it has taken a number of steps in partnership with Heathrow to mitigate any impact.
A spokesperson said: “We regularly engage with drivers, especially through our industry-leading agreement with the 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 about how we can improve their experience on the platform.”
Uber added that unlike other operators, it has designated UK drivers as ‘workers’, which means that all drivers receive at least the national living wage, holiday pay and access to a pension plan as well as free sickness and injury cover, childcare vouchers and access to free Open University courses.
Heathrow said Terminal operations will continue as normal, and the airport is expecting “minimal impact” – but recommended that passengers consider alternative transportation arrangements where possible.
