"Exploited"... Uber and Lyft Drivers Go on Strike

Service Disruption for a Day... Rallies Planned in 11 US Cities

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] Drivers and delivery workers affiliated with the two major U.S. ride-sharing services, Uber and Lyft, have launched a strike, citing poor working conditions.

On the 21st (local time), according to CBS News and others, the California-based ride-sharing drivers' union requested drivers and delivery workers nationwide to refuse service for the day. Along with this, related rallies are planned to be held in 11 cities across the country.

The union stated, "Drivers are struggling under exploitation by large corporations," demanding wage improvements, the right to form labor unions, and legislation to guarantee their status. They also claimed that the poor working conditions faced by drivers and delivery workers are due to a referendum passed last year in California.

Last November, a California referendum was passed that excluded ride-sharing companies like Uber from applying a California law requiring temporary employees to receive the same benefits as full-time employees.

A driver participating in the strike said, "The company promised us flexibility and transparency, but these have not been properly upheld since the referendum passed." Allegations were also raised that the companies reduce mileage rates and manipulate algorithms to exploit drivers.

They are pinning their hopes on the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives. However, since the Republican Party opposes it, it is uncertain whether it will pass the Senate.

Meanwhile, Uber stated, "This strike did not significantly affect our service," while Lyft responded, "We are working to ensure drivers maintain their independence while also receiving more benefits."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.