Iain Dalton, Leeds Socialist Party
“What do we want? Fare increase”, Uber drivers chanted as they marched down to the company’s office in Burley, Leeds. Bosses slammed the shutters down on the 100 striking drivers.
While fuel prices have soared, along with the cost of living, Leeds and West Yorkshire drivers have had no pay increase. One driver explained a recent job taking a passenger to Barnsley for a fare of £21. £18 of that goes immediately on expenses such as petrol, and wear and tear; they had effectively been paid just £3 for an hour’s journey.
As well as demanding a pay rise, drivers were also angry about automated sackings, without any due process of investigation, appeal and representation.
The strike and protest had been organised to coincide with a strike of Uber drivers in London organised by the recently formed App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU). The protest in Leeds was called by some local members of ADCU in conjunction with the Leeds Private Hire Drivers Organisation (LPHDO), which has organised recent strikes and protests in Leeds over council licensing policies.
At the protest there was a lot of debate about what tactics were necessary. There were frustrations expressed about the strike and protest only having been announced a few days before.
I was able to speak and bring solidarity from the Socialist Party to the strikers emphasising that, like many other workers, drivers were finding that they needed to get organised and strike for a pay rise.
As Zahid from the LPHDO said: “We all need to take the day off together. If all of us aren’t working then Uber doesn’t make any money.”
