The Socialist 17 October 2018

Tories’ Brexit bust-up - general Election Now

Tories' Brexit bust-up - general election now

Universal credit = universal misery

New anti-poll tax type revolt needed today

Homeless driven from Windsor streets for royal wedding: abolish the monarchy and end homelessness now!

Toxic fracking gets the go-ahead while protesters jailed

No to fat-cat top judges' £59k pay hike - fight for decent pay for criminal justice workers

Tory and Trump hypocrisy over murder of Saudi Arabian journalist

Fully fund mental health services now

PCS union: nominate Chris Baugh as Left Unity candidate for assistant general secretary

Striking Brum home carers reject 'final' pay cut offer

South Western rail workers launch five-day safety strike to save guards

Uber drivers strike against unfair 'deactivation' and low pay

Bolton hospital workers strike

Grimethorpe dinner ladies stage all-out strike against redundancy

Cable makers' pay strike bites as production falls 33%

Newham finance staff fight pay and grading insult

Libres y Combativas: striking for women's rights in the Spanish state

The renewed relevance of Engels' classic Socialism: Utopian and Scientific

Demo against far-right DFLA

Socialism - the podcast offering Marxist analysis for the movement against capitalism

'Corbyn-council' faces a choice: Implement or fight the cuts

Devon foster carers fight 30% cut in allowances

De Montfort freshers stall

Peterloo film exposes bloody nature of capitalism

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Uber drivers strike against unfair 'deactivation' and low pay

Uber drivers on strike in Birmingham, 9.10.18, photo by Birmingham Socialist Party (Click to enlarge)

Tom Woodcock, Birmingham Central Socialist Party

"We want our rights! We want our rights!" Uber drivers struck across the country on 9 October against unjust disciplinary sanctions and poverty pay.

The IWGB union organised the two-hour strike, along with a 'digital picket line' encouraging customers not to use Uber for the duration. Drivers demand an increase in fares and a cut in 'commission' payable to the company.

Over 30 strikers gathered outside the company's Broad Street office in Birmingham to protest over a range of grievances against the multinational gig-economy giant. Pickets were angry and described appalling working conditions at Uber.

I spoke to two of them, Mohammed and Ahmed, who explained what prompted the strike. "The number-one issue is Uber deactivating drivers' accounts. They show us no respect at all. We are on less than the minimum wage."

It seems that Uber operates a one-sided system where the bosses can unilaterally deactivate a driver's account, without any recourse, based on passengers' allegations alone.

Protests took place simultaneously at Uber offices in London and Nottingham.

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