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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-retirement-social-security-worth-it-tips-minimum-wage-2024-7">Uber and Lyft drivers</a> are striking deals with passengers for rides outside the apps.</li><li>Drivers say they're trying to make up for low-paying gigs through the rideshare apps.</li></ul>Some drivers for rideshare services like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-elon-musk-robotaxi-tesla-2024-10">Uber</a> and Lyft are offering passengers an alternative: Ditch the apps entirely, agree on a price, and pay them in cash or through an app like Venmo.Drivers for the services told Business Insider that going around the apps has become attractive as many have noticed their earnings decreasing. In the past, some have said some trips <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-pay-tips-minimum-wage-driving-gig-work-expenses-2024-5">paid as little as $3</a>. Striking a deal directly with their passenger offers a more lucrative fare — even if it carries risks for both sides.Posts on Reddit and in Facebook groups include questions from drivers about whether it's ever acceptable to ask riders to cancel the ride they requested through the Uber or Lyft app and pay them another way. There are also some posts from passengers describing the other side of the interaction.One <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@marieinflorida/video/7211270000487730474?q=uber%20driver%20paying%20with%20cash&amp;t=1731073771165">TikTok post</a> from last year appears to show an Uber driver asking a rider, who is filming the interaction, asking her to pay $70 in cash for a ride for which Uber was charging her $80. The video appears to show the driver saying that Uber wasn't paying him enough for the ride and that he was "just being nice" by offering her a discount on the ride. The poster did not respond to a request to discuss the video from Business Insider.Michael Moya, who drives for Uber in Boston, said he often hears drivers discussing whether to offer customers the option not to use the apps and pay using cash or a separate payment app like Venmo.The option could backfire, he said, including Uber and Lyft <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-gig-workers-are-fighting-against-sudden-account-deactivations-2023-9">deactivating the drivers' accounts</a>. "Some drivers have considered accepting payment outside the app, but it's risky," Moya said. "We could lose our accounts if a passenger reports us, so most drivers try to avoid this."Canceling a ride can also cost riders. Uber <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://help.uber.com/en/riders/article/cancellation-fees-explained?nodeId=069853a3-f014-40a3-ad58-88ef56b1b27f">charges a fee</a> for passengers who cancel their request for a ride later than a few minutes after they make it. Lyft, meanwhile, charges riders a fee for canceling "more than 30 seconds after the drive accepts your ride," according to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://help.lyft.com/hc/en-us/all/articles/115012922687-Cancel-and-no-show-policy-for-riders">company's website</a>."We urge riders and drivers alike to only take trips that are requested through the Uber app for their safety," an Uber spokesperson told BI, adding that riders can record audio of their trip, hit an emergency button, or share their trips with contacts if the ride isn't going as planned."Off-app trips are prohibited by many regulations and our policies, and drivers who violate this policy risk losing access to the Uber platform," the spokesperson said. Lyft did not respond to requests for comment from BI.The financial incentive to make a deal with riders outside the apps can be significant.Uber and Lyft have said their drivers make over $30 per hour before expenses. But some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-uber-lyft-drivers-make-per-ride-2023-10">rideshare drivers' pay</a> is considerably lower than that — as little as $9 an hour, BI previously reported.Both rideshare drivers and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/golden-age-gig-work-instacart-doordash-delivery-jobs-over-2023-12">delivery workers</a> for services like Uber Eats and Instacart have said that competition to claim the most profitable gigs on the platforms has intensified in recent years.Rideshare drivers told BI that they often make less than half of what riders pay for the trip. One Uber driver in Massachusetts shared screenshots of a recent Uber trip that cost the rider about $156 — and paid the driver roughly $74 after Uber deducted its share plus taxes.Many passengers that the driver encounters don't know that Uber drivers usually make a fraction of the fare — and some are more amenable to working around the app once they know, the driver said."I have talked with passengers that think we receive all the money," the driver said.Do you work for a rideshare or gig delivery service and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:abitter@businessinsider.com">abitter@businessinsider.com</a>

Some Uber and Lyft drivers are asking riders to avoid the apps and pay in cash

As nationwide protests by doctors continue over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee case at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, <keyword id="19934441" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="patients" source="keywords">patients</keyword> at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital are experiencing delays in treatment. On Thursday, long queues formed, as the hospital struggled with reduced staffing due to the ongoing strike. Dr Ajay Shukla, Medical Superintendent at RML Hospital, said that they faced issues due to the influx of <keyword id="19934441" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="patients" source="keywords">patients</keyword> from distant locations. "Our faculty are doing their best to attend to patients in the OPD, but due to the shortage of doctors, it's taking more time. Our elective operation theatres (OTs) are functioning, but compared to before the strike, there has been a decline. Emergency OTs are operating normally, but there is a 40% reduction in elective OTs," he said. Dr Shukla expressed hope that the doctors would end their strike soon, noting that the <keyword id="19900449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="government" source="keywords">government</keyword> has addressed all their demands."I appealed to the doctors yesterday to call off their strike. I hope it will be called off today, as the <keyword id="19900449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="government" source="keywords">government</keyword> has met all their demands. The matter is also being heard in the Supreme Court, and the Chief Justice of India has also made an appeal," he added. A patient at the hospital told that his operation had been delayed for a long time. "Every time I come here, they delay the operation with some excuse. I have no place to stay and have to sleep on the street," he said. Another patient, Rakesh Verma, who came for his 32-year-old son's treatment, said he had visited many <keyword id="19910449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hospitals" source="keywords">hospitals</keyword>, including private ones, without success. "My son's hands and feet have swollen in the last 2-3 days. We have been going to government <keyword id="19910449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hospitals" source="keywords">hospitals</keyword>, but they are on strike. I even went to a private hospital, but there was no help. Where should I go now?" he asked. Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry issued an Office Memorandum on Wednesday regarding the National Task Force, formed by the Supreme Court to ensure the safety of <keyword id="20551393" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="medical-professionals" source="keywords">medical professionals</keyword>. The panel will be headed by Cabinet Secretary, Government of India as its Chairperson, and has been constituted following the Supreme Court's direction on August 20. Due to the ongoing strike by resident doctors, services at AIIMS, Delhi, are severely impacted. OPD services are down by 65%, admissions by 40%, operation theatres reduced by 90%, laboratory services by 30%, radiological investigations by 55%, and nuclear medicine by 20%, as of 4:30 pm yesterday. On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, sparking nationwide strikes and protests by the medical community. <h2>Commute also disrupted </h2>Not just patients, commuters in Delhi-NCR also faced a tough time, as taxi and autorickshaw drivers began their two-day strike on Thursday, demanding better compensation from cab aggregator services. Taxi and auto unions said inadequate compensation, coupled with aggergators launching bike taxi services has hit their livelihood. 80% of autorickshaws and taxis are off the road in the national capital, Delhi Auto Taxi Transport Congress Union (DATTCU) president Kishan Verma claimed, and announced that a protest will be held at the Jantar Mantar. Anil Pradhan, a cab driver, demanded a ban on bike taxis that offer services using non-commercial numberplates. "The government should step in and ban the commercial plying of vehicles with non-commercial numberplates. It is becoming difficult to make ends meet," he said. Adarsh Tiwari, another cab driver, said, "The companies offer us very less rate for our services. Due to this, we are unable to pay the installments of our vehicles and meet other expenses. We are unable to ensure good education for our children and sufficient food for our families." People took to social media to complaint about delay in getting cabs and cancellations. "Spent the last 35 mins trying to get a cab in Noida for Delhi. What's wrong with @Olacabs @Uber_India @rapidobikeapp," X user Prashhush posted. Another X user, Kshitiz Agarwal said,"Is it only me or uber doesn't work anymore now? Couldn't find a uber cab for 30 mins nowadays even at posh localities like south extension, new delhi #uber #ola." DATTCU president Verma said that "we will also be holding a protest at Jantar Mantar to demand a ban on plying of private vehicles by cab aggregator companies. Why are we made to take permits and pay taxes when private vehicles are allowed to ply? We demand that the government impose a ban on them."

Doctor protests disrupt services, patients face long delays, auto and cab drivers on strike as well

<div type="image" title="One Planet Banner Test" height="138" width="1100" msid="109509214" hostid="261" sizebytes="5076"></div>On one Upper West Side side street, you can hear the quiet hum of electric vehicles almost all day and night.Manhattan isn't known for its plentiful parking. But this street has something even rarer: two public spots reserved for EV charging. Often, vehicles linger for hours.On a recent weekday, one licensed ride-hailing driver had been charging for more than 12 hours. Another EV sat for more than five hours at the neighboring plug. For the ride-hailing driver, that's 12 hours they didn't work. For other EV owners, it's one less charger to plug in to. A Tesla slowed as it drove by in hopes the spaces weren't occupied.This snapshot in time comes as New York City aims to convert almost its entire ride-hailing industry to EVs by 2030, with the exception of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Mayor Eric Adams' Green Rides Initiative affects the city's more than 84,000 Uber and Lyft drivers — among the largest markets in the world. It's an ambitious target, given that under 10% of rides were taken in an EV in March, according to city data.The biggest hurdle is building enough public chargers, especially in such a densely packed city with an old power grid and lengthy bureaucratic delays. For Uber and Lyft drivers, time is money, so widely accessible charging is key to the EV switch. The majority live in NYC's outer boroughs, such as Queens, and park on the street, where chargers are sparse. A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/82293.pdf">study by the US Department of Energy</a> found that 1,000 fast chargers were needed for every 20,000 EV drivers on the road. Currently, there are fewer than 200 across NYC. Plus, building thousands of new chargers requires billions of dollars of investment.City officials and ride-hailing companies told Business Insider that electrifying the sector could unlock a broader EV revolution because it could solve a crucial conundrum: Companies won't build charging stations if there aren't enough drivers, but drivers won't buy an EV if charging isn't widely accessible."This is the industry that's going to get this infrastructure off the ground because a ride-share driver is a great customer for a charging station," said Bobby Familiar, a spokesperson for Revel, an all-electric ride-hailing service that operates three public fast-charging stations in NYC. "They have to charge every single day that they do a shift. They want fast charging because every minute spent at the charger is time they could be on the road earning a fare."Electrifying the ride-hailing industry also has big returns for the environment, Michael Replogle, a former deputy commissioner for policy at NYC's Department of Transportation, said."If you can electrify Ubers, Lyfts, and taxis that drive several hundred miles a day, it will really reduce the city's carbon footprint and clean up the air," he said.Given the stakes, a lot has to go right in the coming years. The city has to strike a balance between the number of EV drivers and charging sites. Long wait times risk turning off drivers from making the switch, but if there isn't enough demand, the economics could fall apart for stations run by the government or private entities. Chargers also must be in neighborhoods with a history of underinvestment.<h2>A mad dash for EV licenses</h2>The transition is getting an early test this year now that thousands more ride-hailing drivers have licenses.In October, the Taxi &amp; Limousine Commission opened applications for this gig work for the first time in five years — but for EV drivers only. A cap had been in place since 2018 to stabilize drivers' wages and decrease traffic congestion.The TLC approved about 8,400 EV licenses. That brought the total to more than 11,000, a huge jump compared with several years ago.The program is on hold because of a lawsuit filed by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. It represents the yellow-cab industry, which isn't under the EV mandate but can voluntarily make the switch to certain models. The alliance argued that the market would become oversaturated.TLC Commissioner David Do said many of those who applied were ride-hailing drivers already and the total number of drivers in NYC was still lower than pre-pandemic levels.A lot of ride-hailing drivers are excited about the EV push because it's a pathway to owning their own car, rather than renting from fleet owners, according to Aeraj Qazi, the owner of Primetime Brokerage, which helps drivers through the TLC licensing process."Rentals are like handcuffs for drivers, so EVs provide an opportunity for drivers to own their own plates," Qazi said.Weekly rental rates average between $450 and $600, several drivers told BI. That's more than a typical monthly car payment.Qazi said he and other brokerages helped file thousands of EV applications before the court-ordered injunction took effect late last year."We didn't realize how crazy it would get. The charging infrastructure isn't there right now," Qazi said.Guillermo Fondeur, an Uber driver who bought a Tesla in 2021, charges at home. He said the switch had saved him money on gas and maintenance, and he earns some perks from Uber, including an extra $1 on every ride.But he's heard complaints from other EV owners about the lack of public charging infrastructure."It's very inconvenient to find chargers," Fondeur said. "There are one- to two-hour waits to plug in some places."He added: "Drivers want to charge on the block where they live. The city could put chargers in the parking spaces. There's also a lot of parking lots."<h2>NYC's most valuable asset</h2>Today, there are nearly 200 fast chargers in NYC and more than 1,900 Level 2 chargers. The Adams administration <a target="_blank" href="https://climate.cityofnewyork.us/subtopics/electric-vehicles/">wants to grow the network</a> this decade to 6,000 fast chargers and 40,000 Level 2 plugs."We need every space we can find," Do said.In general, EVs can get up to 30 miles of range for every hour they're plugged in to a Level 2 charger. That makes them ideal for overnight street parking, or for several hours during the day while drivers run errands or go to work. Fast chargers, such as those in Tesla's Supercharger network, can add up to 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes, helping ease range anxiety among road trippers and ride-hailing drivers who need a quick refill but don't want to lose too much time.Making progress in NYC requires coordination across the government, power utilities, and private companies. Do is part of a charging task force that brings those parties together.The TLC is sharing data on where drivers live and where and how often trips happen to help inform where chargers should be. The utility Con Edison is identifying where enough power is already available for new chargers and expanded a statewide program that subsidizes the cost of bringing electricity to chargers to $585 million. The Department of Transportation is investing in some curbside charging and fast chargers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2023/fast-charging-hubs.shtml">in municipal parking lots</a>.The department's efforts build on a <a target="_blank" href="https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/68833">curbside-charging pilot</a> with Con Edison and a Canadian company, Flo. It created 100 Level 2 plug-ins across all five boroughs, a spokesperson for the department said, and there are plans for hundreds more.But those efforts alone won't spur enough development, Replogle, the former DOT official, said."It took us 3 ½ years to stand up that pilot," he said. "We recognized we would not be getting thousands of on-street Level 2 chargers by scaling up that model. It's going to take some competitive procurement with the private sector to make this happen."There are barriers, Replogle added. There isn't a clear path for private charging companies and real-estate owners to get regulatory approval for installing curbside plugs."Street space is one of the most valuable assets the city owns," Replogle said. "There are 3 million parking spaces, and less than 250,000 of them are priced. So there are a fair number of spaces that can produce the kind of economic return for electrification to happen."A DOT spokesperson said the department last year sent out a request for information from EV-charging companies, which will inform future partnerships.Beyond curbside, there are hurdles for companies such as Revel that are building larger fast-charging stations with dozens of plugs. These sites often need electrical-power upgrades to connect to the grid, a lengthy process with Con Edison."We're approaching every charging station like it's a new high-rise building," Familiar said. "But the timeline for getting a charging station up and running is a lot different than a building. If we have power, we can get a site done within months, not years. The power-upgrade timeline does not match that."Charging stations should go to the front of the line, he added.A spokesperson for Con Edison said the utility was evolving its grid-planning process to prepare for large EV loads."When upgrades are needed at the customer property, we are working to reduce interconnection timelines at every step in the process from early customer engagement and education through improved work coordination and collaborating closely with municipalities on permitting," the spokesperson said.<h2>The charging pipeline</h2>Despite the delays, Revel has a pipeline of 300 fast chargers over the next two years, Familiar said. That figure reflects active site leases in various phases of design and construction.Revel owns a fleet of 500 vehicles and more than 50 plugs in NYC that are open to any model.One of the new stations is set to be at LaGuardia Airport, one of the busiest areas for ride-hailing trips in the city. Installing 48 plugs would make it the largest fast-charging location at any airport nationwide. It's expected to open next year.Revel in March also struck a deal with Uber that guaranteed its drivers would use at least 250 of Revel's plugs a certain amount of the time. If Uber doesn't meet the use threshold, it's financially liable. In exchange, Uber drivers will get up to a 25% discount when they charge.The agreement could help Uber meet its own goal to have its drivers go fully electric this decade. So far, more than 6% of Uber's fleet in the US and Canada has zero emissions, and more than 17% of trips in NYC were in EVs last year. The company said it's spending $800 million by 2025 to encourage drivers to make the switch.Josh Gold, Uber's senior director of public policy, said that after the TLC lifted its cap on EV licenses, he saw longer lines at Tesla's Superchargers. And for years, many of the platform's early EV adopters were going to Manhattan to charge, often in paywalled parking garages."That's not where our drivers live," he said. "So that's been a worry, but now we're seeing the charging infrastructure develop more."Uber is sharing ride data with Revel so it can locate chargers in the most convenient places for drivers. Uber has a similar agreement with Tesla.Lyft, for its part, said it's investing $80 million through 2025 on its EV push and working with charging companies including EVgo and Electrify America to offer discounts. Nearly 17% of NYC Lyft rides were in EVs last year.The rising demand from the ride-hailing industry for EV charging could help buoy other startups. Itselectric is piloting some Level 2 curbside charging using excess power from buildings, which avoids the need for utility upgrades and therefore could speed up the build-out. In a parking garage in midtown Manhattan, Gravity in March opened what it says are the 24 fastest chargers in the country.Almost everyone BI interviewed for this story acknowledged that the city's EV's ambitions were lofty.There are some promising signs, however.Do said that the Green Rides Initiative was two years ahead of schedule. By 2025, at least 15% of ride-hailing trips were supposed to be in zero-emissions or wheelchair-accessible vehicles. That threshold was crossed in January and ticked up even higher in March to 17%. That month, more than 2 million trips were taken in an EV — a fivefold increase compared with November.Do said he wanted to boost the TLC's outreach to drivers so they could understand the perks of switching to an EV."There are so many more benefits to a green vehicle, not only for the future of our city but for kids who will breathe cleaner air, and it also might be a little cheaper," he said. "So we've laid the foundation, but now we need to convince many other drivers to convert."Juliana Kaplan contributed to this article.This article is part of "<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/the-great-transition">The Great Transition</a>," a series covering the big changes across industries that are leading to a more sustainable future. For more climate-action news, visit Insider's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-planet">One Planet</a> hub.

NYC's EV revolution is riding on Uber and Lyft drivers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Uber and Lyft drivers are planning a midday strike at some US airports on Wednesday.</li><li>The action targets some major hubs, including Newark Liberty and Chicago's O'Hare.</li></ul>Good luck if you're hoping to get an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/driving-for-uber-lyft-how-make-money-car-expenses-gas-2024-2">Uber</a> or Lyft on your way home from the airport on Valentine's Day.That's because drivers in 10 cities say they won't be working between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time on Wednesday. It's part of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-driver-pay-protest-valentines-day-gig-economy-california-2024-2">nationwide effort</a> among rideshare drivers trying to bring attention to problems they say they face on the apps, from low pay to having their accounts suddenly deactivated."We're sick of working 80 hours/week just to make ends meet, being constantly scared for our safety, and worrying about being deactivated with the click of a button," Justice for App Workers, a group representing 130,000 rideshare and delivery gig workers, <a target="_blank" href="https://justiceforappworkers.org/join-us-feb-14-valentines-day-airport-strikes/">said on its website</a> about the strike.The strike will target multiple major airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport outside of New York City as well as Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.The Valentine's Day Strike also will affect airports in Austin, Texas; Hartford, Connecticut; Miami; Orlando, Philadelphia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; and Tampa, Florida, according to Justice for App Workers. But Uber brushed off concerns about the strike affecting customers."These types of events have rarely had any impact on trips, prices, or driver availability, and we expect the same tomorrow," an Uber spokesperson told Business Insider. "That's because the vast majority of drivers are satisfied," the spokesperson added, citing an estimate that Uber drivers made "about $33 per utilized hour" last quarter.A spokesperson for Lyft pointed to recent changes that the company made for drivers, including guaranteeing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lyft-earnings-gig-driver-rider-payments-uber-hourly-pay-stock-2024-2">Lyft workers at least 70% of what riders pay.</a> "We are constantly working to improve the driver experience, which is why just this month we released a series of new offers and commitments aimed at increasing driver pay and transparency," the spokesperson said.Groups like Justice for App Workers have organized similar strikes in the US in recent years. But as independent contractors, Uber and Lyft drivers don't have the same protections as full-time employees, including federal and state protections around organizing a union and work stoppages.Gig workers have told BI that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/golden-age-gig-work-instacart-doordash-delivery-jobs-over-2023-12">making money on apps like Uber, Instacart, Walmart Spark, and DoorDash has gotten harder</a> over the past few years, especially as more people have started working on the apps.It's also common for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-gig-workers-are-fighting-against-sudden-account-deactivations-2023-9">gig workers to have their accounts deactivated</a> without explanation by the companies they work for.Recent laws in cities like New York and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/seattle-gig-worker-new-law-advocate-instacart-job-deactivation-2024-2">Seattle</a> aim to raise pay and offer protections to drivers.Do you work in the gig economy and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at abitter@insider.com

An Uber and Lyft driver strike may force you to find another way home from the airport on Valentine's Day

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-uber-set-itself-up-to-compete-post-pandemic-world-2021-3">Uber</a> CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said prioritizing drivers helped the company weather the pandemic.</li><li>He acknowledged that drivers had been undervalued and said Uber needed to earn their loyalty.</li></ul>For Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, it's pretty clear who got the ride-hailing service through the pandemic: its drivers.Khosrowshahi, at a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WulqSdCMj2w">talk in Bengaluru</a>, India, on Thursday, said prioritizing drivers helped the company weather a difficult period where <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-uber-set-itself-up-to-compete-post-pandemic-world-2021-3">rides and revenue dropped</a> precipitously."Before Covid, I would say, just being self-critical, we took our drivers for granted, to some extent," he said. "We were generally over-supplied, we were much more of a consumer-focused company, and the customer — the rider or eater — was always right."The pandemic was what forced Uber to take a hard look at the driver experience, Khosrowshahi said, with an eye toward prioritizing onboarding and other needs."The drivers saw us as a platform that was dependable for them, that listened to them, and was fair," he said. "But the nature of the earner economy and flexible earnings is that you have to re-earn that loyalty every single day.""Ultimately, the power of Uber is the 6 ½ million earners who are on our platform and the services they provide for everybody."It's not the first time that Khosrowshahi has noted the virtues of his company's drivers. Last year, he said his experience <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-became-undercover-boss-used-tesla-surprised-rude-riders-2023-4">moonlighting as an Uber driver</a> was a wake-up call, one that pushed him to start <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-dara-khosrowshahi-company-should-have-paid-attention-drivers-2023-9">valuing his workers</a> behind the wheel more."We started celebrating employees going out there delivering, employees driving," he said at the time. "It is a point of pride for employees now."But Uber drivers aren't universally content, despite Khosrowshahi's comments.Many have reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-driving-rideshare-gig-economy-worker-arizona-virginia-pandemic-2024-1">increased competition</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-uber-eats-lyft-doordash-instacart-grubhub-drivers-make-2024-2">declining earnings</a> in recent months, making it more difficult to stay on the road as a gig worker. And just last week, frustrated Uber drivers across the country went on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-driver-pay-protest-valentines-day-gig-economy-california-2024-2">strike during the Valentine's Day holiday</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-uber-lyft-drivers-make-per-ride-2023-10">protesting pay rates</a> that vary wildly and that they say are unsustainable.Some are pushing for minimum pay rates for drivers, which have already been enacted in <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.vox.com/2018/12/5/18127208/new-york-uber-lyft-minimum-wage#:~:text=Starting%20in%20January%2C%20ride%2Dhailing,Via%20drivers%20in%20the%20city.">New York City</a>, <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/3256469-washington-passes-first-ever-state-law-creating-minimum-pay-for-ride-sharing-companies/#:~:text=Drivers%20operating%20in%20cities%20with,hailing%20workers%20in%20the%20city.">Seattle</a>, and <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.uber.com/newsroom/prop-22-benefits/">California</a>. Similar proposals are being considered in <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2024/02/07/minneapolis-minimum-pay-rates-uber-lyft-drivers">Minneapolis</a>, <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/01/11/letters-uber-and-lyft-drivers-need-safety-protections-the-city-council-can-make-that-happen/">Chicago</a>, and <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/uber-and-lyft-drivers-ask-state-for-better-benefits-and-minimum-wage-during-hearing-on-beacon-hill/">Massachusetts</a>.

Uber CEO says the company took its drivers 'for granted'

While <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> and tech-enabled logistics company <keyword id="67819" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="porter" source="Orion">Porter</keyword> scored zero on a scale of 1-10, <keyword id="1042120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> and <keyword id="3275685" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dunzo" source="Orion">Dunzo</keyword> received only one point, according to the 'Fairwork India 2023' report, spearheaded by the Centre for IT and Public Policy (CITAPP) at International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B), in association with Oxford University. The report evaluated 12 platforms offering location-based services in sectors such as domestic and personal care, logistics, food delivery and transportation, in the country. This year, the report was structured around the theme of discrimination and alienation that often come up in experiences shared by platform workers. In a year that has seen the formulation of a significant regulation based on inputs from workers called The Rajasthan Platform Based <keyword id="7771650" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gig-workers" source="Orion">Gig workers</keyword> (Registration and Welfare Act, 2023, "we hope that highlighting the experiences of workers will point to the structural changes that platforms, consumers and the state alike will need to undertake if the platform economy is to offer its workers decent work," said Professors Balaji Parthasarathy and Janaki Srinivasan, principal investigators. Fairwork assessed platforms against five principles: Fair Pay, Fair Conditions, Fair Contracts, Fair Management, and Fair Representation. Each principle was broken down into two points: a first point and a second point that can only be awarded if the first point has been fulfilled. The report looked at 12 platforms, including Amazon Flex, Bigbasket, BluSmart, Dunzo, Flipkart, Ola, Porter, Swiggy, Uber, Urban Company, Zepto and Zomato. No platform scored more than six out of the maximum of 10 points, and none scored all the first points across the five principles. In its first year of participation, ride-hailing platform aggregator BluSmart scored higher than more established platforms in its sector, with 5 points out of 10. "There is room for cautious optimism that BluSmart's operational model might represent a step towards better conditions for drivers in the platform economy," the report mentioned. Bigbasket, Flipkart and Urban Company were the only platforms with a minimum wage policy to ensure that all their workers earn at least the hourly local minimum wage after factoring in work-related costs. "No platform made the second point of the Fair Pay principle, which requires platforms to provide sufficient evidence that workers earn at least the local living wage after work-related costs," the findings showed. Under the 'Fair Conditions' principle of providing adequate safety equipment and periodic safety training to their workers, Bigbasket, Swiggy, Urban Company, Zepto and Zomato were awarded the second point. Bigbasket, BluSmart, Urban Company, Zepto, and Zomato met the requirements for the second point under 'Fair Contracts' by adopting a change notification clause in their contracts, reducing asymmetries in liability, adopting a code of conduct for their subcontractors, and making the variables of pricing transparent where dynamic pricing was used. Under the 'Fair Management' principle, there was sufficient evidence only from BluSmart and Swiggy to meet the second point. "No platform could be awarded a point for 'Fair Representation' principle this year," said the report.

Ola, Porter, Uber & Dunzo worst digital platforms for gig workers: Report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Uber has much to celebrate after posting its first annual profit last week.</li><li>However, Uber drivers are frustrated that their pay has declined.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-shares-most-common-career-mistake-young-people-make-2023-6">Dara Khosrowshahi</a> had a lot to celebrate this Valentine’s Day. The Uber CEO was able to do something on February 14 he’d never managed to do in previous years: head into an investor update with a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-dara-khosrowshahi-helped-turn-billion-dollar-profit-2024-2">$1.1 billion annual operating profit</a> to showcase.Such was the confidence following its first annual profit that Uber went into the update by announcing a <a target="_blank" href="https://investor.uber.com/news-events/news/press-release-details/2024/Uber-Announces-Inaugural-7-Billion-Share-Repurchase-Authorization/default.aspx">$7 billion share buyback plan</a> to return capital to investors too — another first for the ride-hailing giant. The moment marked a clear shift in momentum for Uber, which had posted nothing but big losses since being founded in 2009 by sticking to an expensive, Silicon Valley-style <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-earnings-q2-2020-losses-eats-food-delivery-surpasses-rides-2020-8">growth-at-all-costs strategy. </a>“Given those enormous losses, many people questioned whether Uber could ever make money,” Khosrowshahi said on the investor call on Wednesday. “Fast forward to today and that question has been asked and it's been answered: Uber's stronger than ever.”However, not everyone is celebrating. <h2>Drivers are feeling squeezed</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-driving-rideshare-gig-economy-worker-arizona-virginia-pandemic-2024-1">Some Uber drivers</a> are feeling squeezed on pay. That's fueling frustrations among arguably the most important people in the business.Frustrations came to a head on Wednesday as thousands of drivers across the US <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/uber-lyft-doordash-drivers-us-strike-valentines-day-fair-pay-2024-02-12/">went on strike</a> over concerns that they’re making less money now on ride-sharing platforms like Uber than they were previously.Ahead of the protests, Justice for App Workers, a coalition representing some 130,000 rideshare drivers and delivery workers, prepared plans to refuse rides from airports in 10 cities, including Chicago, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh over pay and conditions.<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/StandWithJFAW/status/1757555252067188793?s=20">In a post on X</a>, the coalition said: “Workers across the country are going on strike to demand higher pay, better safety protections, and more.” In a statement, Uber dismissed the scale of the protests, claiming the company had "seen no impact" on operations. "In fact, in most markets, there are more drivers on the road today than there were during the same period last week," an Uber spokesperson said.That doesn't mean drivers aren't feeling angry about a drop in pay that they say they've experienced, with data backing them up. <a target="_blank" href="https://gridwise.io/gig-mobility-report/">Gridwise Analytics, a data firm analyzing the gig economy</a>, found average monthly gross earnings for Uber drivers fell 17% last year. Drivers point to a few different reasons for the drop in earnings they've experienced.For one, drivers have seen various perks offered by Uber slowly disappear.One such perk was a “boost” of extra dollars drivers could earn for each ride they would complete during a certain time of the day, typically during busier periods.One East Coast driver, told Business Insider that where they would previously earn an extra $4 from boosts for each ride they completed in a certain hour, they are now effectively limited to $4 for a total hour.Another perk that drivers say they are seeing less of are “ride challenges” such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.uber.com/en-GB/blog/service-fee-quest/">Quests</a>, which unlock lower service fees for drivers who complete a certain number of trips.Drivers could elect to complete a quest, for instance, of 30, 40, or 50 trips, with each quest offering differing bonuses. In 2022, the East Coast driver noted that they could earn $180 from completing a 30-trip quest. That same quest can now offer as little as $15.“Each week, I was able to clear $600-$800,” the driver said. “Now that Uber has taken away any and all of my bonuses or boosts, I can only clear $300 to $400. This is of course while I'm working the same amount of hours.”An <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lets-drivers-see-earnings-before-accepting-trip-2022-7">upfront fares policy rolled out in 2022</a> has been another point of criticism for drivers, who often complain that the fares they're presented with before deciding whether to accept a trip don't match what they get at the end of it.Uber takes different factors into account to determine the fare through this policy, such as time and distance, as well as ride demand at pick-up and drop-off points.A more contentious issue among drivers has focused on whether or not Uber is taking a bigger slice of their fares.Uber contends that its own take rate from fares in the US after deducting commercial insurance, is below 20%. In <a target="_blank" href="https://uberpubpolicy.medium.com/understanding-ubers-share-of-driver-earnings-d75c4d5f6e23">a Medium blog post published in December</a>, the company contended that its portion of the fare goes towards “costs to build, operate, and improve” its apps and platform.The company said that while its prices had gone up in recent years, the portion going to Uber "remained relatively flat" and that the "vast majority of total fares have continued to go where they belong: into drivers' pockets."Uber acknowledged that in the US, its take is “higher than the global average.” However, it puts that down to “higher third-party fees” in the country.In a statement, an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.uber.com/en-GB/blog/service-fee-quest/">Uber</a> representative told BI that “the vast majority of drivers are satisfied,” and that “as of last quarter, drivers in the US were making about $33 per utilized hour."Yet it seems that not all drivers are satisfied — and Uber will be hoping that number doesn't keep rising. In its new era of profitability, it will likely face even more pressure from its drivers.

Uber is celebrating its $1 billion profit. But some drivers are feeling left behind.

<keyword id="1042120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> on Thursday refuted a report that claimed the ride-hailing major planned to exit the Indian market and held discussions with potential buyers to sell its India business. Bloomberg reported that the US-based company explored selling the India business, but "suspended discussions after tech startup valuations cratered." In a statement shared with IANS, an Uber spokesperson said the company never explored exiting India -- not even for a minute -- and the report is "categorically false." "India is as important to Uber today as it was when we launched nine years ago. We are serving riders and drivers across more than 100 cities, hiring Indian talent aggressively, and planning for the next decade and beyond," the company spokesperson said. Uber competes with SoftBank-backed <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> in the country. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in April that it will expand its product offerings and its team in India. "We continue to expand the product offerings for the Indian consumer. Whether it is autos, motos or high-capacity vehicles or rentals, India has always been a very big part of the Uber journey," he said during the Virtual i3 summit organised by Times Bridge. Uber aims to expand its engineering talent in India to more than 1,000 people from 700 at present, he had announced. Last month, <keyword id="2502101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber-india" source="Orion">Uber India</keyword>'s Director of Central Operations, Nitish Bhushan, said that they are "always striving to make driving with Uber a viable and attractive option for drivers and the recent hike in fares will directly boost their earnings per trip". To remove frustration for riders and drivers alike, the company is also showing trip destinations to drivers before they decide to accept the ride. "Drivers at the Uber advisory council meeting told us they would like more flexibility around payments. We are now showing drivers the mode of payment (cash or online) before the trip starts," the company said. To make the cash or online decision irrelevant, the company has also introduced a daily pay process for drivers. With these changes, the company said that they are also reinforcing their service quality expectations with drivers, especially in areas like cancellation and ensuring AC rides. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/most-underprivileged-women-are-keen-to-start-businesses-but-lack-skills-and-financial-know-how/articleshow/92411578.cms">Most underprivileged women are keen to start businesses but lack skills and financial know-how</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tata-consumer-sees-growth-on-the-back-of-starbucks-tea-and-salt/articleshow/92410036.cms">Tata Consumer sees growth on the back of Starbucks, tea and salt</a>

Uber dismisses report that said it's planning to sell off its India business

<ul><li><keyword id="1042120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> has announced a slew of measures aimed at making its drivers happy.</li><li>The measures include increased fares, notifications for destination and mode of payment and more.</li><li>The company has also announced that drivers who frequently cancel the rides will be penalized.</li></ul>Uber India has announced a slew of measures aimed at making the drivers happy amid soaring fuel prices and an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bi-newsletter/how-indias-soaring-inflation-puts-more-burden-on-the-common-mans-pockets/articleshow/91672701.cms">unprecedented rise</a> in the country’s inflation rate. The new measures aimed at the drivers include increased fares across the country, a better payment schedule, showing drivers the destination before they accept the ride and more. Let’s take a look at the new measures announced by Uber. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Increased fares" comment="subhead" text="Increased fares">Increased fares</cmsannotation> Petrol and diesel prices are at an all-time high and Uber drivers have been <a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/cab-auto-drivers-hyderabad-go-day-long-strike-164131">protesting</a> about the rising fuel prices and asking Uber to increase the fares. While Uber had already started <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/uber-announces-a-price-hike-of-12-for-cab-rides-in-delhi/articleshow/90793725.cms">increasing the fares</a> in parts of the country, it has now announced that the fares have been increased in all regions. The fares have reportedly been increased by around 15%. While this will make the drivers happy, it will come as a jolt to customers who are already stressed with the rising prices of essentials. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Destination" comment="subhead" text="Destination">Destination</cmsannotation> One of the most common questions that a driver asks you when you book a cab or auto is the destination. In ever-increasing instances, the driver cancels the ride or asks the customer to cancel the ride if they do not like the destination. To solve this, Uber has announced that drivers will be shown the trip destination before they accept the ride. This will come as good news to both drivers and customers. It is to be noted that this will only be visible to drivers who meet a predefined trip acceptance threshold, meaning drivers who often reject trips may not be shown the destination address. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Payment mode" comment="subhead" text="Payment mode">Payment mode</cmsannotation> “Cash ya online”, is another frequent question that we hear when we book a cab. To solve this, Uber will now show the driver the mode of payment before they accept the trip. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Payment schedule" comment="subhead" text="Payment schedule">Payment schedule</cmsannotation> In another step to ease the payment process, Uber has announced a daily pay process. As part of this, earnings from Monday to Thursday will be paid on the next day and the earnings from Friday to Sunday will be paid on Monday. In addition to all this, Uber has announced that repeated complaints against a driver for cancellation or not turning on the air conditioner will lead to penalties and restrictions on using the app. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/uber-announces-a-price-hike-of-12-for-cab-rides-in-delhi/articleshow/90793725.cms">Uber announces a 12% price hike for cab rides in Delhi as petrol, diesel prices skyrocket</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/indian-government-accuses-ola-uber-and-other-aggregators-of-inflating-cab-prices-for-older-customers/articleshow/91488894.cms">Indian government accuses Ola, Uber and other aggregators of inflating cab prices for older customers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/how-a-group-of-youtubers-pranked-a-scam-call-centre-in-india-that-earns-18-million-per-year/articleshow/91463331.cms">Here's how a group of YouTubers pranked a scam call centre in India that makes $18 million per year</a>

Uber hikes fare across the country, starts showing destination and payment mode to drivers before they accept the trip

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Uber and Lyft threatened to leave Minnesota several times, until Gov. Tim Walz stepped in.</li><li>Walz ultimately kept Uber and Lyft around while raising driver pay.</li></ul>As Minnesota Gov. and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz is putting his pro-union views front and center as he <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tim-walz-defined-republicans-democrats-election-2024-8">introduces himself</a> on the national stage."We know that unions built the middle class," Walz said during a speech to United Auto Workers members on Thursday. "The rest of America has to." And unions have so far embraced Walz as the VP pick, with organizations like the UAW and the AFL-CIO, the country's largest federation of unions, endorsing the Democratic ticket.A former teacher, Walz has joined striking workers on a picket line and expanded paid medical leave in Minnesota.But when faced with a revolt from Uber and Lyft over pro-worker legislation, Walz showed a much more pragmatic streak. Here's how Walz handled the tense situation in his state, managing to keep Uber and Lyft from leaving Minnesota while also granting concessions to the companies' contract drivers.<h2 id="74ff93bb-adc9-4ea5-8f77-71ac743c9118">Navigating a rideshare crisis</h2>In 2023, Uber and Lyft were threatening to pull operations out of Minnesota over a proposed statewide bill that would mandated minimum wages for drivers, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2023/08/minneapolis-mayor-vetoes-rideshare-ordinance-but-also-said-uber-has-agreed-to-guarantee-drivers-make-a-minimum-wage/">MinnPost reported</a>.Despite pressure from his progressive allies and the Minnesota Uber/Lyft Driver Association (MULDA) to approve the legislation, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.house.mn.gov/NewLaws/story/2023/5502#:~:text=He%20echoed%20arguments%20made%20during,rates%20will%20limit%2C%20and%20potentially">Walz surprisingly vetoed the bill</a>. It was his first — and so far, only — veto as governor.In his veto message at the time, Walz wrote that the bill "could make Minnesota one of the most expensive states in the country for rideshare." And, he added, "increased rideshare rates will limit, and potentially eliminate, needed transportation options for vulnerable communities."That decision disappointed MULDA, which quickly started attacking Walz on X, arguing that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/TheMulda/status/1662016080527650822">he had caved to "corrupt corporates"</a> and failed his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/TheMulda/status/1661890405812633600">"brown, Black, and minority"</a> constituents with the veto.But a year later, Walz and Democrats in the state legislature put forward a new bill that gave the drivers some of what they wanted while also keeping Uber and Lyft from jumping ship.In March 2024, Uber and Lyft announced they were making good on their threat and stopping service in Minneapolis after the city council passed an ordinance to increase drivers' pay, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/15/24101774/uber-lyft-leave-minneapolis-minimum-pay">The Verge reported</a> at the time.But just a few months later, Walz <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://mn.gov/governor/newsroom/press-releases/?id=1055-625607">signed a statewide bill into law</a> that overrode the city council's ordinance. The law Walz approved provided more modest pay increases than the city council's ordinance but still gave drivers a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/GovTimWalz/status/1792027240504369350">20% jump in pay</a>. And this time, the rideshare companies agreed to continue operating in the region.MULDA praised the new law as a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/TheMulda/status/1792042241113858199">"victory" on its X account</a>, thanking the Minneapolis city council for re-introducing the issue and state lawmakers for getting it past the finish line.With Walz's passing of the bill, Minnesota became just the second state — after Washington and just before New York — to pass legislation that regulates rideshare drivers' pay, The Verge reported.But the law still didn't provide everything drivers wanted, like options for drivers to be considered employees rather than just contractors, which Uber and Lyft have heavily pushed back on.Though the regulations took a circuitous path to the finish line, Walz's ability to satisfy both big business and grassroots organizers shows <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tim-walz-kamala-harris-joe-manchin-dsa-aoc-2024-8">Walz's wide appeal among Democrats</a> could bolster the Harris-Walz ticket in the 2024 presidential race.

Walz once faced a revolt from Uber and Lyft in Minnesota. Here's how he handled it. 

<ul><li>Ola and Uber asked to showcase their algorithms related to ride cancellations and surge pricing.</li><li>Order came after CCPA received numerous complaints of unfair trading practices.</li><li>According to a survey by LocalCircles, 71% of customers continue to face ride cancellation issues.</li></ul>As thousands of commuters find themselves at the mercy of Uber and Ola drivers via ride cancellations, cancellation charges, random surge pricing and long waiting times, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) was set to grill cab aggregators over their algorithms on Tuesday. The regulator, under its Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare, was set to ask cab-hailing platforms to showcase their algorithms related to ride cancellations and surge pricing, along with questioning them over other issues. The CCPA has received numerous complaints of unfair trading practices, such as cab drivers forcing riders to cancel trips that result in the customers paying the cancellation charge. The authority is of the view that old customers are being charged exorbitant rates while new riders are being wooed by low fares for the same distance. Despite the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020, 71 per cent customers say that ride cancellation issues by drivers continue, according to a survey by community-based social media platform LocalCircles last month. Over 45 per cent of app-based taxi consumers stated they were charged more than 1.5 times in surge pricing despite the threshold being set by the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020. The extortionist practices of some drivers to undertake private trips were reported by consumers as a major concern, the report said. As thousands of Indian riders continue to suffer from paying cancellation fees sans their faults, the ride-hailing major in Australia admitted that it made false or misleading statements in cancellation warning messages and taxi fare estimates, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Uber now faces $26 million (Australian dollars) in penalties for adopting those illegal practices. More than two million Australian consumers were shown the misleading cancellation warning. Envisioned to lessen the travel woes, cab-hailing platforms like Uber and Ola have come a long distance in India, but riders are increasingly facing more issues. Most of the time, Uber and Ola drivers ask the riders to reveal what fare the Uber app is showing, and then decide if they want to take the ride or not depending on the amount and if it is in cash, forcing the riders to cancel the ride. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/10-things-in-tech-its-about-to-get-ugly/articleshow/91440115.cms">10 Things in Tech: It's about to get ugly</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/meditation-app-calm-launched-a-contest-to-find-tiktoks-smoothest-voice-the-winner-will-be-paid-5000-to-narrate-a-story/articleshow/91441165.cms">Meditation app Calm launched a contest to find TikTok's 'smoothest voice' – the winner will be paid $5,000 to narrate a story</a>

Indian regulator to grill Ola and Uber over rising customer complaints

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://teamster.org/2023/01/teamsters-ups-national-screening-committee-convenes-to-review-proposals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Teamsters union</a> has begun meetings to plan its upcoming contract negotiations with UPS. </li><li>The contract expires next July and members will be <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ups-drivers-strike-contract-negotiation-teamsters-2022-8">ready to strike</a>, union leadership told Insider.</li></ul>The existing contract between UPS and its 360,000 unionized workers expires in July, and the work on the next one has already begun. Negotiations will start next month. Leading the Teamsters union, which represents UPS drivers, package handlers, and warehouse workers is Sean O'Brien, a long-time local union leader in Boston. O'Brien is shaking up the negotiation by bringing rank and file members to the table, shortening the timeframe for the talks, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ups-drivers-strike-contract-negotiation-teamsters-2022-8">threatening a strike</a>."Sean is going to pick a fight with this company," said O'Brien's second in command Frank Zuckerman at a meeting of the union's committee as it met to <a href="https://teamster.org/2023/01/teamsters-ups-national-screening-committee-convenes-to-review-proposals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discuss proposals January 9.</a> "This contract is going to be unlike the contracts of the past 25 years where UPS comes in and says they want a cost-neutral contract." O'Brien's toughest task may be undoing elements of UPS' current contract, which went into effect on a technicality, even though members who voted were against it. "Walking backwards is difficult," O'Brien told Insider in August. "But the one thing we have, we have leverage. We have the ability to strike."Here are some of the issues the union could strike over. <h2>'Second-class drivers'</h2>Four years ago, to add Saturday service, UPS created a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weekend-operations-are-key-to-ups-success-2021-12">new class of drivers</a> who work Tuesday through Saturday. They start at $20.50 per hour and top out at $30.64, while regular drivers can reach $40.O'Brien and some regular UPS drivers have said eliminating this position is a top priority. "I hate the fact that I work with somebody that's doing the exact same job as I'm doing, if not more, because he's less senior — and he's getting paid less," a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weekend-operations-are-key-to-ups-success-2021-12">UPS driver in the Northeast told Insider</a> in 2021. "That is definitely a strike issue," O'Brien said.<h2>'Excessive overtime' </h2>Another <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weekend-operations-are-key-to-ups-success-2021-12">byproduct of Saturday service</a> has been more requests for regular drivers to work overtime. At lots of hubs, it's a struggle to find enough volunteers to work Saturday, so managers assign the shifts. During the pandemic, drivers also reported longer days with a daunting number of stops designed to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carol-tome-reform-ups-ecommerce-2021-6">"sweat the assets."</a>"We're open to finding a solution to the seven-day week delivery because what the competition is doing," O'Brien said, but the existing staffing solution is not working in his view. UPS rival FedEx has been delivery on Saturdays and Sunday for two years, but has been dialing back Sunday's in recent months as part of a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fedex-slashing-more-sunday-deliveries-cost-cutting-2023-1">drastic cost-saving</a> effort. <h2>Personal Vehicle Drivers </h2>PVDs, as they're known inside UPS, are a familiar concept in a delivery world <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gig-economy-delivery-doordash-shipt-threaten-ups-and-fedex-2021-4">increasingly run on gig-economy</a> labor. These temporary workers supplement full-time drivers, delivering packages while driving their own cars. According to the existing contract, UPS can hire PVDs as seasonal laborers as long as it gives priority to union employees. Some drivers see it as the commodification or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tensions-rise-at-ups-over-drivers-who-deliver-using-their-own-cars-2021-6">"uber-ization" of their job</a>."When I went to work in the construction industry 32 years ago, I didn't bring my own truck to work," O'Brien said when Insider asked about PVDs. The Teamsters' goal is to eliminate what a spokesperson called "outsourcing" and "subcontracting." "Every worker at UPS should be classified, treated, and paid as an actual employee, protected by a Teamster contract," the spokesperson said. <h2>Driver surveillance</h2>UPS has been gradually installing devices on the dashboards of package cars that contain front-facing and driver-facing cameras as well as other sensors. How those units are being used is a point of controversy. According to a UPS spokesperson, the devices do not record inward-facing video or audio of the driver. "Inward-facing sensors act like motion detectors, similar to home motion security systems, alerting our drivers to at-risk driving behaviors such as not fastening their seatbelt and repeatedly using a cell phone while driving," they said. "The data may be used to provide in-person coaching and training."O'Brien called the inward-facing cameras an "invasion of privacy," and vowed to get them removed in the next contract. "That's just another tool to increase productivity and hold our members hostage," he said. <h2>Part-time pay raise</h2>"The fight for $15 is antiquated now," O'Brien told Insider. "We've got to fight for a $20 starting rate of pay, and then reward long-term part-timers accordingly." In addition to higher pay and what it calls "catch-up raises" for part-time package handlers and warehouse workers, the union also wants more opportunities for part-timers to convert to full-time. <h2>Heat</h2>The<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ups-employees-shocked-death-24-year-old-driver-2022-7"> death of a 24-year-old UPS </a>driver from heat stroke in June brought the issue of heat-related worker safety to the front of the Teamsters' priority list. They sent a letter to UPS leadership in late July requesting detailed information related to the company's plans to prevent heat-related injuries. The union is still developing a specific ask on the issue, but O'Brien said one way to help would be to "staff up" so drivers aren't driving 12- to 15-hour routes in the hottest months of the year.

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