Orlando Uber and Lyft Drivers Join Nationwide Strike
Uber and Lyft drivers in Orlando are joining striking drivers in cities across the country, protesting what they call “poverty wages,” unsafe working conditions, and fears of being unfairly deactivated from the app.
The nationwide Valentine’s Day work stoppage could make travel harder for some, including those vacationing in the Orlando area.
Photo: Olly Curtis | Future | Getty Images
Representatives of Uber and Lyft, however, say that previous strikes have had minimal impacts on wait times and ride prices.
While some drivers are striking, others in Orlando and across the country will continue working.
Striking For Better Pay
Adalberto Perez, a full-time driver for both Uber and Lyft, says that he hopes the strike leads to improved pay. According to Perez, divers currently receive 30% of the total fare a rider pays.
For Perez, that comes out to about $35 dollars for a drive from Orlando International Airport to Tampa, and about $15 for a trip from MCO to Walt Disney World.
Photo: Also Uber
“We’ve tried to let them know that we need at least 70% for the drivers. And 30% for Uber,” he said. “We don’t have benefits. We pay for the car, for the gas, for the maintenance…so now we need to do something all together.”
Uber and Lyft Respond
For their part, an Uber spokesperson said drivers have a misconception about how much money the company is taking out of each fare.
In Orlando, Uber says it faces steep auto insurance costs, tolls, and a $7 per ride fee from MCO. Those fees are passed onto the rider as part of the fare.
Uber and Lyft drivers are striking.
“There are fixed costs that go into what a rider pays that are not a component of what driver makes and what Uber takes,” said Javi Correoso, a spokesman for Uber.
Uber added that previous strikes have rarely had an impact on trips, prices, or driver availability and that drivers make about $33 per hour they spend completing trips.
Meanwhile, Lyft released a statement highlighting several new policies it announced last week that are focused on improving working conditions for drivers.
“Now, drivers will always make at least 70% of the weekly rider fares after external fees,” the statement reads. After expenses, the company says, drivers made $23.46 an hour in the second half of last year.
A Rally is Planned at MCO
The strike is expected to continue all day Wednesday and is primarily focused on ten cities across the country. These include Chicago, New York, Newark, Tampa, and Orlando.
A rally at MCO has been organized by the Independent Drivers Guild and the Justice for App Workers Coalition at 11 am. 100 drivers are expected to participate.
“Americans depend on Uber and Lyft drivers to get them to their destination, but what they may not know is that the app companies are pocketing big chunks of each fare, leaving drivers on their own to struggle with soaring expenses,” said Brendan Sexton, the national president of the Independent Drivers Guild in a statement.
Photo: Also MCO
“Rideshare drivers across the nation are saying enough is enough. Uber and Lyft need to start listening to the drivers who riders depend on and stop exploiting their workforce.”
