IWGB app drivers plan Valentine’s Day strike for increased pay and safety demands

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is asking ride-hailing drivers to strike on Valentine’s Day in a bid to secure its members a pay rise.

The union is calling on drivers across the country working for Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee to log off from 4pm to 10pm on Friday, February 14.

The strike action seems to have significant support in a number of cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and Brighton. In London, drivers are planning a demonstration and motorcade outside London’s City Hall at 4:30pm on Friday, February 14.

Drivers working for Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee are considered “workers” following a number of court rulings in recent years. This means they must receive at least the National Living Wage, which is currently £11.44 per hour, rising to £12.21 in April.

But drivers claim they have to work at least 30 hours a week just to cover their driving costs. IWGB officials claim many drivers are working 80-hour weeks.

A recent BBC investigation revealed that Uber drivers’ earnings per hour had not increased in line with the rising cost of living, and there was still a lack of transparency over the app’s commission policy.

The IWGB is also calling for the introduction of safety measures for drivers such as rider ID verification, complaint tracking systems, and support for victims of assault.

Addison Lee said it had a close working relationship with its drivers. “We do not expect to see any disruption to volumes or service levels on 14 February,” the company said in a statement.

Bolt said it had introduced safety measures, including an in-app Emergency Assist button which connects to emergency services and Bolt’s safety team, and vehicle monitoring which allows Bolt to detect unexpected and excessively long stops.