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Hi John,

Driver organizing is working! All across the country, Uber and Lyft drivers have been fighting for safer working conditions, better pay, and protections against unfair “deactivations” that cut drivers off from their livelihoods.

Yesterday, Uber announced a slew of changes that make clear it’s feeling the heat. Here’s a quick rundown of some of Uber’s new policies, and the organizing that the corporation is responding to:

This year, driver groups in three states won legislation requiring Uber to be more transparent about how much it takes from each fare: Colorado Independent Drivers United in Colorado, Minnesota Uber and Lyft Drivers Association in Minnesota, and DMV Drivers Alliance in Virginia (the Virginia bill was vetoed but passed the legislature). Now Uber says it will provide all drivers with fare and pay transparency on a weekly basis.

In Chicago, drivers with Chicago Gig Alliance have been championing a Rideshare Living Wage and Safety Ordinance that includes provisions requiring that riders verify their identities, just as drivers do. Now Uber says that riders will be verified across the country (though unverified riders may still use the app).

For years, drivers have been calling for changes to Uber’s practices that push drivers to accept rides even when they feel unsafe. Gig Workers Rising, the Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE), and PowerSwitch Action documented how app corporations’ practices contributed to the deaths of over 31 workers in 2022 alone. Now Uber says it will allow drivers to cancel rides due to safety concerns without penalty (though only before drivers arrive at the pickup location, and we know many safety issues come up during rides).

In June, drivers from around the country united with Chicago Gig Alliance, Gig Workers Rising, Colorado Independent Drivers United, ACRE, and PowerSwitch Action to launch Activate Respect, a multi-city campaign to win new rules and stop unfair deactivations. One of the core demands is for a fair and timely appeals process, where drivers can present evidence to defend themselves. Now Uber says drivers will have an opportunity to share their side of the story before they are deactivated in the event that a rider reports a safety incident.

These measures are far from enough, but they are steps in the right direction — and they wouldn’t have happened without all this powerful driver organizing.
Uber still hasn’t addressed many of the key issues raised by drivers, but this news shows the corporation is feeling the pressure of drivers joining together and taking action.

As JC Muhammad, a driver with Chicago Gig Alliance, says [[link removed]] : “We have more power when we fight together and we’re going to keep pushing Uber to make our jobs safer and treat drivers with the fairness and respect we deserve.”
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In solidarity,
Natalie Hernandez
National Organizing Coordinator

P.S. — If you haven’t yet, add your name to the Activate Respect petition calling for transparency, fairness, and an appeals process for drivers facing deactivation [[link removed]] . Let’s keep this momentum going!

PowerSwitch Action
1305 Franklin St.
Suite 501
Oakland, CA 94612
United States
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