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Hi John,
Billionaire Elon Musk is dismantling our government from the inside with tactics he’s used before: firing people without reason, demanding they justify their jobs, and relying on AI tools to perform critical work. Earlier this month, news broke that his so-called Department of Government Efficiency is developing software that could automate his indiscriminate firing of federal workers. This might sound like science fiction, but it’s straight out of Uber's playbook.
If you want to see how tech billionaires can use AI to make our work and our lives miserable, look no further than how Uber treats its drivers.
All across the country, Uber drivers are uniting to win safe, stable, and fair jobs. One of the most widespread issues they face is getting “deactivated”—when Uber locks drivers out of the app, often without notice, explanation, or a meaningful way to appeal. Sound familiar?
New research [[link removed]] from our partner Action Center on Race and the Economy (ACRE) shows that:
[link removed] [[link removed]] * Deactivations take a financial and emotional toll on drivers,
* Uber has failed to address this crisis, and
* The growing use of AI-powered labor management has far-reaching implications for other sectors and industries.
In this Futurism article [[link removed]] released today, drivers share firsthand what the deactivation process is like and how it impacts them. Veronica Avila, ACRE’s Director of Worker Campaigns, also breaks things down in this video. 👇
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Watch on Instagram [[link removed]] | Bluesky [[link removed]] | Facebook [[link removed]] | TikTok [[link removed]] | Twitter [[link removed]]
The report findings speak for themselves: of the 700+ surveyed Uber drivers, most reported that they depend on driving as their main source of income. That means getting deactivated can be financially devastating. And when they try to get more information or even appeal the decision, many drivers hit a wall.
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Here’s the thing: Uber knows that deactivations are a huge problem for drivers. The corporation has promised to make improvements, but ACRE’s report indicates little has changed for drivers. And why would it?
Uber treats drivers like they’re disposable, and as a testing ground for new technologies like surveillance and AI-driven algorithms. Uber is paving the way for other corporations to use AI and automation to drive down standards for workers, price gouge consumers, and reshape the critical services and systems that many of us rely on. Again, look at our federal government, where Elon Musk wants to use AI to make decisions about who receives disability benefits or food assistance.
Regardless of whether you use Uber, we should all be paying attention to the tactics and practices that it’s forcing on its workers. This is the path that big tech corporations and billionaires want to lead us down, and we have to be ready to fight back.
There is a lot we must do to take on this corporate power and overreach. To start, you can read more about Uber’s tactics and its impact on drivers [[link removed]] and add your name to this petition [[link removed]] demanding an end to unfair deactivations.
Natalie Hernandez [[link removed]] In solidarity,
Natalie Hernandez
National Organizing Coordinator, App Campaign
PowerSwitch Action
1305 Franklin St.
Suite 501
Oakland, CA 94612
United States
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