D.C. is no stranger to protests, but it's usually not related to the technology business.
Today is a little different, as drivers and their supporters gather in the District and nationwide to protest against the policies of Uber and Lyft. The move coincides with Uber's upcoming $90 billion IPO.
The protest in D.C. is less of an organized strike and more of a show of solidarity to a large strike in Los Angeles and others along the East Coast.
Uber launched in the region in 2011, but drivers haven't had a significant organized presence until a newer group, Drive United D.C., popped up last fall. That group organized a protest Wednesday from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
They aren't calling for a full strike, Drive United organizer Jeffrey Dugas said in a statement.
“We’re expecting dozens of supporters, but it’s really hard to predict,” Dugas told WTOP. “There’s been an enormous surge in attention on social media. So, while we’re expecting dozens of supporters — there could be many, many more than that.”
There likely won't be any ride-sharing service outages in the D.C. metro area, but according to Drive United's Facebook page, plenty of drivers are planning to switch the app off Wednesday. Reagan and Dulles International airport teams are working to prepare extra taxis if needed.
Nationally, drivers’ demands include transparency in how fares are broken down, a driver representative on Uber’s board, regulatory standards around issues like carbon emissions and traffic data, and above all, better wages. They are calling for a $28 hourly wage – which works out to $17 after expenses.
“We deserve to be safe on the job, we deserve healthcare, and we deserve to earn a living wage,” Drive United founding member Stan De La Cruz said in a statement. “Many of us share the same concerns, which is why we’re calling on drivers to join us and demand that Uber, Lyft and other app-based corporations hear our voice.”
The movement began in Los Angeles, where Rideshare Drivers United is calling for a 24-hour strike on all ride-hailing platforms and picket lines at Los Angeles International Airport. Strikes are also planned in San Diego, Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and San Francisco.
Uber, Lyft and the like have long maintained that their drivers are contractors, leading some to accuse them of handing off responsibility. That tension was the subject of a class action lawsuit in California, which Uber paid $20 million to settle in March.
Ride-hailing companies are no strangers to protests, either. Last month, drivers in Los Angeles planned a 25-hour strike to protest recent pay cuts, and protesters have congregated outside Uber’s San Francisco headquarters numerous times – last year resulting in some physical violence. But this might be the most widespread protest to date, with drivers reportedly striking in at least eight U.S. cities, plus London and Scotland.
