Rideshare drivers strike at Austin airport on Valentine’s Day
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story said the rally is at 11 a.m., but it will actually be at 4 p.m.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — If your Valentine’s Day plans involve ordering an Uber or Lyft, your plans may be in jeopardy.
Rideshare and delivery drivers are striking across several U.S. cities on Wednesday.
MORE: DoorDash, Uber, Lyft drivers plan to strike on Valentine’s Day
Justice for App Workers — a national coalition of rideshare and delivery drivers — will host a rally at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport this afternoon at 4 p.m.
Over the last seven years, Chris Liebelt has been working as both an Uber and Lyft driver.
“We really need the riders to take notice of this,” he said. “At the end of the day, if they keep signing up for these drives. Uber and Lyft are going to continue what they’re doing.”
Those striking will not be taking rides to and from AUS all day long.
The coalition is calling for fair wages and safety measures and urging people to join drivers at the rally to demand change.
“Because we’re independent contract workers, no one really talks to each other,” Liebelt said. “Rideshare groups have joined forces and become a voice for these drivers, who had no one to turn to.”
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The drivers will strike in solidarity with same-day sister strikes in nine other major U.S. cities. This includes rallies in Chicago, Hartford, Miami, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Tampa.
Uber emphasized in a statement to KXAN that earnings for drivers are “strong.” A spokesperson for the company noted that the strike should not impact price and driver availability, adding that Uber saw an increase in trips during last year’s strike on Valentine’s Day.
“Driver earnings remain strong, and as of Q4 2023, drivers in the U.S. were making about $33 per utilized hour,” Uber’s statement read.
Uber announced updated processes last year for deactivating a driver’s account, which include creating a pathway to review deactivation decisions, protecting drivers from false allegations and helping those who were falsely accused of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol get back to driving through submitting a drug test.
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Lyft also said in a statement to KXAN that it has improved its own deactivation process. The company recently announced new changes to its driver program, including guaranteeing at least 70% of riders’ fares to the driver after external fees and being able to appeal a deactivation decision in the Lyft driver app.
“We are constantly working to improve the driver experience, which is why just this month we released a series of new offers and commitments aimed at increasing driver pay and transparency,” Lyft’s statement said.
“This includes a new minimum earnings guarantee and an improved deactivation appeals process. Now, drivers will always make at least 70 percent of the weekly rider fares after external fees. It’s all part of our new customer-obsessed focus on drivers,” the statement continued.
Today’s rally at the airport marks the first major action of rideshare workers in Texas this year. It’s also the first-ever rideshare strike in Austin since Uber started operating in 2014.
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