Illinois Uber, Lyft, DoorDash Drivers May Strike On Valentine’s

I've always heard that for a work-strike to be successful, it has to happen when people really want or need whatever it is that's being halted for a protest. If pool lifeguards in Illinois or anywhere else in the Midwest decided to go out on strike in February, would it really matter to anyone? Would anyone even notice?

But, when you change the equation to make it ride-share and food delivery drivers going out on strike on one of the year's biggest dating and food delivery days, the chances are very good that lots of people will notice, and many of them will be inconvenienced.

Which, I guess, is the overall point.

A Coalition Representing Over 100,000 Ride-Share And Delivery Drivers Announced Last Week That The Strike Was Coming, And It Looks As Though They're Serious

That organization, Justice for App Workers, has spearheaded the strike and subsequent demonstrations as a way to protest lower pay along with unsafe working conditions:

Uber, Lyft, and delivery drivers are TIRED of being mistreated by the app companies. We’re sick of working 80 hours/week just to make ends meet, being constantly scared for our safety, and worrying about being deactivated with the click of a button. Across the country, in Austin, Chicago, Hartford, Miami, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island, and Tampa, we’re not taking rides to or from any airport on February 14. We’re going on strike and telling the app companies that WE WON’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!

According to CBSNews, Uber is downplaying the protest and any effect it will have on normal business operations:

Uber downplayed the potential impact of the planned action, saying a driver protest last year had no effect on business. "Driver earnings remain strong, and as of Q4 2023, drivers in the U.S. were making about $33 per utilized hour," Uber said in a statement.