Arlington, Va. - On September 13, 2023, Uber and Lyft drivers, in collaboration with the Asian American Pacific Islander Civic Engagement (ACE) Collaborative, will protest at airports across the region. During the protest, participating drivers will be at Dulles International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to encourage other drivers to turn off their app and not work for the day. Drivers and supporters in the area and in other parts of the country will use the hashtag #shutdownuberlyft.
Drivers have shared with ACE Collaborative that Uber and Lyft take 60% to 80% of trip fares, have removed the ability for drivers to see how much the passenger was actually charged, and deactivated driver accounts without cause. Drivers in the DMV area state that while Uber and Lyft increase fares for passengers, compensation for drivers significantly decreases.
“The deactivation is unfair. Getting deactivated as an Uber or Lyft driver is no fun - oftentimes, it comes out of nowhere, with no explanation and no recourse, and it could mean your livelihood is on the line. An unfair deactivation makes working with these companies an even worse experience,” said Aman, a driver.
Another driver, Aydee, said, “We notice the injustices that are being committed against the drivers of Uber and Lyft. We cannot accept those injustices without doing anything, so we are talking with each other and decided to unite.”
To speak with an ACE organizer or to speak with a driver, contact Debra Freeman at [email protected] or 757-452-1143.
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Asian American Pacific Islander Civic Engagement (ACE) Collaborative is a nonprofit, non-partisan program started by New Virginia Majority, which builds power in working-class communities of color, in immigrant communities, among LGBTQ people, women, youth, and progressives across the Commonwealth. We organize for racial and economic justice through large-scale political education, mobilization and advocacy around dozens of issues. We fight for a Virginia that is just, democratic and environmentally sustainable. For more information, visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.