Gig-Workers came together for a noisy show of strength
May 2023
The Action
Despite the rain at LAX on May 4th 2023, Southern California drivers showed up for a National Day of Action--and we showed up in force. We can’t just drive, we must drive change!
We made some noise at the rally and during the caravan. No, actually, we made a LOT of noise! There were between 150-200 Uber/Lyft cars honking and crawling around the departure loop at LAX. And cars were joining the caravan when they saw us in action. Some may have been drivers, some may have been delivery workers, but all were supporters of fairness and safety for app-based workers.
Reporter and personality Sergio Avedian with The Rideshare Guy YouTube channel, captured the rally and caravan on video. Sergio comments that this was probably the largest protest he’d seen at LAX “so far” and whether or not you were at LAX for the fight, you can feel the energy by watching his coverage: LAX Gets SHUT DOWN by Gig Worker Protest ?!. Frankly, it may not have been the largest protest of app-based workers at LAX, but it was a really great turnout.
Drivers Rally Just outside the LAX airport as cars line up for the caravan crawl
This was a National Day of Action Just four days before Uber’s shareholder meeting. There were actions in L.A, San Francisco, Colorado, Chicago, and New York on May 4th, showing strong solidarity of gig-workers nationwide. Together we are fighting for better pay, safety for drivers, an end to unfair deactivations, and here in California, we also fight for an end to Prop 22.
The Strategy
One of the reasons May 4th was chosen as the National Day of Action was to have an impact on the Uber shareholders meeting which took place on May 8th. At that meeting, for the first time ever, a real live Uber driver went to the floor and proposed a shareholder resolution on behalf of all drivers across the country.
Jocilyn Floyd, a rideshare driver in Chicago, stated during her proposal that “Uber’s model pushes drivers like me to accept risks.” Her presentation also asked for a deactivation appeals process with more transparency and told the shareholders about a time when she continued working even though she feared for her safety because by stopping driving, regardless of the danger, she would risk losing out on a quest/bonus she needed.
“We need changes to truly be safe,” Jocelin pointed out.
Ceola Luna with RDU shown being interviewed by Tele Mundo about the purpose of the protest
Accountability
There were two shareholder resolutions proposed at this high profile meeting. One was a Proposal for an independent third-party audit on driver health and safety, and the other was presented by Jocelyn. Both resolutions were rejected by shareholder vote during the meeting, which is what the Board of Directors recommended.
The justification for rejecting both proposals was that Uber was already undergoing a civil-rights assessment resulting from a 2021 shareholder resolution. The assessment was ordered by the investors to address a lack of racial diversity among employees and upper management.
Even Though the proposed resolutions weren’t specifically addressing racial inequities, the Board said that the civil-rights report does address many of the concerns raised in the 2023 proposals. The civil rights report was agreed to in 2021 and is expected to be released publicly in spring 2023. (tick-tock)
It is important that we hold Uber accountable for their response to unsafe working conditions, lower pay that drives us to chose paying the bills over personal safety, disproportionate impacts on people of color, and the seemingly intentional prejudice of proprietary algorithm.
Solidarity
The more we get together and stand up for what we deserve, the harder it will be for the companies and the legislators to ignore us. The protests nationwide were an excellent display of unity that we can be proud to be part of.
In LA, when we crawled out of the upper loop rarin' to go with hoarse horns, RDU members met up at a restaurant to join the New York Taxi Workers Alliance for their online rally. It was powerful to work side-by-side with the NYTWA who have been so successful in achieving many of their labor goals.
NYTWA Online Rally with testimony about unfair deactivations
Some RDU Members posing for a little hob-nobbing during the NYTWA virtual rally.
It’s definitely worth mentioning that it was really fun working side-by-side with fellow drivers. Meeting RDU people in person for the first time was energizing, interesting, and inclusive. It was fun meeting members of like-minded associations from other areas, too. We are all fighting the same fight–fair pay, an end to being fired by some secret code, safety for drivers (and riders), protections, and the right to organize independently!
Up Next? Growth
You can get ready for the next action by telling other drivers what we’re doing and invite them to participate in the Statewide General Meeting, or schedule a call from one of the RDU driver/volunteers to learn more? It takes a lot of villages to raise awareness and demand fair treatment and dignity. It takes every one of us standing together and fighting together.
Here are a few links to some media coverage
The Rideshare Guy LAX Shut Down
Mission Local News (San Francisco)
Nicole Moore, President of RDU shown carrying the RDU flag at the pre-caravan rally.
