‘Come to the party or Uber Eats SA drivers strike continues’

After conducting mass action on Friday 18 December, Uber Eats drivers have decided to continue their strike on Saturday.

The Uber Eats drivers strike is against actions by Uber Eats South Africa of lowering the fee paid to drivers per delivery.

Duane Bernard, who represents some of the striking drivers said despite customers getting discounts, including restaurants, drivers have suffered and have had their fees lowered.

Their demands include a delivery fee of R20 for the first 2km, and then R6 per kilometre after that. The Uber connect service delivery to be a minimum of R30 and to have a boost pay during peak times around lunch between 11am to 1pm.

UBER EATS DRIVER STRIKE CONTINUES TODAY!!! STRIKE IS DUE TO DRIVER RATES DECREASING BY ALMOST HALF OVER THE PAST YEARS!!! WE ARE NOT SLAVES!!! @Uber_Support @ferialhaffajee @UberEats @eNCA @SABCNews @AdvoBarryRoux @Uber @Abramjee @HighveldStereo @SAfmnews @MorningLiveSABC pic.twitter.com/87Psdt2bds

— Duane Bernard (@duanee_bee) December 19, 2020

Speaking to The Citizen Bernard said: “The reason we have it for a second day is that Uber strikes before, drivers would participate for about two to three hours and only some drivers would be involved. Uber could obviously see this and wouldn’t really address any of the problems or fix the issues. So I ask my other fellow drivers, let’s join together and lets strike together until they listen to our grievances. ”

Bernard says some drivers who have joined the strike are from Gauteng and in the Western Cape.

“On Monday without consulting anyone they just decided to lower our rate. They have lowered it to R4 per kilometre, they have done this over the years, slyly so. If you take the rates that a driver was earning three years ago and compare it now, it’s literally half to what they were earning. With inflation, it is common sense you cant lower rates or salaries.”

He added that they don’t get set rates as drivers and a lot of their earnings goes to petrol.  “Without us (drivers) there is no Uber Eats, come to the party. Uber has not come back to us, they have said absolutely nothing. Until we hear something from them the strike will continue.” Bernard says they not asking for much but for the basics such as a Uber Eats uniform too and a hub for drivers similar to the one from competitor Mr D.

On Twitter replying to multiple queries from customers wondering why drivers won’t available, Uber said they are working on ‘fixing’ the problem.

Hi Stacey-Leigh, sorry to hear about this. We’re aware of this issue and working to fix it as soon as possible.

Thank you so much for your patience.

— Uber Support (@Uber_Support) December 19, 2020

The publication has reached out for comment from Uber and is still awaiting a response.

Some Twitter users took to the app to vent their frustrations and support:

How can uber eats drivers go on strike on a Friday ???????? i forgot to buy wine yesterday now I can’t eat comfort food pic.twitter.com/fh1HBfzloE

— Zodwa Mhlongo (@NkabsZodwa) December 18, 2020

Is your @UberEats app working? Mine is not. Where are the couriers? I’ve refreshed the app, no couriers. What am I missing? I’m starving. pic.twitter.com/CCi38nGnvu

— Lawrence Manyapelo (@lawrence_nyapi) December 19, 2020

Uber Eats has been slyly decreasing driver partner rates over the past two years, specials & fee cuts for stores are being subsidised by drivers who are on strike & will continue till they get a response to the attached memo. Illustration credit: Cristiano Siqueira (@crisvector) pic.twitter.com/e8Y1FJ0YIi

— Koketso Moeti (@Kmoeti) December 18, 2020

This strike by the UberEats drivers is just such a great illustration, companies, especially these online ones are NOTHING without their workers. They literally shut down that app, it’s useless now

— Court (@Courtz_RM) December 19, 2020

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