Image: Supplied
Drivers have given Uber Eats SA until next week Wednesday to respond to their list of demands. If not, the strike may expand.
Image: Supplied
Some Uber Eats drivers have conducted a strike for the last two days over lowered delivery fees. Uber Driver Partners spokesperson Duane Bernard said the strike began on Friday morning in Gauteng and by Friday night, some drivers in Cape Town had joined in solidarity.
Bernard told The South African that no one can actually tell what the rate is. He claimed there were different rates with little consistency. He said drivers are currently getting R4 per kilometre but are asking for R6 per kilometre, which according to Bernard, is extremely reasonable. He said the drivers are their courier partners carrying out a service from the store to the customer and should be treated as a valuable asset.
Bernard, in a list of demands, said Uber Eats has given restaurants a break by lowering the fee they pay per delivery and customers get regular discounts, however, drivers have to take the hit and have their fees lowered.
“Uber eats boasts of huge profits, which sit in the billions of dollars, while totally neglecting and treating driver partners like slaves, with the rates you pay. Enough is enough. We are united and we are tired,” said Bernard.
Below is the list of 12 grievances from driver partners;
On Saturday afternoon, Bernard said he asked for drivers to call off the strike. He said he was trying to be considerate of those drivers who desperately needed the money to provide for their families.
An Uber Eats spokesperson responded to The South African’s media query stating that they were aware of the strike and were engaging with delivery drivers.
“We are aware of a group of delivery-drivers who have gone offline in Johannesburg and Pretoria. We respect drivers who deliver food on the app as valuable partners with a voice and a choice and we want delivery-drivers to feel they can talk to us about anything at any time,” the spokesperson said.
“We are currently engaging with delivery-drivers about their concerns and to answer any additional questions they may have. We also have a number of established channels of communication and support for delivery-drivers to raise individual concerns, such as daily office hours, 24/7 in-app and phone support,” it added.
At 18:40 on Saturday, Bernard said drivers had not heard anything from Uber Eats regarding their dissatisfaction. He went on to say that they have until next week Wednesday to respond to their grievances.