SEATAC, WA. (THECOUNT) — As thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers prepare to protest nationwide, a few perhaps less ethical drivers are preparing to make a killing.
The protest calls for drivers to shutdown their apps in unison in an effort to send a strong message to rideshare honchos that if we don’t make more money, nobody makes money. Well, almost nobody.
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The massive pressure campaign protest has not stopped some less scrupulous drivers from making sure their apps are on and ready to answer the call of duty.
Thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers across the country are soon turning off their apps to protest what they say are declining wages, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to catch a ride.
Rideshare drivers say they are not going on strike, but rather holding a “speak out event” on Wednesday in coordination with what’s called the National Day of Action, where labor unions rally for better conditions.
Drivers want to highlight increasingly high company take rates, low pay and driver concerns, reports KIRO7.
“I got a family to feed so yeah, I’ll be out there,” said strikebreaking driver Bobby. “Uber pays us what they can in order to grow and stabilize the business. When that happens maybe they will make a profit for a change, like drivers currently do.”
Uber’s initial public stock offering which is planned for Friday is in an effort to raise $9 billion from investors. The power move is expected to be valued at up to $91.5 billion. The protests were intentionally timed as a wing-clipping lead-up to Friday’s big show.
Lucky for Lyft as they had already cashed in with Wall Street investors.
Strikes and other actions are planned in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Boston and Washington, D.C.