Latest news with #IWGB
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
TfL faces legal action over licence delays for Uber and other private hire drivers
Transport for London is facing an 'unprecedented' legal challenge from the union representing Uber and other minicab drivers over claims that delays in issuing licences have damaged their livelihoods. TfL has previously apologised for delays in licensing but drivers and their union, the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB), say they are launching the legal action because of systemic and continuing problems with licensing for this group of drivers. There are 108,000 private hire drivers in London, many of whom work for Uber. The exact number who have experienced problems with delays in their licences being issued is not known, but according to Alex Marshall, the IWGB's president, the union has a WhatsApp group that includes about 1,000 drivers experiencing licensing problems. Many of these drivers are not high earners and have limited savings, so even a relatively short delay in TfL issuing them with a licence can have a significant financial impact because they require one to legally work in London. Some drivers have reported losing their homes and having their vehicles repossessed as a result of not being able to drive their taxis because of a licensing delay. One driver, Robert Dale, 65, died after suffering a heart attack last November. He was waiting for his licence to be renewed at the time of his death. His family say they believe his death was linked to the delay as he was unable to work and was stressed and anxious. Raifu Akanmu, an Uber driver who applied to renew his licence in January, several months before his previous one was due to expire, is still waiting to receive his new licence and is unable to work as his previous one expired at the end of May. 'I have run out of money to pay my bills,' he said. 'I just keep thinking about how I'm going to survive and support my family. I've been a driver for 17 years but have never experienced problems like this before. I know so many other Uber drivers who are affected. All we want to do is work.' The union has sent a pre-action letter informing TfL that it is investigating the possibility TfL breached the law in its handling of licence delays. Union officials say thousands of minicab drivers have been unable to work, sometimes for months at a time. Another driver, who gave his name as Lee, said: 'The legal side of things has to happen. The word that keeps popping up is 'accountability'. We have fewer legal rights and protections than many other workers. This legal challenge is a case of drivers in London saying 'no' and 'enough'. 'I had to wait eight months for my licence to be renewed. The licensing process is not fit for purpose.' Marshall said: 'The drivers are predominantly Uber. I have seen so many lives decimated by this, drivers having to move out of their homes and their cars repossessed. We have instructed lawyers to litigate because we need systemic change.' Ahmed Aydeed of Deighton Pierce Glynn Solicitors, which is bringing the legal challenge against TfL, said: 'TfL is operating an unlawful system by failing to ensure continuity of licensing for private hire drivers. Both IWGB and drivers have bravely teamed up in this unprecedented legal challenge to hold TfL to account. Any public authority and government that strips people of their livelihood is not fit for purpose.' A TfL spokesperson said: 'We are very sorry to drivers who have experienced issues with our processing times of private hire driver licences. 'We have worked with urgency to take a number of steps to mitigate the impact of these delays, including recruiting and training additional staff and granting short-term private hire vehicle driver licences where appropriate. We continue to take every possible step to rectify the delays quickly and ensure that all drivers who meet licensing requirements are licensed and able to work.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Uber driving is the worst job I've ever had'
Uber driving is 'the worst job I've ever had', according to a Manchester cabbie striking over pay rates today. Taxi drivers in the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) trade union working for Uber, Bolt, and Addison Lee started a 24-hour strike at 7am on Thursday (May 1). They hit out at the amount of commission companies take from drivers, which Uber admitted can be up to 40pc for some journeys, but added it averages '20-30pc' weekly. Striking drivers held a peaceful protest on Great Ancoats Street on Thursday afternoon, attended by roughly 30 people. They told the Local Democracy Reporting Service why they took industrial action. READ MORE: Masked figures drop from helicopters and storm building near Manchester Tesco READ MORE: M62 moor fire LIVE as 18 crews tackle devastating blaze with road shut - latest updates In response, Uber outlined the benefits it says they provide for drivers including holiday pay and national insurance. Bosses say they are working with the GMB union and listening to their drivers to try and improve their experience in work. But Tesfit Kidane, from Blackley, who started with Uber in December 2023, said: 'It's the worst job I've ever had. "I was working in a warehouse before. I am thinking of going back to the warehouse.' He added: 'The payment is not enough… We have to pay insurance and road tax. We have a family to feed from that.' Another driver, Nesar Hamidy, said his pay is so low in Manchester that he often 'drives 40 miles' to earn more in Liverpool, Chester, or Preston — where he said 'prices are good'. And driver Vahid, a cabbie of seven years who has worked with various firms in the city, said he was considering quitting Uber. 'The price is already half compared to other fares in Manchester,' he said. 'I used to work with other companies, like StreetCars, the wages with Uber are half. 'If they carry on what's the point working with them? With my family and the cost of living, it's not worth it.' However, the 44-year-old admitted Uber 'has some advantages' like 'holiday pay, national insurance, and you can cash out five times per day'. Other benefits include pension contributions, childcare vouchers, and sickness cover, Uber told the LDRS. A spokesperson added in a statement: 'We regularly engage with drivers, especially through our industry-leading agreement with GMB Union, who are not taking part in this action. 'Uber is currently meeting with hundreds of drivers across the country to hear directly from them about how we can improve their experience on the platform.' Morgan Powell, one of the protest organisers, said they have such benefits because 'drivers are willing to fight back'. It's thought top Uber bosses and union chiefs are meeting next week, where pay will be the subject of discussion. The strike action comes at a time when Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is calling for reforms of the taxi trade. Earlier this month, he launched his 'backing our taxis campaign', calling on the government to introduce a new law to tackle out-of-area working. The first step in making the plans a reality is the launch of a 12-week-long 'engagement exercise', said Sara Todd, the chief executive of Trafford council, who is working with Mr Burnham on the plans. Bolt and Addison Lee were contacted for comment.
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Uber and other private hire drivers to log off apps for global strike
Private hire drivers are set to strike on Thursday as part of a global movement demanding better pay, working conditions, and protections for gig economy workers. The 24-hour strike, coordinated by the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB), will see drivers log off apps like Uber and Bolt in cities across the UK, including London, Newcastle, Bristol, and Manchester. A two-hour walkout is also planned at Heathrow Airport from 7am, though the airport has stated that terminal operations are expected to continue as normal. The strike will see UK drivers join colleagues in countries around the world, including the United States, Nigeria, and Uruguay, in a united call for change. The IWGB argues that falling fares, long hours, and a lack of basic worker protections are pushing drivers to their limits. Nader Awaad, of the IWGB, said: 'Drivers around the world today are not living but surviving – we're hanging on by a thread. 'There are hidden epidemics of depression, chronic pain and broken relationships plaguing the workforce, because of unhealthily long hours spent on the road trying to scrape a living. 'Pay isn't the only thing that causes us stress – we live with the constant threat of losing our income if our accounts are unfairly deactivated, and the anxiety that, with no proper safety protections, we might be the next driver to face violent assault. 'Shareholders at the top of this industry think they can get away with devastating drivers' lives to fund their luxury lifestyles, but workers around the world have had enough, and are uniting across borders to send a powerful message this May Day. This is a global fightback against a broken system.' Uber said it has taken a number of steps in partnership with Heathrow to mitigate any impact. A spokesperson said: 'We regularly engage with drivers, especially through our industry-leading agreement with the GMB union, who are not taking part in this action. 'Uber is currently meeting with hundreds of drivers across the country to hear directly from them about how we can improve their experience on the platform.' Uber added that unlike other operators, it has designated UK drivers as 'workers', which means that all drivers receive at least the national living wage, holiday pay and access to a pension plan as well as free sickness and injury cover, childcare vouchers and access to free Open University courses. Heathrow said Terminal operations will continue as normal, and the airport is expecting 'minimal impact' – but recommended that passengers consider alternative transportation arrangements where possible.
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Uber drivers left unable to work due to TfL licensing delays
Hundreds of London drivers for taxi-hailing apps like Uber and Bolt are "drowning in debt and destitution" as a result of prolonged licensing delays at Transport for London (TfL), a trade union IWGB union, which represents private-hire drivers, says it has already heard from more than 500 drivers affected by the says delays at TfL have left some drivers unable to work for months at a time, leading them to take out loans, while others have missed payments on their has apologised for the delays and says it has "experienced some issues which have impacted our processing times, compounding the difficulties we experienced following the cyber incident last year". 'I haven't been able to work' Kambiz Hemati, a private-hire driver of 12 years who is waiting for his licence renewal, says he has paid £1,800 during the process so far, including for medical tests, a DBS check and the TfL says: "I haven't been able to work for over a month."With no income I've had to borrow more and more money to keep up with my mortgage payments, my car instalments, my insurance."The frustrating thing is that even once TfL finally issues me with a licence, the nightmare won't end there - I'll have to work day and night for months to climb out of the debt I have accrued on account of TfL's disorganisation."Private-hire drivers in London are required to apply to TfL to renew their licences every four years. IWGB says if a driver's renewal is not processed before their existing licence expires then "they are forced off the road". 'We apologise' A TfL spokesperson said: "We take our responsibilities for licensing taxi and private-hire drivers extremely seriously, to ensure the provision of safe taxi and private-hire services for the public."We have recently introduced a new licensing system which has delivered a number of benefits to licensees, including the ability to track their applications online. "We are working closely with our system service provider to rectify any system issues and have increased the number of licensing staff who are processing and issuing licences."TfL said that while the "vast majority of drivers" had been unaffected, it was "aware that some drivers have been impacted, mainly those where we had requested that the driver provides missing or additional information necessary for making a licensing decision". The spokesperson said: "This has led to some drivers being unable to continue working. We apologise to any driver that has been affected and are working to resolve any urgent licensing issues."The union says delays within TfL's licensing operation have meant that even drivers who applied and paid their £310 fee as early as possible, four months in advance, "have now been cut off from their livelihoods for indefinite periods".After a meeting last week with the transport authority, the union said that TfL had been co-operating to fast-track some of the urgent cases, and that at least 70 drivers had now received their licences as a result, but it added that "far too many drivers have still been left waiting".
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
‘It's hard to survive': why UK private hire drivers are striking on Valentine's Day
When Simon Waite began working as a private hire driver in 2017, it gave him the flexibility and income to spend time with his children, then aged five, 12 and 18. 'One of the reasons I loved Uber was because I could now go to the school plays, my son's football, I could earn my money around life,' he says. But over the past few years, Waite, a 41-year-old in Hertfordshire, says he has to spend dramatically more time on the road to earn a living. To make £1,000 a week a couple of years ago it took about 50 hours, he says, whereas now it's about 70 hours – with most drivers needing to pay insurance, tax, vehicle fees and upkeep, fuel, licenses, rent, bills and living costs. Waite claims that, after the supreme court classed Uber drivers as entitled to workers' rights such as holiday and sick pay in 2021, the company has reduced fares for drivers to make up the cost. To contest his working conditions, Waite will not be working for private hire driving apps between 4pm and 10pm on Valentine's Day. He's taking part in a log-off action against Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee, withdrawing his labour alongside thousands of others to demand better pay, rights and safety measures. Friday's action has been organised by drivers for the three companies and is supported by the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB). 'Drivers report that their conditions have only worsened following the [2021] ruling, since Uber responded to the forced introduction of rights by cutting its rates,' the IWGB says. About 200 drivers from cities across the country got in touch with the Guardian to share their views on the action. Waite, who is also signed up with Bolt, says Uber is a fantastic app which has 'done so many amazing things for how people get around'. But he says declining pay has 'reached a point where I can't do it'. He's considering leaving the job. The Valentine's Day action will be 'about raising awareness amongst drivers [and] building that momentum', Waite says. 'We power Uber, we power this system. If we're united, we can actually make a change.' Another driver who plans to log off on Friday is Isaac Mohammed, 30, a part-time driver in Cardiff since 2016. 'Uber used to be the best ride-sharing app, but over the past two years, things have changed drastically,' Mohammed says, adding that for some rides the rate can be less than £1 a mile – including holiday pay – whereas previously it was often £3 a mile. 'Nowadays, having a takeaway for me is seen as a luxury,' he says. 'It's very hard to survive, unless you're living in your car.' A core issue for Mohammed is what counts as working time. Uber calculates it from when a ride is accepted until the passenger exits, but he says this doesn't account for time waiting for rides – which means the pay is effectively lower. Also taking part is Kieran Airey, a 36-year-old in Merseyside, who drives for Uber and a local private hire firm. He says he noticed in early 2024 it was taking longer to hit his target of £200 a day. That meant working around 55 to 60 hours a week, up from 45 hours. 'At one point, I was working basically seven days a week,' he says. He found it harder to take his 14-year-old son to football, ate processed, microwavable meals rather than home-cooked dinners because of his increased fatigue and had to take weekend naps, so 'I had enough energy to work that following night'. Airey says he's frustrated by a lack of transparency about algorithms and payment structures. 'I just want fair pay for fair work,' he says. Uber denies claims drivers are unfairly paid. 'Uber provides a national living wage guarantee to all drivers, topping up their earnings if they ever fall below that level, although most drivers can and do earn much more,' a spokesperson said. 'All drivers are also paid holiday pay weekly as cash, which represents an additional 12% of their earnings paid out weekly,' drivers have 'the freedom to work where and when they want' and 'industry-leading rights'. An Addison Lee spokesperson said the company had 'a close working relationship with our drivers' and does 'not expect to see any disruption to volumes or service levels' on Friday. Bolt was contacted for comment. Gavin, a 45-year-old driver for Uber and Bolt in Birmingham, says he sympathises with some concerns, but is not taking part in the action. 'I really have to be grateful for Uber giving me this opportunity to earn a living being a private hire driver,' he says, adding that he enjoys the freedom of setting his own schedule – around children aged 17, 19 and 24 – and earns more than his previous job. But 54-year-old Martin Hayward in Southampton, a private hire driver for 20 years, is taking part and says the log-off action doesn't go far enough to have an impact. 'I'd happily log off for a week,' he says. He claims he could make around £750-a-week before October last year, but now gets about £450 for the same hours. 'I work seven days a week for less than £500. I don't have any social life,' he says. 'The worst thing about being a driver is that you're constantly taking people places where they're going to have a nice time – the theatre, or on holiday, or on a trip, or a cruise. You're just thinking … I can't do any of these things. 'It just floors you.'
