Private hire drivers across the United Kingdom and globally are staging a 24-hour strike today, Thursday, May 1st, in a coordinated effort to demand better pay, improved working conditions, and crucial protections for gig economy workers.

The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) is spearheading the action, which sees drivers logging off popular apps such as Uber and Bolt in major UK cities including London, Newcastle, Bristol and Manchester.

The impact is being felt locally, with Manchester drivers joining the global movement and planning a city centre protest this afternoon.

One Greater Manchester driver, identified only as Cosmin, expressed the dire financial straits many face, stating: "Between 4am and 2.30pm [one day this week] I made just £71. Over £20 of that will go on fuel and insurance, without adding the cost of car maintenance overall."

He further highlighted concerns about commission rates, alleging: "Uber shows customers a different price to the fee that we see from rides, and then they charge more than 25pc commission on our earnings. I’ve seen it as high as 40pc sometimes."

Nader Awaad, of the IWGB, powerfully articulated the drivers' collective struggle: “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."

He also raised concerns about job security and safety, adding: "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."

Mr Awaad framed the strike as a stand against industry giants, asserting: "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.”

Adding to the disruption, a two-hour walkout was planned at Heathrow Airport commencing at 7am. While the airport anticipates "minimal impact" on terminal operations and advises passengers to consider alternative transportation, the action underscores the widespread discontent within the private hire sector.

In response to the global strike, Uber stated they have "taken a number of steps in partnership with Heathrow to mitigate any impact."

A company spokesperson emphasised their ongoing engagement with drivers, particularly through their agreement with the GMB union, which is not participating in the strike.

"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," the spokesperson said.

Regarding commission rates, while Uber stated that weekly "take rates" average between 20-30%, they did confirm that rates can reach as high as 40% on popular routes, such as those to Manchester Airport. The company also noted that drivers are limited to a maximum of 10 working hours at a time and can view a breakdown of their earnings.

Despite Uber's claims of improved worker benefits, the widespread participation in this global strike, including the planned protest in Manchester, signals that many drivers believe these measures fall short of providing a sustainable and fair livelihood in the demanding gig economy.

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