If you regularly travel by cab such as Ola, Uber or Rapido, then tomorrow February 7 would be a traveling issue for you. Can drivers of app-based rides across many cities have called for strike on Saturday. The protest is termed as “All India Breakdown,” during the protest all the cab drivers of the apps would be switching off the apps at the same time, they are calling it their silent protest against unfair working conditions. The protest is led by Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and many other organisations are associated. Union announced the protest on social media, “No minimum fares. No regulation. Endless exploitation.”
What is the reason behind the protest of Gig workers?
Union wrote a letter to Nitin Gadkari, Union Road Transport Minister where they shared their problem. In the letter they talked about the increase in the financial stress of cab drivers across the country as there is no government-fixed fare system for the riding apps such as Ola, Uber, Rapido.
The letter further read that the companies are deciding fares as per their convenience and leaving drivers vulnerable to absurd situations such as fare cuts, increase in fuel and maintenance costs. The union also wrote that millions of cab drivers are being pushed toward poverty while the app companies are making whooping profits.
What are the demands of cab drivers?
The aim of the strike is to push the government to enforce Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025. The key demands are
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To issue a Minimum base fares (MBF) for autos, cabs and bike taxis. The price should be fixed by the central government in consultation with cab unions.
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Transparent fare rule, companies won’t be allowed to change fare as per their wish
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There must be a ban on private vehicles that are being used commercially. Those vehicles should be allowed to function only if they are converted into licensed commercial vehicles