Increase in Uber driver fees will ‘destroy my finances that were already in tatters’ says driver rep
Updated: Jul 4, 2021
A 5% increase in Uber driver fees will “destroy my finances that were already in tatters’” says driver representative.
This week ride-hailing firm Uber announced they were to increase fees for long-serving drivers to a standard 25% across the UK platform next month.
As of 13 July, Uber are increasing the ‘Service Fee’ currently set at 20% for drivers who joined the private hire operator prior to 2015. Drivers who joined Uber after 2015 have always paid a 25% Service Fee and will not face further changes at this point.
Uber say the changes are to ensure all drivers have a ‘consistent experience’ and that they wish to ‘treat all drivers equally on the Uber platform’.
However, Uber drivers and industry representatives argue the increase comes at a time when drivers are still desperately trying to recover financially due to the impact of the pandemic.
Representatives from IWGB’s United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) say drivers saw wages reduced last year to almost nothing while rental fees and other overheads continued.
Nader Awaad, UPHD Chair and Uber driver, said: “We all knew that Uber would raid the drivers pockets to pay for them breaking the law and depriving drivers of their rights, and here they are doing exactly that. This is a company that is expanding and flooding cities around the world with drivers every day. They can more than afford to pay the hardworking drivers what they deserve, but instead it is the drivers who are being forced to pay out of the pittance they are making.
“This shows Uber cannot be trusted, and now, more than ever, drivers must organise and join UPHD to make sure their pockets are the last place Uber comes when they need money to cover their lawbreaking antics!”
Hassan Haji, Uber driver for 6 years and UPHD member, said: “I have worked for Uber for 6 years and working throughout the pandemic has been such a tough time for drivers. Not only have we seen pay drastically fall, we have had to risk our lives chasing the pennies on offer. I could not stay home and keep safe, and so I continued to work and carried passengers safely around London. The thanks I have got from Uber? A 5% pay cut that will further destroy my finances that were already in tatters. I am trying hard to recover from the pandemic and Uber seem to just want to make things worse.”
