Private hire drivers in Birmingham protest against pay and conditions on Uber, Bolt and Veezu platforms

Hundreds of private hire drivers staged a protest in Birmingham yesterday, rallying against pay and working conditions.

The protest saw a convoy of drivers from Uber, Bolt, and Veezu stopping work at 11am. This action is part of an ongoing dispute over the treatment and compensation of private hire drivers.

The drivers commenced their demonstration at the Uber Greenlight Hub in Aston. After hearing speeches, they formed a convoy heading to Holloway Circus in Birmingham city centre.

This event follows a similar protest in May, where around 1,000 drivers caused significant congestion around New Street Station.

Organised by the Private Hire Drivers Alliance (PHDA), the protest raised concerns about pay and recruitment practices by major operators. The PHDA accuses companies like Uber, Bolt and Veezu of unfair profit distribution and exploiting drivers through pricing models that are not beneficial to the workforce.

Recruitment practices are also under scrutiny. The PHDA claims that the influx of new drivers is saturating the market, making it difficult for existing drivers to maintain a sustainable income.

The aim of the protest is to pressure operators into addressing these issues and to ensure fairer working conditions for private hire drivers.