Rideshare drivers affiliated with Uber, Lyft, and others are planning to strike this Valentine's Day at Newark Liberty International Airport. The strike is part of a larger movement set to take place at ten major airports around the country.
The drivers, who are part of the Justice for App Workers movement, are protesting against what they see as mistreatment by app companies. They say they're tired of having to work up to 80 hours a week just to make ends meet, living in constant fear for their safety, and worrying about being deactivated at the click of a button.
"We won't take it anymore!" is the rallying cry from drivers in Austin, Chicago, Hartford, Miami, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rhode Island, and Tampa. They've pledged not to provide any rides to or from airports on February 14.
The two-hour strike, scheduled between 11 am and 1 pm on Wednesday, February 14, aims to force changes from Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and all app companies profiting off their hard work. The drivers are not only demanding better pay but also improved working conditions, quality healthcare benefits, reliable bathroom access, and the right to form a union.
The movement represents some 130,000 drivers and delivery workers from the East Coast to the Midwest. The strikers argue that while these app companies continue to reap huge profits, the drivers and delivery workers, who keep communities running by getting people and goods where they need to go, are left to suffer. They believe their demands for higher wages, a safer working environment, and an end to unfair deactivation are not unreasonable.