Talks fail, low-paid Uber drivers to continue strike in city

Vijay C Roy

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 24

Get ready to pay a higher price for commuting in the city for another day, as the talks between Uber drivers and the management of the cab aggregator have failed. Uber drivers are on indefinite strike in protest against low earnings.

“There has been no headway in the discussions. Our indefinite strike will continue till our demands are met. The management is using pressure tactics like barring driver partners on the Uber platform, to end the strike,” said a driver on the condition of anonymity.

Sources said many protesting drivers were not allowing other drivers to ply Uber taxis on city roads. As a result, the disruption in the cab service was beyond expectations on the second day of their protest. It is learnt that some drivers used white number plates on their cabs to avoid confrontation with the protesters.

Meanwhile, office-goers and commuters faced inconvenience for the second consecutive day as the app either showed cab not available or an increased pricing. Many riders claimed that every time they planned to book a cab they were asked for a hiked fare, so they used other modes of transport like auto or bus.

Since May 23, a large number of cabs attached to Uber platform have been off the road.

On the ongoing strike, an Uber Spokesperson said, “While some areas in the city may have experienced longer than usual wait times at different points during the day, Uber services have largely been normal. We regret the inconvenience to riders who experienced longer waiting times in certain parts of the city.”

“Further, Uber is deeply committed to the safety of its riders and driver partners. Certain driver partners and riders lose access to the Uber app when their conduct goes against the firm’s guidelines. We remain committed to ensuring driver partners continue to have stable earning opportunities and keep the tricity moving,” said the Uber spokesperson.