Private hire drivers go on global strike as thousands walk out for better pay and conditions
1 May 2025, 00:05
Private hire drivers are striking on Thursday as part of global action calling for better pay and conditions.
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A co-ordinated 24-hour global strike is being held demanding fair pay, improved working conditions, and greater protections for gig economy drivers.
The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB), said a day-long strike will be held in a number of cities including London, Newcastle, Bristol and Manchester - as well as a two-hour walkout from 7am at Heathrow.
The airport said its Terminal operations would continue as normal.
Thousands of drivers are expected to log off their apps, joining workers in a number of countries including the United States, Nigeria and Uruguay.
The IWGB claimed that drivers were being pushed to breaking point by plummeting fares, punishing hours, and a lack of basic protections.
Nader Awaad, of the IWGB, said: "Drivers around the world today are not living but surviving - we're hanging on by a thread.
"There are hidden epidemics of depression, chronic pain and broken relationships plaguing the workforce, because of unhealthily long hours spent on the road trying to scrape a living.
"Pay isn't the only thing that causes us stress - we live with the constant threat of losing our income if our accounts are unfairly deactivated, and the anxiety that, with no proper safety protections, we might be the next driver to face violent assault.
"Shareholders at the top of this industry think they can get away with devastating drivers' lives to fund their luxury lifestyles, but workers around the world have had enough, and are uniting across borders to send a powerful message this May Day. This is a global fightback against a broken system."
Uber said it has taken a number of steps in partnership with Heathrow to mitigate any impact.
A spokesperson said: "We regularly engage with drivers, especially through our industry-leading agreement with the GMB union, who are not taking part in this action.
"Uber is currently meeting with hundreds of drivers across the country to hear directly from them about how we can improve their experience on the platform."
Uber added that unlike other operators, it has designated UK drivers as 'workers', which means that all drivers receive at least the national living wage, holiday pay and access to a pension plan as well as free sickness and injury cover, childcare vouchers and access to free Open University courses.
Heathrow said Terminal operations will continue as normal, and the airport is expecting "minimal impact" - but recommended that passengers consider alternative transportation arrangements where possible.
