Delivery riders in London have “completely blocked all Uber Eats deliveries” in protest this week after accusing the company of lowering the base rate for trips.
Riders rallied outside the Uber headquarters in Aldgate East on Friday afternoon, calling for an increase to the base rate and per mile rate, which they claim have decreased incrementally over the past three years.
Drivers are also calling for a return of a bonus scheme for working weekends and busy periods, which they claim has been scrapped.
But Uber Eats said the low fares were simply down to a technical glitch that affected trips between Monday and Wednesday only, and riders have already been compensated for any earnings lost during that period.
The rally comes on the third day of the self-organised protest by riders in the capital, who noticed on Monday that the base rate had fallen, the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU) said.
ADCU union couriers lead Catherine Meechan told the Standard that riders are being paid around £1 per mile and the base rate has dropped below £3, with many not earning minimum wage.
“Over the past few years, slowly but surely Uber has been taking the prices down.
“The guys believe in the last two days that [Uber has] done another one of these price drops. So that’s why they’re all comparing the offers that they’re getting between each other.”
In response Uber Eats said the fare drop was due to a technical issue that lasted only between 10pm on Monday and 4pm on Wednesday.
In an email seen by the Standard, Uber said riders would be receiving 40p credit per trip taken during that period.
The email read: “We are aware that some of our fares were lower than expected from 22:00 on Monday 7th August to 16:00 on Wednesday 9th August. We apologise for the inconvenience and concern that this has caused.
“If you completed a trip between these times, we will be crediting your account with an additional £0.40 for each completed trip during this period. This should take effect by tomorrow evening.”
But Ms Meechan said Uber’s offer was “just an insult really”.
Massive turn out for London wide shut down of @UberEats and demo at Aldgate Towers Uber office. Police and security everywhere. Uber management panicking after 40p derisory pay uplift REJECTED by Uber's delivery workers. pic.twitter.com/NrBFoY0DcB
— ADCU (@ADCUnion) August 11, 2023
“There was a job that I saw the other day and it must have been about four-point-something miles, and it was going to take 30 minutes because of obviously the traffic in London, and the guy was getting offered like £4 for it,” she said.
“By the time he even does that job and takes his expenses off his petrol and everything else, he’s not even making minimum wage.”
She added: “When they were getting bonuses for Friday night or Saturday,[or if] it’s a really busy lunchtime…that was actually topping them up where they actually might be able to reach the minimum wage.
“So, the fact that all of this is being taken away really leaves them vulnerable.”
Ms Meechan also raised concerns over riders’ safety on the roads, with many workers in London opting for motorbikes or scooters.
“People are going out, they’re trying to do day work, they’re struggling to even earn the money they need to earn for that day’s work and then potentially their life is at risk of doing it.”
Courier pay is calculated on a range of factors including distance travelled, Uber said, while admitting “there is always more to do, and we are constantly listening to couriers to see how we can improve”.
The Standard revealed on Wednesday that 66 delivery riders in London have been arrested so far this year amid a Home Office clampdown on illegal workers.
But campaigners and unions claim riders are at risk of modern slavery, are targeted “despite their immigration status” and are subject to racial profiling.
