Teamsters Union Stands In Solidarity With Uber, Lyft Drivers

Drivers Escalate Calls for Economic Justice on Eve of Uber IPO

News provided by

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

May 09, 2019, 14:21 ET

WASHINGTON, May 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union stands in solidarity with thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers who are taking action in protests around the globe to demand fair pay and working conditions.

The Teamsters have worked for years with Uber and Lyft drivers seeking living wages, health care, due process, greater transparency and the right to organize.

While rates for drivers have been dropping, company executives are expected to reap the rewards of Uber's big initial public offering. The company could be valued at up to $90 billion.

This week, drivers logged out of their apps, protested at company headquarters and marched by the thousands in cities from Los Angeles to London.

"The 1.4 million members of the Teamsters Union stand with our brothers and sisters who are rising up to demand justice and an end to income inequality. These protests remind the world that while there are tech companies valued at billions of dollars, those same companies have drivers who are struggling to get by," said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. "We stand in solidarity with drivers at Uber and Lyft who have a right to be paid fairly and have dignified working conditions."

Teamsters across the country joined the drivers in protest. In Northern California, Teamsters Joint Council 7 and SEIU are partners in Gig Workers Rising, which led the demonstration outside Uber headquarters in San Francisco. Teamsters Local 117 joined drivers at an event to speak out on their working conditions in Seattle. A report released this week by the App-Based Drivers Association revealed that Uber and Lyft are pocketing an increasing share from passengers while drivers are earning less.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Kara Deniz, (202) 624-6911
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters