Over 200 New York ride-hailing drivers, union members, and city council members gathered in front of City Hall on December 4, urging the immediate passage of Bill No. 276 to protect drivers from unfair deactivation. The proposal stipulates that Uber and Lyft cannot terminate drivers without just cause and ensures drivers have a legal recourse for grievances.
Delivery workers from the Worker Justice Project also joined the rally, advocating for the passage of Bill No. 1332 for “just cause termination.” This echoes the precedent set by laws protecting fast-food workers, emphasizing the need to safeguard drivers’ rights with Bill No. 276.
Among the attendees were several Chinese drivers. One driver named Li, who has been driving for Uber since 2007, shared his experience of being permanently deactivated by Uber in March for alleged dangerous driving. Another driver, Lin, explained that Uber deactivations can vary in reasons, sometimes relating to phone issues rather than driver behavior.
Danish Nadeem, a Pakistani driver who speaks Chinese and has a Chinese name, revealed his recent deactivation by Uber after a minor incident where a child bumped his head on the car’s front during braking. Despite the child being unharmed and playing in a park afterwards, the parents lodged a complaint, leading to Nadeem’s deactivation.
According to a research report by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Uber and Lyft seem to prioritize passengers over drivers’ interests. The report highlights the companies’ deactivation practices as depriving drivers of their livelihood without prior notice, evidence, or a chance to defend themselves. Many drivers affected are long-serving, highly-rated, and have no record of misconduct.
Uber and Lyft issued statements refuting the report’s allegations, claiming deactivations are a last resort to prioritize passenger safety and interests.
Despite the companies’ efforts to delay legislative proceedings with their substantial financial resources, hundreds of Uber and Lyft drivers stood up against them. Councilman Shekar Krishnan, the primary sponsor of Bill No. 276, expressed confidence in passing the bill with public support to protect the city’s drivers.
Bhairavi Desai, the executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA), criticized the unfair deactivations as a commercial practice by Uber and Lyft to offset losses from street congestion. She argued that immigrant workers should not be treated as commodities, citing numerous cases where deactivation led to financial hardships, homelessness, and even hospitalization without a fair appeal process.
Saif Aizah, a Lyft driver and NYTWA union member, shared his struggles after unjust deactivation by Uber, leading to severe mental stress and financial burden. Aizah emphasized the need for dignity, respect, and fair treatment instead of being merely a statistic in the eyes of billionaire CEOs.
The rally coincided with the penultimate full council meeting of the year. Council members Christopher Marte and Wai Yee Cheng from the Chinatown and Brooklyn districts attended in support of the drivers.
However, the city council did not vote on the legislation during that day’s full council meeting.