Need a ride to or from O'Hare International Airport on Wednesday? You may want to plan ahead, as Uber and Lyft taxi drivers plan to park their cars and shut down their apps while thousands go on strike for better pay, safety and more.
According to an announcement from the Justice for App Workers coalition, drivers for Uber, Lyft and DoorDash will stage all-day strikes and demonstrate on Wednesday outside airports in 10 cities: Chicago; Philadelphia; pittsburgh. Miami; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Hartford, Connecticut; Newark, New Jersey; Austin, Texas; And Providence, Rhode Island.
In Illinois alone, more than 30,000 drivers are part of the coalition.
The coalition said in a statement: “We are tired of working 80 hours a week just to make ends meet, we feel constant fear for our safety, and we are worried that our activity will be canceled with the click of a button.”
The coalition said taxi drivers will gather at the O'Hare International Airport taxi park between 11am and 1pm on Wednesday. They will also close their apps and will not accept any flights to and from the airport on Wednesday.
Uber said on Tuesday that it did not expect the strike to have a significant impact on its operations on Valentine's Day.
“This type of event rarely has any impact on trips, prices, or driver availability,” Uber said in a statement. “This is because the vast majority of drivers are satisfied.” Uber said drivers were earning about $33 an hour toward the end of last year. The company also said it allows drivers to dispute hold-ups.
“We are constantly working to improve the driver experience,” Lyft said in a statement. Lyft said its U.S. drivers earn an average of $30.68 per hour, or $23.46 per hour after expenses.
Earlier this month, Lyft said it had begun guaranteeing that drivers will receive at least 70% of their fares each week, and is defining its fees more clearly for drivers in a new earnings release. Lyft also unveiled a new in-app button that allows drivers to appeal disabling decisions.
Rideshare drivers are also demanding more safety measures as part of the strike.
Last month, the Chicago Police Department warned delivery drivers after three armed robberies occurred at the same building on the Near West Side.
Groups advocating for independent workers in the city have called for additional safety measures after recent attacks — some fatal — against delivery and transportation drivers.
In January, a taxi driver was seriously injured in an attempted carjacking in the 900 block of North LeClair Street in Austin, police said.
In December, Lyft driver Adriana Arocha Duque was shot and killed in the 4800 block of West Thomas Street in the same neighborhood.
Another driver was killed in a shooting weeks ago. Muhammad Al-Hajjouj was driving his black 2017 Cadillac Escalade ESV with four passengers in the 1700 block of North Lotus Street around 5:40 p.m. on December 3 when someone opened fire.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
“Infuriatingly humble alcohol fanatic. Unapologetic beer practitioner. Analyst.”