Mumbai: Over 2,500 Ola and Uber drivers affiliated to the Maharashtra Rajya Rashtriya Kamgar Sangh (MRRSK), a union led by the Nationalist Congress Party, went on an indefinite strike on Monday. Their key demand is a hike in the base fare across categories which drivers said, has been steadily declining over the years.
Around 200 drivers staged a protest outside Uber’s office in Kurla in the afternoon. Sunil Borker, secretary of the transport wing, MRRSK, said when protesters reached the Uber office, it was closed. “Hence, drivers decided to go on a strike. All the drivers will be offline till the companies come forward to have a dialogue and hear our demands,” Mr. Borker said.
Govindrao Mohite, general secretary, MRRSK, said there should be a mechanism where the per-km rate that the drivers get from the companies is linked to the petrol and diesel prices. “The condition of Ola and Uber drivers is fast becoming like our farmers’. They are unable to repay their loans, and the policies of the companies are pushing them towards committing suicide,” Mr. Mohite said. He demanded that the government create a board for Ola and Uber drivers along the lines of Mathadi workers.
Drivers said their average earning per km has come down to ₹6 for several months, and the companies keep changing the incentive scheme, further dropping their earnings. “They keep saying that it is system generated and it can’t be helped. But they have rigged the system. We want the companies to increase the base per km rate to ₹18 for the small car segment and do away with the incentive structure,” Sanket Satam, who has been driving for over three years, said.
The effect of the strike was felt by commuters who experienced steep surge pricing. Ishita Mehta had booked an Uber from Andheri (East) to Lower Parel, but the driver said he might have to abandon the trip if any issue cropped up. “The driver was nice enough to cancel the trip and said he was looking for a trip to south Mumbai via the freeway as there was a lower chance of a law and order issue there,” Ms. Mehta said.
An Uber spokesperson said, “We regret the disruption caused to our rider and driver-partner community, due to a small group of individuals. We remain committed to serving the city and ensuring that our driver partners continue to access a stable income, while giving riders a convenient, reliable option to get around Mumbai.”
Officials from both car-hailing companies said there are political motivations behind the strike and only a small group of drivers is participating. “We are also getting reports that a few of them are intimidating our drivers,” an official said.
