Uber and Bolt vs drivers union: drivers share their opinion

Last week, we reported the newest fallout between Uber, Bolt and the Nigerian ride-hailing union-AUATWON. The fallout centres on Uber and Bolt difficult the legality of the newly shaped AUATWON. This reporter interviewed drivers of Bolt and Uber, and they spoke about their understanding of the scenario. 

Celestine Finbar has been a long-standing driver with Uber. On a journey, he instructed me, “We [Drivers], Bolt and Uber are partners and not employees. “We are helping to make sure that Uber and Bolt stay in business.” 

Finbar defined that the explanation why the union was shaped within the first place was to guard the financial pursuits of members. He went on to elucidate how insecurity, worth regulation, automobile upkeep and the lagging economic system make it troublesome for drivers to breakeven. “When we looked at the challenges we face as drivers, we decided to go in a legal way and form a union that the government recognises to look into it,” he stated. 

Drivers score and scorecards pose obstacles to revenue

According to him, the exercise rating and driver score posed by Uber additionally makes it troublesome for drivers to thrive within the enterprise. Finbar stated some drivers had been blocked or suspended from the ride-hailing platform as they did not measure as much as the score and scorecard. “If Bolt and Uber know that we (drivers) are really partners (contractors), they should remove most of these things away, even if they want to include it, they should judge the metrics by hearing from both parties (drivers and riders) and not just judge their metrics on one party’s opinion only,” he stated. 

Per his clarification, it’s the prospects who determine what goes right into a driver’s score on the platform,. “Due to insecurity in the country, there are some places that drivers cannot go to. And once you decline, it affects your driver’s score, and once your driver’s score is too low, Uber blocks you,” he stated. “We try to make our riders very comfortable, laugh and share jokes with them all because of our ratings,”

Drivers take their stance

Finbar stated that asides from the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWON), ride-hailing drivers belong to different teams, with every group containing as much as 200 drivers who may select to boycott Uber, Bolt and different ride-hailing platforms if circumstances have been unfavourable. 

Finbar describes the AUATWON as an “infant movement” however believes that the union will assist deal with the underlying concern. “For me, I think that the AUATWON is a great union and I like what they are fighting for. But, I personally don’t rely on any union. If I have any complains, I email Uber directly” 

Christian Ifeanyichuckwu, a driver with Bolt is detached in regards to the union however believes the journey hailing union is vital in making the voice of the drivers heard. “I really do not pay much attention to any union or gathering, I just come out any day I come out, do what I can do and go. It’s actually not my main focus” he stated. “Despite the fact that I don’t identify with the union, I still think the union is quite important because your voice will be heard better when you’re speaking as a group. he said. “I don’t identify with the union because I am not really doing Bolt full time. But the union is important for the benefit and the betterment of the drivers.”

Ifeanyichuckwu’s causes for not figuring out with the union usually are not far fetched, “I don’t identify with the union because I am not really doing Bolt full time. But the union is important for the benefit and the betterment of the drivers,” he stated.

Moshood Basiru, an Uber driver, stated he was unaware of the latest million-man protest threatened by the AUATWON. Similarly, Kelvin Kenneth, a Bolt driver, expressed his shock upon studying in regards to the protest and that he was listening to in regards to the AUATWON for the primary time. “Honestly,  I don’t know about the union. This is my first time hearing it.” he stated.

Kenneth says he would slightly be a contractor with Bolt slightly than an worker. “Being an employee would be salary based and also there will be fixed time and dates for work which won’t give you time or opportunities to run other businesses,” he stated. “But as a contractor you choose your work time and your payment. For instance I did not work throughout March for some reason, I just resumed again last week. It won’t be possible if I am an employee”

Samuel Hassan, a driver with Bolt who often plies the Muritala Muhammed Airport route, says he was conscious of the protest however didn’t take part. “I heard about the protest on the radio,” he stated. “At the airport, we have our own union of Bolt and Uber drivers. And our leaders and executives fights for us. There was a time when we were not allowed to pick passengers from the airport, our chairman had to call Uber to interfere in the matter and it was resolved.”

Hassan believes that Bolt must do higher, given the present scenario. “The union (AUATWON) was formed in other to fight for the rights of the drivers. Uber and Bolt should do better than lobbying to revoke the licenses. Likewise, Finbar believes that a discussion between Bolt, Uber, and the ride-hailing union may settle the conflict. “We hope that Uber and Bolt can meet with the AUATWON and have an open discussion to resolve this issue,” he concluded.