Over 20K Drivers Protests Against Uber In Bangalore

Manjunath S, who was serving as an operations manager in a transportation and logistics company resigned two months back just to join Uber after reading in an advertisement that said he could earn up to INR 90,000 per month.

“I bought a new car and have to repay the loan, but the company blocks the mobile phone for a week if a consumer complains. They promise to pay incentives of INR 100 per trip but if we do not complete the target of 13 trips a day, we get nothing,” Manjunath told TOI. He was among the 300 Uber drivers who held a protest at the company’s MG Road office on Wednesday.

It is said that, every time a customer complaints, the company blocks driver’s mobile phone for up to a week as penalty. Besides, the drivers were also offered a free phone from the company but were not informed about a deduction of INR 300 per week for the internet.

The Karnataka State Drivers’ Association claimed to mobilize 20,000 Uber drivers and stop services today (Thursday) in a mark of protest against Uber.

“The incident being referred to involved a small group of drivers who defaulted on our system and hence can no longer use our platform. In terms of incentives, most of our driver partners are happy to take advantage of Uber’s lead generation technology, which provides flexibility and earning potential. We’re working with our driver partners on an individual basis to help address any concerns,” said a spokesperson from Uber.

In August, over 500 registered drivers in Hyderabad held protests against Uber for not meeting its commitment on business and giving incentives.

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