Abdoul Kere, an Uber driver since 2016 who began driving for the company a year after he arrived in the US from Burkina Faso, said that while he makes nearly $200 on an average day from driving, the cost of business leaves him with virtually nothing.
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA), the union that represents drivers of taxi cabs, black cars also offered their support at the protest.
In November 2021, after more than three years of protests, demonstrations, and even a hunger strike, the NYWTA was successful in negotiating financial relief with the city for taxi drivers with massive amounts of debt from purchasing medallions, the physical plate required to own and operate a taxi cab. The value of the medallion was artificially inflated and then dropped significantly, leaving medallion-owning drivers financially devastated.
Tariq said the NYTWA is prepared to put in the same amount of work in order to ensure Uber drivers receive this raise.
New Yorkers were asked by Uber drivers on strike to boycott the ride-hail app for the day. Uber said the strike would not affect service.
