Ola and Uber continue to face aggression not just from riders, but from drivers as well. Drivers from these cab aggregators have called for an indefinite strike in Mumbai to voice their grievances against declining earnings, deteriorating business experience and increasing concerns over driver suicides.
Ola and Uber cab drivers and car owners have distributed pamphlets notifying riders everywhere about the strike. The strike is going to begin on 10 December 2017 and is going to go on for an indefinite period of time.
With the cab aggregators refusing to look at the bigger picture, drivers and cab owners are running at a major risk. The cabs may also be seized by banks because of debt issues and other financial issues.
According to reports, a lot of cab drivers took their lives due to financial problems. Drivers have been facing a lot of trouble such as the inability to pay and financial debt reaching exponential numbers. Both Ola and Uber have been working hard to contain the rising unrest but to no avail.
Drivers for both the cab aggregators have been complaining for a while now, stating that their income has fallen drastically. They have also said the owners are not bothered in the least bit about the driver’s safety or mental health.
“Our demands should be fulfilled because our earnings have dropped. Their commitment of Rs 75,000 per month in earnings proved to be fake. We are earning Rs 10,000 to Rs. 15,000. I cannot even pay my EMIs. They should immediately stop getting cars,” a driver was quoted during a protest earlier this year in Hyderabad.
Ola and Uber drivers have called a strike all over India and not just in Mumbai. This gives rise to a very serious question – is the cost of sustainability at the risk of employees or do the employers just not care enough?