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Gig workers protest outside Uber HQ
Gig workers gathered outside Uber's headquarters on Tuesday as part of a global day of action. They are calling on app-based companies to provide personal protective equipment and financial support to drivers during the pandemic.
SAN FRANCISCO - App-based delivery drivers are calling for their employers to deliver more for them when it comes to health and safety resources.
Gig workers, supported by the organization, We Drive Progress, joined an international day of worker action, gathering outside Uber's San Francisco headquarters Tuesday evening.
They joined driver groups in Argentina, Colombia, Italy, and Mexico in a vigil to honor drivers who died on the job, some due to COVID-19.
"It's important that we get the word out to demand that these tech companies do more to support the people that are doing the work for them," Mekela Edwards, a retired Oakland school teacher who stopped driving for Uber back in March, said.
"We are basically out here as independent workers, and are at risk of losing our lives," Edwards added.
Edwards stopped driving for Uber after her doctor told her she had underlying conditions that put her at high risk for COVID-19.
Uber offers financial assistance for exactly this purpose, but Edwards said she never received it.
"They never provided me with any financial assistance. They did promise that they would. I submitted paperwork as I was directed to, and i never heard back from them at that point," Edwards said.
Saori Okawa drives for Doordash and Instacart these days. She used to drive fo Uber, but said she wasn't given a plexiglass barrier between herself and riders, and didn't feel safe without it.
In July, Lyft annouced they'd be providing those in-car partitions for drivers, along with other safety resources, including face maks and sanitizer, free of charge.
Okawa pays more than $200 out of pocket for hand sanitizer and masks, even though the companies she drives for offer PPE kits to drivers for free.
Instacart has a COVID-19 Resource Center online with information on resources and supplies for their in-store shoppers.
"For the workload I do with Instacart and Doordash, I think I should be getting PPE every two days," Okawa said, adding that the companies often take over a week to send a kit.
A DoorDash spokesperson responded to KTVU, stating "we’ve taken action to protect and support Dashers who are on the frontlines, including offering free PPE, providing two weeks of earnings replacement for those affected by the virus, and defaulting to contactless delivery to minimize contact."
Uber's COVID resources web site outlines similar support for drivers. Still, Edwards added despite these efforts, her son who also drives for Uber, is paying for his own PPE.
"It's either you risk your life or you can't pay rent, and that's the hardest part about being a gig worker," Okawa said.