Uber drivers protest unfair wages, deactivations at San Francisco HQ

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There was a protest on Wednesday by Uber drivers in San Francisco as part of a national day of action. Drivers are demanding fair pay and transparency.

There were more than 100 Uber drivers gathered at the Potrero Center Lot Wednesday morning, including eight-year Uber driver Abdellah Elhania who was there to protest unfair wages and platform deactivations. Drivers say terminations are often abrupt and without explanation or an opportunity to appeal.

"They've been deactivating -- unfair deactivations. The earnings are going low and low and low," said Rosalinda Munoz.

"This is like enslavement. We're being enslaved. We're being forced to work almost like for nothing," Elhania said.

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These drivers say Uber has increasingly claimed a greater share of their earnings without offering information on fare calculations. But, according to an Uber Spokesperson in an emailed statement to ABC7 News, drivers often think if you take the difference between what the passenger pays and what the driver earns, it equals all Uber profit.

"That is grossly incorrect," says the spokesperson. According to Uber's most recent earnings, the take rate is 21.2%.

Uber also says it continues to act on driver feedback, including on improving the account deactivation processes.

The creativity of the drivers was apparent this Valentine's Day with signs like "It's not me, it's you" and "Uber is bad boyfriend material."

Ana Vazquez is not an Uber driver but came out to support them.

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"I see a lot of folks struggling," Vazquez said.

By mid-morning, the caravan of protesters drove to Uber Headquarters, where they circled Uber's building, before eventually parking in the street and chanting for Uber's CEO to listen.

"Shame on you, shame on you," chanted the drivers.

"We want him to come out and talk to us and face the music. How much more of this can we take, you know?" said Uber driver Marianna Porras.

Both Uber and Lyft released statements that the protest had no impact on operations or reliability for riders, with Uber adding that the vast majority of its drivers are satisfied.

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