Kerala: Miffed with Uber, drivers to strike

Kochi: The All Kerala Online Taxi Drivers Union (OTDU), which claims to have 2,500 members, has threatened to go on an indefinite strike from December 29 unless the Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd accept their ‘charter of demands” including a consistent wage structure for six months.

“After initially paying well, the company has now resorted to deducting 25 percent of total wages as hidden charges from the drivers. The company has also decided to change wage structure in every week which cannot be accepted,” said P.R.S. Kumar, its president.When contacted, a Bangalore-based spokesperson of the taxi-hailing app firm said, “the company has nothing to react at this point of time.”

The “online” taxi drivers also demanded special incentives for those who operate to the Nedumbassery airport where its members were subjected to “verbal abuses and attacks by local taxi drivers.”

“At the time of registration, the company had given mobile equipment but is deducting its cost from the wages now. This at a time when they made available the same for free in cities like Bangalore, Delhi and . We too demand such a concession,” he said.

The Uber representatives had twice in the past fortnight discussed the issues with the protesting drivers, but nothing fruitful emerged.

“Unless the charter of demands is accepted in toto, 2500 drivers are compelled to go on an indefinite strike and the company will be responsible for its consequences,” read the demand charter.

 

 

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