Uber driver protest pops up at Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga

Uber drivers protested at Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga on the long weekend and another rally is possibly in the works.

Uber and Lyft drivers held an unplanned protest at the airport on Sunday, rideshare activist and organizer Earla Phillips said on X.

“Not happy with the reduced pay from the upfront fares offered by Uber‘s AI. I don’t blame them for being unhappy with pay,” said Phillips.

Uber rolled out a new pay model this month in Ontario last week following a launch in B.C. in September, Uber Canada spokesperson Keerthana Rang told INsauga.com.

Drivers will now see the destination and how much they’ll earn before they accept a trip, Rang said. The new approach to fares takes into account various factors related to a driver’s trip, including time and distance, market conditions, and real-time demand at the destination.

“Having more information like destination and upfront earnings is the number one thing we hear from drivers and the union we work with (UFCW Canada) about what they want to make their experience driving with Uber better,” Rang said.

Drivers will receive weekly statements that provide a detailed breakdown of where the money customers were charged went, including third-party and government fees, taxes and the Uber service fee.

Previously drivers only saw the length of the trip and approximately how long the trip will take. Fares were calculated on time and distance rates plus surge pricing.

The new system uses an AI algorithm and drivers have argued it is not clear how the fare is calculated.

Photos and video from the protest on Sunday show drivers parked and sitting in a parking lot.

Uber and Lyft drivers had an unplanned protest at Pearson airport today. Shut the lot down and tons of security and police showed up. Not happy with the reduced pay from the upfront fares offered by Uber’s AI. I don’t blame them for being unhappy with 💩pay pic.twitter.com/YkaWoZ55pj

— Earla Phillips (@earlwithana) October 14, 2024

Officers responded to the protest involving rideshare drivers in the Viscount Road and Network Drive area just before 5 p.m. on Sunday, a Peel Regional Police spokesperson told INsauga.com.

“Our officers attended to ensure the safety of all involved individuals, provide assistance with traffic direction and to keep the peace,” the spokesperson said in an email. “The protest was peaceful and no charges were laid.”

A statement from the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which operates Pearson Airport, also indicated the protest ended peacefully on Sunday.

“We are aware of a driver protest that took place Sunday evening at Toronto Pearson’s Viscount Station that impacted Uber passengers and caused traffic congestion in the surrounding area,” said Erica Vella, senior advisor, media relations for the Airports Authority.

“While the substance of the protest was between drivers and company, public safety officers and Peel Regional Police attended and the protesters dispersed by 10:30 p.m. without any major incident.”

There are indications more protests are planned. A protest is planned for Vancouver International Airport on Tuesday, Uber driver Kuljeet Singh posted on X.

Singh said Uber and Lyft drivers are fighting for fair wages and better working conditions.

Uber drivers Protest at Toronto Pearson international Airport
byu/imsorry2019 intoronto

Phillips suggested Toronto drivers stage another protest in solidarity with the B.C. drivers.

“Solidarity from Toronto! Toronto Uber drivers had an unplanned protest at Pearson airport yesterday and are planning another upcoming protest! No AI pay!” said Phillips. 

In response to the protests, Uber said the new system may take time to get used to.

“We know it takes a while to adjust to changes and we’re working hard to get it right for drivers and riders,” said Rang. “During the transition period, our teams will be keeping track of what’s going on in Ontario.”

 

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Lead photo: dailybrother123

Editor’s note: This story was updated with comments from Uber.