Uber strike: Customers urged not to use app in 'solidarity' with 24-hour driver walkout over pay and working conditions

Uber customers have been urged not to use the ride-hailing app as a show of "solidarity" with drivers set to stage a 24-hour strike today over pay and working conditions.

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has called on Uber drivers in London, Birmingham and Nottingham to strike on Tuesday from 1pm by not signing into the app. Protests are also planned outside Uber's offices.

While the strike takes place, the United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) branch of the IWGB urged customers not to “cross the digital picket line” by using the app.

A spokeswoman for Uber said the firm has "introduced dozens of new features, including sickness, injury, maternity and paternity protections" in recent months.

When approached by the Standard, the union would not say how many drivers were planning on striking from 1pm on Tuesday.

At noon, a Facebook event page said 108 were attending the London strike rally outside Uber’s Aldgate Tower offices.

The impact of this could be negligible on those customers who do "cross the digital picket line" - there are an estimated 45,000 Uber drivers in the capital.

The strike was called as drivers demand a £2 per mile increase in fares, a 10 per cent reduction in commissions to Uber, and for the company to “respect rulings on worker’s rights”.

James Farrar, chair of the UPHD branch, said: "After years of watching take home pay plummet and with management bullying of workers on the rise, workers have been left with no choice but to take strike action.

“We ask the public to please support drivers by not crossing the digital picket line by not using the app during strike time."

The strike has been supported by Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who said: “I support this strike for better employment rights and urge others to respect the app picket line.”

An Uber spokeswoman said: “We are always looking to make improvements to ensure drivers have the best possible experience and can make the most of their time driving on the app. That's why over the last few months we’ve introduced dozens of new features, including sickness, injury, maternity and paternity protections.

"An academic study last month found that drivers in London make an average of £11 an hour, after accounting for all of their costs and Uber’s service fee. We continue to look at ways to help drivers increase their earnings and our door is always open if anyone wants to speak to us about any issues they're having.”