On Monday October 20th, Uber drivers working in Switzerland’s largest city, Zurich, will refuse to pick up passengers.
Between 800 and 1,000 drivers are planning to gather at 8 am in the parking lot at Albisgüetli to draw attention to their grievances. They are demanding fairer prices and better working conditions.
“We are striking because the current fares are no longer fair – neither for drivers nor for passengers,” the drivers said, as reported by 20 Minuten news platform.
What exactly are their demands?
In a nutshell, the drivers want fair and transparent pricing, higher minimum prices per trip, as well as fairer commission shares.
According to Daniel Zoricic from the Syna union, “with current prices, you can no longer speak of earning money – the drivers are even losing money.”
One of the reasons cited for this situation is a fierce competition between Uber and a more recent arrival on the ride-hailing scene – Bolt.
The Estonian company, initially known in Zurich for its green electric scooters, has also been offering ride services since May 2023 – often at even lower prices than Uber.
READ ALSO: Ride-hailing service Bolt to challenge Uber in Zurich
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A bumpy ride
Since its arrival in Switzerland (and Zurich) in 2013, the US company has hit quite a few bumps on the road.
The first one occurred in 2019, when a Swiss court ruled that Uber drivers are not ‘independent contractors’ – as the company treated them – but, rather, ‘employees,’ which meant that, as required by Swiss law, Uber is responsible for paying social charges for its drivers.
And in 2020, Zurich voters approved measures to bring regulation for Uber and other ride-sharing services in line with taxis and other limousine services – meaning that drivers need to register with cantonal authorities and place obvious signs on their vehicles to distinguish them from regular cars.
