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Ride share drivers in New York state can look forward to more equitable treatment in the near future.
In response to a $328 million to settle wage theft claims, Uber and Lyft will start laying plans to implement a minimum wage and paid sick leave for drivers in that area. The announcement about the landmark changes came from NY Attorney General Letitia James earlier this month.
The settlement comes after the companies were accused charging the drivers sales taxes and other fees when customers should’ve paid them instead.
“Rideshare drivers work at all hours of the day and night to take people wherever they need to go,” James said in a statement. “For years, Uber and Lyft systemically cheated their drivers out of hundreds of millions of dollars in pay and benefits while they worked long hours in challenging conditions.”
“We’ve waited eight long years to see justice for our members, a workforce that was cheated out of better living conditions, and timely meals and rest and leisure because the earnings that would have provided for that life were stolen by multi-billion dollar corporations,” said Bhairavi Desai, head of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, one of the key figures in calling attention to the wage theft issue.
According to reports, ride share drivers and passengers are becoming more disgruntled across the nation as Uber and Lyft fees fares continue to rise, yet wages are stagnant.
“It would be a disaster especially if you’re visiting {Atlanta},” Felicia Slater said in an 11Alive report earlier this year. “That’s one of the top services you’ll need if you’re trying to get from point A to point B.”
The outlet also pointed out that passengers recognize that Uber’s policies have more built-in provision for customers and not nearly enough for drivers.
“I got to the pickup, (and) he was upset and cursing me out because I had mistaken another man,” an interviewee shared to 11 Alive regarding an incident with an unhappy passenger.
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