Uber customers are being urged to “boycott” the company as some drivers across Manchester prepare to strike on Friday.
After a new ‘smart pricing’ system appears to have sparked anger among some drivers who use the ride-sharing platform, as it reportedly resulted in them being given less of the fare, and ultimately less earnings overall, a number of Uber drivers across the region have been speaking out about their intentions to strike this Friday.
The majority of the drivers taking part in the strikes, on what is always known to be one of the busiest days of festive period, are said to be part of the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU).
On top of changes to the pricing system, union bosses said drivers were only paid when they were transporting passengers, and not during time when they were waiting for the passengers – which they claimed leaves drivers “short-changed for about 40% of their true working time”.
Because of this, the ADCU is calling on Uber customers in Manchester and beyond to “boycott” the service to support striking drivers amid the rising cost of living crisis.
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Yaseen Aslam – President of the ADCU – said: “With the current crisis including cost of living, fuel hike, and at a time when traditionally it should be a busy month for our members, it is disappointing that drivers have no choice but to do strike in order to make their voices heard.
“We request the public to stand with us in solidarity and not break our digital picket line by using Uber during the strike hours in areas where our members are striking.”
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People urged to ‘boycott Uber’ as drivers in Manchester strike this Friday / Credit: Humphrey Muleba | Charles Deluvio (via Unsplash)
Safwan Chanchwelia is one Uber driver in Manchester who has told The Manc he will be striking.
“I will be participating in the strikes – I won’t be logging on and I hope all drivers do the same, as we need to keep the unity to protect ourselves,” Mr Chanchwelia explained.
“Many of us [drivers], including myself, will be joining the region wide-strike at a time when we also have national strikes involving other public and service sector unions, and it’s due to the low wages and high commission rates charged by Uber. This is further exacerbated by the cost of living crisis, high fuel prices, and increase in interest rates, which is placing additional strain on drivers take-home pay.
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“Whilst many drivers consider their positive contribution to Ubers success in the taxi/private hire industry within UK, drivers now feel exploited with high commission rates being charged resulting in low wages due to their market dominance.
“These conditions aren’t fair.
“We are doing a job here, and we’re not being paid enough, so I hope Uber as a company recognises that we deserve to be paid a fair price for all our trips.”
It comes after a new ‘smart pricing’ system appears to have sparked anger among some drivers / Credit: Uber UK
In response to the drivers’ intentions to strike this Friday, a spokesperson for Uber said: “Uber’s pricing can vary by trip in order to improve reliability at certain times [but] drivers are always shown how much they’ll be paid before accepting a trip, and they receive 100% of this amount.
“There have been a number of important changes to the way drivers earn on Uber since 2021.
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“Uber is the only platform to provide holiday pay and access to a pension plan to help boost their earnings – which have grown significantly due to recent fare increases and growing rider demand.”
Although talks are still ongoing, it is believed that around 1,000 Ubers drivers in Manchester have agreed not to work on Friday 16 December, according to the MEN.
It is understood they will sign-on rival ride-sharing service Bolt instead.
Featured Image – Flickr
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Glamorous new Salford restaurant speaks out as controversial resident parrot is rehomed
Daisy Jackson
A new riverside restaurant and shisha lounge has addressed the live parrot that was living in the middle of the restaurant.
Gardens Lounge in Salford opened last week, bringing Mediterranean dining to the banks of the River Irwell, just across the water from Manchester city centre.
But among those admiring the stylish decor were many issuing an outcry over Rio, a beautiful blue macaw displayed in a glass box at the heart of the restaurant.
A loud online campaign, Free Rio, was launched this week, including a petition that’s gained more than 10,000 signatures, which described his conditions as ‘suffering’.
The petition said: “Rio is a highly intelligent, wild animal who is being kept in wholly inadequate conditions. He is being used as a prop and décor to attract customers, this is not an appropriate or acceptable use of a living, sentient being.
“His current conditions cause us serious concern: His cage is entirely unsuitable for a macaw of his size and needs. He has no room to fly. He has nowhere to hide or retreat from the loud music and flashing lights he is subjected to for hours on en
“Macaws are highly social animals who mate for life and live in large family groups, Rio has no mate, no companionship, and no ability to express any natural behaviour whatsoever.
The restaurant has since been working closely with those campaigners – Protect the Wild and Vegan Manchester – and has made the decision to rehome Rio the parrot, saying that the bird has always been ‘a much-loved member of the Garden Lounge’s family’.
Gardens said that the parrot’s welfare has always been ‘of the utmost importance’ and stressed that his living conditions have been fully assessed and approved by the RSPCA.
In their full statement, Gardens said: “The welfare of Rio has always been of the utmost importance to everyone at Garden’s Lounge Manchester.
“Throughout his time with us, his health, wellbeing and environment have been thoroughly monitored and fully assessed and approved by the RSPCA.
The cage that housed Rio the parrot visible from the front door of the Salford restaurantGardens Lounge in Salford is open now
“Following extensive discussions and careful consideration, including conversations with members of the Manchester community whose views we greatly respect, we have made the decision to relocate Rio to a sanctuary environment, where he will have the opportunity to fly freely while continuing to receive specialist care and attention.
“Rio has been, and always will be, a much-loved member of the Garden’s Lounge family, and this decision has been made with his best interests at heart.
“We are proud of the love and care he has received over the years and are grateful to everyone who has shown him such affection and support.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Garden’s Lounge Manchester soon and thank our customers, friends and the wider community for their continued support.”
The ITV hype video for the 2026 World Cup has just done that – let’s make some memories
Danny Jones
We’ll admit, much like with Qatar ’22, there have been a few things about this upcoming World Cup that have made it harder to get in the mood than usual, but we must confess: ITV’s new opening titles for the 2026 edition have got us well and truly HYPED.
It’s funny what a quick little montage and some feel-good music can do.
Let’s face it, there are a lot of things about modern football we don’t like, and there are always going to be criticisms of FIFA and how they handle major tournaments, especially when it comes to the biggest international fixtures of them all.
Sadly, a lot of this is out of our control, but what we can do is our bit as supporters and get behind the boys; with trailers like this, it’s hard not to get yourself up for it…
How well you remember the customary title sequences for each tournament is usually a good barometer.
We have a feeling that this one is going to stick out in the memories of not just the kids enjoying maybe some of their first real major tournaments, but plenty of us adults, too.
The reaction online has been largely positive too, with popular football social media account, The 44, writing: “Oh my god! ITV have smashed it. Better or just as good as 2014”.
Another went on to say, “[It’s] mental how this one minute and nineteen second video has just made me incredibly excited for the World Cup. ITV know how to do an intro, don’t they?”
Furthermore, a third added: “Great intro. And FIFA might’ve messed everything up with 48 teams instead of 32 and blown it on ticket prices, but once the World Cup kicks off, there’s nothing like it.
With fewer fans being able to travel or even begin to remotely afford flying out for just one game, let alone the whole month, it’s great to see Manchester setting up big screens like these.
All that being said, there has, of course, still been lots of backlash over how hosting the World Cup in North America has been handled in general thus far.
Be it the plight of scammers, exorbitant ticket prices, punters and even referees being denied entry to the country due to President Trump’s travel sanctions, or the general political state over in the US, it’s far from a perfect year for ‘the beautiful game’ and its biggest competition.
However, it’s worth reminding that nations like Mexico have as strong an obsession with football as anyone on the planet, and Canada is clearly relishing the opportunity to host matches in Toronto and Vancouver, where footy is still their largest sport overall.
We expect there will still be plenty of protests and demonstrations, not to mention fairly public messages and statements up around the stadiums in the cities involved, no doubt, but one thing we can make sure of is that England will back the Three Lions both up in the stands and back here at home.
Those clips seen in the ITV video serve as yet another undeniable reminder that there is simply nothing like cheering on your country on the big stage, so make sure you lock down where to watch the World Cup in Manchester soon, and don’t miss a second of the action. It’s coming home.
Emily Sergeant -
14th December 2022 
