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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Tickets go live as opening date is announced for Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience
Emily Sergeant
Tickets to visit Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience have officially gone live ahead of the grand opening.
Set to open in the heart of the £300m Medlock Square entertainment district at Manchester’s Etihad Campus next month, the Manchester City Museum Experience will be spread across 10 distinctive spaces – with visitors invited to take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic environments from throughout the club’s history.
Fans will also be able to take part in interactive media experiences, like posing with all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams or trying their hand at football punditry.
The experience will combine the latest immersive technology with physical memorabilia drawn from across the club’s history to do this.
Hidden details and surprising ‘did you know’ facts are set to be embedded across the experience, so that even the most devoted Man City fans will have the chance to discover something new about the club they love.
By combining interactive environments, technology, and authentic artefacts, the experience is aiming to appeal to a wide audience – from lifelong Manchester City supporters, to families and those with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
“The Museum Experience has been designed as a destination that goes beyond just the pitch,” commented Jeremy Maxton, who is the Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City Football Club.
Manchester City releases CGIs and important details of its new ‘immersive’ museum / Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
“Whether you’re a lifelong supporter, visiting Manchester for a weekend, or simply looking for a unique day out, we’ve created an experience that offers something for everyone.
“From the recreated environments and original memorabilia to the interactive elements, there are different ways into the Club’s history throughout the Museum.
“We’ve also built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the experience can continue to evolve. It’s been a huge project to bring together and we’re looking forward to people seeing it for themselves later this year.”
The Manchester City Museum Experience officially opens on 14 December, and you can now book tickets to visit from that date here.
Featured Image – Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
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TfGM apologises after two weeks of major tram disruption across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Trams have finally resumed running in Greater Manchester following two weeks of major disruption across the Metrolink network.
Tram services have resumed across the Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Park lines this morning (Monday 2 November) following the completion of major track replacement work between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield, while maintenance and renewal work also took place on the Eccles line and in the city centre during the planned closure.
Engineers replaced around 4km of track on what is said to be one of the ‘busiest and most complex’ sections of the Metrolink network.
The new track will allow further speed restrictions to be lifted, as according to TfGM, around 100,000 journeys are already benefiting from journey time improvements delivered through previous phases of work every day.
It all forms part of the next phase of the ongoing £150m investment into Greater Manchester’s tram network in a bid to make it ‘safer’ and ‘more resilient and reliable’ for years to come.
✅ This morning, tram services have resumed on the Altrincham, East Didsbury, Eccles, Manchester Airport and Trafford Park lines.
We thank customers for their patience and understanding while these works took place.
↪️ A small service change remains in place through the city centre until the end of service on Wednesday 4 November.
Until then, trams on the Bury – Altrincham, and Victoria – Manchester Airport lines will divert via Exchange Square. Customers may need to change trams to reach Shudehill or Market Street.
👉 Find out more: https://t.co/Vm08ZEDUq4
With services now back up and running, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has issued a statement apologising for disruption.
Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, commented: “This was an essential piece of engineering work on one of the busiest parts of our tram network and will help keep services safe, reliable and fit for the future.
“We’re sorry for the disruption and I’d like to thank passengers, residents, and businesses for their patience while we got on with the job.
“The upgrades mean customers will benefit from smoother journeys and allow us to lift further speed restrictions on this section of the network. It will help speed up our journeys and improve reliability for everyone who uses our network.
“Completing work of this scale on time is a significant achievement and I’d like to thank everyone involved for getting it done safely and efficiently.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th December 2022 
