The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWN) has said its protest Friday against Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy as it affects their business.
Rising from its national emergency meeting in Lagos on Wednesday, the union, which said it had reviewed the protest, which started on Wednesday and will continue Thursday.
The union said its members across the country would participate in the action, having stayed off work to press home their demand for a 200 per cent increase in the fare per trip and a minimum trip fare of N2,000, following the fuel subsidy removal by the government.
AUATWN members are: Uber, Bolt, LagRide, InDriver, Drup, among others.
The union’s National President Damola Adeniran, who spoke through a statement by the Media and Publicity Committee Chairman Jossy Olawale, said AUATWN members were no longer at ease.
“We have, overtime, been subjected to hardship, oppression and cowed in the name of wanting to survive as unemployed graduates who humbly undertake driving jobs,” he said.
Adeniran said Bolt had started blocking the account of members of the excos of the union over the protest.
The union leader asked for more equitable payment for AUATWN’s workers.
He said: “As a union, we have the right to protest and protect the right of our members for better welfare, as a result which we cannot be punished while undertaking this lawful path.
“But it’s now an abomination that a company operating in our country cannot be subjected or operate in accordance with our constitution except that of Estonia, as stated in the terms and conditions of Bolt that (any driver that signs up to Bolt is governed by its country of origin’s laws).
“We have, therefore, examined the implementation of another country’s law over our members living in our own country with unlawful blocking of drivers’ accounts of some national executive council officials of AUATWON, stating they impose a strike as member of the union.”
Bolt has also said 270 per cent increase in PMS is equal to 270 per cent driving time as this acknowledged that the percentage increase is equal to consumption of corresponding driving time but irrational agreed that a meager 27 per cent increase in fare is quite enough to meet the new increase in price, this is mathematically impossible and practically unattainable.
The union leader said the demands of AUATWN’s members remained unchanged: increase in fares by 200 per cent, reduction of commission by 50 per cent, among others.
He said the union members were open for negotiation.
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