On July 9, app-hail and delivery drivers gathered at Little Bay Park in Queens to honor the lives of colleagues who have died on the job. Organized by the Justice for App Workers coalition, the event brought together drivers and industry advocates to remember fallen coworkers and demand safety reforms.
“Over the past 14 years, ridesharing and delivery services have become a critical part of New York City’s infrastructure, with over 100,000 app workers powering transportation, food delivery, and other essential services,” the group stated. “Yet the job continues to expose drivers and bikers to disproportionate levels of danger. App workers are significantly more likely than other workers to be victims of violent crime on the job, and countless others face traffic accidents, health issues caused by grueling hours, and inadequate insurance and safety regulations.”
The Justice for App Workers coalition includes: The Independent Drivers Guild, UTANY, The NYC Rideshare Club, United Delivery Workers Association, International Alliance of Delivery Workers, Long Island Uber & Lyft Network, Black Car Mafia, UzBER and NOMAD.
Speakers at the memorial called on tech companies and policymakers to adopt a series of critical safety measures, including:
- Emergency safety tools like panic buttons and real-time tracking
- A zero tolerance policy and permanent bans on customers who harass or assault app workers
- Verified rider identification so app workers know who they are picking up
- Insurance and survivor benefits for families of workers killed on the job
- Stronger protections against long shifts and forced fatigue
“These deaths were not inevitable, they happened because billion-dollar companies chose profit over safety,” said Adaligisa Payero, leader of UTANY. “We’re here to mourn, but we’re also here to organize and demand action.”
Source: Justice for App Workers
