A union representing app drivers and couriers working in the gig economy has warned of an “unprecedented jobs crisis” faced because of the planned introduction of driverless taxis in London this year.
In a post on Facebook, the App Drivers and Couriers Union declared a “state of emergency” for 100,000 London private hire drivers.
Its statement quotes General Secretary Cristina-Georgiana Ioanitescu, as saying: “For years, PHV [Private Hire Vehicle] drivers have kept this city moving. Early mornings, late nights, long hours in traffic, they’ve done it all. They’ve carried key workers during the pandemic, helped families get home safely, and supported London’s economy every single day.
“But now, with companies like Waymo preparing to roll out driverless cars across our streets, thousands of livelihoods are being put at risk, and the people in power are not doing enough to protect the workers who will be hit the hardest.
“Let’s be clear: This isn’t just about technology. This is about fairness, dignity, and the future of work. Autonomous vehicles don’t pay rent. They don’t support families. They don’t contribute to local communities. But drivers do, and they always have.
“Yet the legislation being pushed through right now focuses on making the roads ready for robots, while doing almost nothing to make the future safe for workers. There are no retraining programmes, no transition plans, no income protections, and no guarantees for the tens of thousands of drivers who stand to lose everything.
“We refuse to accept a future where workers are treated as disposable. We refuse to accept a system where technology is used to cut costs at the expense of human lives. And we refuse to let corporations rewrite the rules of our city without the voices of workers at the table.”
The union says that, “if autonomous vehicles are coming, then so must stronger rights, stronger protections, and stronger unions.”
It is calling for “a just transition plan for all PHV drivers, job protection guarantees as automation expands, fair licensing rules that don’t favour billion‑dollar tech companies over working people and consultation with unions before any major deployment of autonomous fleets”. It also wants a commitment that no worker will be left behind in the name of “innovation.”
“To every driver who feels anxious about the future; you are not alone. To every family who depends on this income; your fight is our fight. And to every politician and corporation watching, understand this clearly – workers built this city, and workers will not be pushed aside,” its statement concludes. “Together, we will organise. Together, we will demand fairness. And together, we will make sure that the future of transport in London is a future that includes the people who keep it moving.”
(Picture – Olga Gonzalez)
