Heathrow Airport could face disruption as IWGB urges Uber and ridehail app drivers to log-off on 1 May
- Perry Richardson
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 30
Heathrow Airport is expected to face disruption on Thursday 1 May as private hire drivers working for platforms such as Uber and Bolt prepare to strike.
The action comes just ahead of the bank holiday weekend and is part of a coordinated 24-hour global strike calling for fair pay, better working conditions, and stronger protections for gig economy drivers.
The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union, which is organising the protest, has warned that passengers arriving at Heathrow on Thursday may experience travel delays. Drivers are planning to block pick-up areas and refuse jobs between 7am and 9am.
The disruption at Heathrow will coincide with a full-day strike affecting several UK cities, including London, Newcastle, Bristol, and Manchester. Thousands of drivers are expected to log off their apps in a move that will stretch into cities across the United States, Nigeria, and Uruguay.
The strike action has been timed to coincide with International Workers’ Day. The IWGB claims that private hire drivers are struggling with falling fares, long hours, and a lack of basic employment protections. According to the union, drivers report that the conditions are seriously affecting their mental health, relationships, and physical wellbeing.
Among the key demands are higher base fares, fairer pay structures, protection against unfair account deactivations, and improved safety measures for drivers.
In London, tensions have already been high in recent weeks. Drivers have protested over significant delays to the Transport for London (TfL) private hire licensing system. The IWGB estimates that thousands of drivers have been left unable to work due to licensing backlogs, with many facing severe financial hardship. The union says over 800 drivers have contacted them directly, reporting debt and destitution caused by the prolonged waiting times.
The planned disruption at Heathrow is likely to increase pressure on ride-hailing platforms and regulatory bodies to address the growing concerns from gig economy workers.
Nader Awaad, Chair of the IWGB Private Hire Drivers, said: “Drivers around the world today are not living but surviving - we’re hanging on by a thread. There are hidden epidemics of depression, chronic pain and broken relationships plaguing the workforce, because of unhealthily long hours spent on the road trying to scrape a living. And pay isn’t the only thing that causes us stress - we live with the constant threat of losing our income if our accounts are unfairly deactivated, and the anxiety that, with no proper safety protections, we might be the next driver to face violent assault. We can’t afford to stay silent any longer, so we will use every tool at our disposal to disrupt business as usual until we make our voices heard.
“The shareholders at the top of this industry think they can get away with devastating drivers’ lives to fund their luxury lifestyles, but workers around the world have had enough, and are uniting across borders to send a powerful message this May Day. This is a global fightback against a broken system.”
Kambiz Hemati, a driver of 12 years, said: “I don’t think the riders who get in the back of our cars know what life is really like for most of us. I work seven days a week, but only take home three days’ worth of pay after Uber’s commission and the cost and maintenance of my car is taken out. There have been times when I can’t sleep at night because of the stress. But I refuse to let Uber destroy my family’s lives - I’m standing up alongside thousands of other drivers across the UK and the rest of the world to take power back into our hands.”
