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IWGB warns driverless robo-cabs could put London private hire livelihoods at risk following London Assembly report
The IWGB Private Hire Drivers Union has renewed its opposition to driverless cars in London, saying the London Assembly Transport Committee’s report on autonomous passenger vehicles confirms concerns about the impact on drivers’ jobs and family incomes.
Gholomreza “Rez” Kamyabi, an Uber driver and vice-chair of the IWGB Private Hire Drivers union, called on the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) to prevent driverless cars from operating in the capital.
“We call on Sadiq Khan and TfL to stop driverless cars being unleashed on the streets of London,” Kamyabi said. “Many of our greatest anxieties were confirmed by this report from the London Assembly Transport Committee. Prior to its release, Autonomous Vehicles already represented a frightening prospect to every private hire driver. The report vindicates those fears.”
Kamyabi said drivers already see autonomous vehicles being tested on London roads and fear the technology could threaten their ability to earn a living. “Every car feeds a family, and the prospect of not being able to earn money leaves us all with a deep uncertainty as to how we will provide for them,” he said. “We already struggle to get by as it is.”
He also questioned whether decision-makers were giving enough weight to the interests of workers. “The report also leaves us with big questions around whether those in power care more about pleasing international tech corporations than the people who help keep London moving,” he said.
IWGB President Alex Marshall said the Committee was right to recognise the potential consequences for private hire drivers. “The IWGB Private Hire Drivers Union opposes the rollout of driverless cars,” he said, warning they could push thousands of people out of work, with consequences for drivers, their families and communities.
Marshall described the possible job losses as “a potential social and economic crisis” and argued that technology companies and investors stood to benefit while workers bore the cost. “Their profit comes at our expense,” he said.
The Assembly report examines the possible effects of autonomous passenger vehicles on employment, passenger safety, congestion and London’s transport network. It calls for a fair transition for the sector, including planning for job losses, retraining and redeployment opportunities, and a way to fund transition arrangements.
Marshall said the debate should consider whether London wants driverless cars at the potential cost to workers. “If the Government and TfL are serious about protecting London’s workers, they must ask a more fundamental question: does London need or want driverless cars at such a devastating human cost?” he said.
“Managing the fallout is not enough,” Marshall added. “London’s private hire drivers, who help keep this city moving, are not disposable. The IWGB will continue to fight for them and to challenge a future in which corporate profits are put ahead of people’s livelihoods.”
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