Uber drivers plan protest over pay ahead of IPO

Uber Technologies Inc`s drivers in six U.S. cities are planning to shut their apps for 12 hours on May 8 to protest against low wages and working conditions, two days ahead of the company`s expected market debut. Drivers in San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Philadelphia and Washington DC will shut their app on the day, when a separate protest will be carried out outside Uber`s head office in San Francisco, a spokeswoman for Gig Workers Rising, a campaign for gig workers, told Reuters.

About "hundreds of drivers" are likely to join the protest, with Los Angeles and San Francisco expected to see a higher concentration of people, Clarkson said on Monday. The drivers` demands also include employee benefit plans such as health care, holiday pay and representation in Uber`s management structure.

Uber expects to price its IPO on May 9 and begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange the following day, people familiar with the matter have said. "Uber`s IPO will put millions in the pockets of executives, but the drivers who provide the service that is core to the company will get nothing, " Clarkson said.

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To improve relations with drivers, Uber had announced plans to offer cash bonuses to some of its most active drivers with the option to purchase shares in the company`s market debut. Uber did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.