Bangladesh Uber drivers strike for commission cut

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s already congested capital Dhaka was further disrupted Monday as thousands of Uber drivers went on strike in the city of 20 million, demanding a cut in the commission they pay to the global ridesharing giant.
Uber, which has helped to shake up local transportation worldwide and whose shares went public this year, has seen a backlash in many countries against its business practices from regulators and drivers alike.
Two driver unions called a 24-hour strike to protest against the 25 percent cut they give Uber, as well as other restrictions in the mobile-based ridesharing app, union leader Kaiyum Ahmed Shuvo told AFP.
Another leader, Belal Ahmed, said out of the 12,000 Uber drivers active in Dhaka at least 7,000 had joined the strike, due to end early Tuesday morning.
Among several demands, the drivers want Uber to cut its commission to 12 percent and also remove the daily 12-hour limit on their working hours.
“We called the strike because Uber has not paid any heed to our demands. If they don’t meet our demands we will announce a new set of actions very soon,” Shuvo said.