If you’ve got plans for Valentine’s Day that include delivery of food, flowers, or gifts, you may want to have a backup: Drivers and gig workers for ridesharing platforms Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash plan to strike on Feb. 14 for fair pay, which means your orders may not be picked up and dropped off (and rides may be unavailable).
Drivers for rideshare services are independent contractors and are striking to draw attention to these platforms’ pay structures, including the percentage of fees taken as commission. Representatives note that many drivers work full-time for rideshare services but don’t make a livable wage. Workers plan to picket outside airports and Uber offices.
If you’re flying in or out of certain airports and expecting to surprise your significant other for Valentine’s, you should also be prepared to make alternative transportation plans. The Justice for App Workers coalition, which represents 130,000 drivers and delivery workers, is organizing a strike between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time at Newark Liberty International Airport and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport as well as airports in the following cities:
-
Austin, Texas
-
Hartford, Conn.
-
Miami
-
Orlando, Fla.
-
Philadelphia
-
Pittsburgh
-
Providence, R.I.
-
Tampa, Fla.
Bottom line: Don’t plan your Valentine’s Day celebration around calling a ride or ordering in. If you still need ideas for how to celebrate, we’ve got recommendations for last-minute gifts, what to give besides flowers, and date ideas for both going out and staying in.