Uber Takes Heat for ‘Hypocritical’ Fake-Woke Billboard

The latest performative corporate wokeness charade comes from the gig economy exploitation robber-barons at Uber, who put some version of this billboard in Oakland and 12 other U.S. cities, claiming, “If you tolerate racism, delete Uber.” That’s odd, considering that Uber gladly tolerates their own racist algorithm that charges higher rates for rides in non-white neighborhoods.

This billboard is offensive in itself. What is worse is that it is right above a nightclub that serves the African immigrant community. The SAME community Uber disproportionately fucks over in Oakland. https://t.co/OxgDqfJH9l

— Bodacious Bayes (@GraphicalModel) August 28, 2020

That’s why drivers of color and labor activists are protesting Wednesday at a “‘If You Support Racial Justice, Vote No on Prop 22’ rally, on Wednesday, September 9 at 11 a.m., right beneath that very goddamned tone-deaf billboard seen above, at 2430 Broadway in Oakland.

Uber claims they're "anti-racist" while pouring millions into a prop to repeal our rights. We're fed up.

TOMORROW at 11 AM: Join us and @wedriveprogress for an action in front of Uber's racist billboard at 2430 Broadway, Oakland.

Economic justice is racial justice! #NoOnProp22 pic.twitter.com/nREpqyZzXk

— VoteNoOnProp22 (@GigWorkersRise) September 8, 2020

“On Wednesday, September 9, rideshare drivers from Gig Workers Rising and We Drive Progress are calling out Uber for their hypocritical billboard reading,” labor organizers Gig Workers Rising said in a statement. “Drivers will also condemn Uber for simultaneously spending tens of millions on Proposition 22 (gig companies including Uber plan to spend a whopping $181m on the Prop 22 campaign), their racist ballot measure that would relegate drivers into a permanent underclass of workers without basic rights and protections. 78% of gig workers in San Francisco are people of color.

uber also isn't /paying/ it's mostly poor Black and brown drivers but go off about a $500 billboard, I guess https://t.co/bUhwOp72CQ

— ????. (@afrocommunist) September 2, 2020

“Uber and Lyft drivers will denounce the incongruence between Uber’s anti-racist public statements and the horrendous working conditions that the companies’ majority nonwhite drivers experience. Drivers will also speak about why they’re voting no on Proposition 22, which would allow these companies to continue to deny drivers their legally-entitled benefits.”

Greedy corporations are pouring millions of $$ to rig the economy against workers. Wealthy CEOs are using loopholes to avoid paying their fair share while Uber & Lyft spend millions to deny their workers a living wage. Stand up to giant corporations. Vote #YESon15 & #NOonProp22! pic.twitter.com/2287pMCbRA

— California Labor Federation (@CaliforniaLabor) September 3, 2020

Prop, 22 is Uber and Lyft’s App-Based Drivers as Contractors Initiative that tech companies are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into. According to the California Labor Federation, “Prop 22 is a carve out in law that allows Uber and app companies to deny their drivers rights and protections like paid sick leave, workers compensation or unemployment benefits,” and “exempts these multi-billion-dollar gig corporations from contributing to safety net programs we all need like Social Security, Medicare and Unemployment Insurance.”

Even if you can’t make it to Wednesday’s action, do be sure to vote No on Prop. 22 on November 3.