Former driver Lenny Sanchez says he was kicked off the Uber app after being falsely accused of leaving the scene of an accident by a passenger who retaliated after being admonished for drinking a beer in the backseat.
Bryan Cyhaniuk says he was falsely accused of pocketing a ring left in the backseat of his car, then blew his cool and was deactivated after enduring a series of harassing phone calls from the rider.
Drivers who work for Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing and food delivery apps would be guaranteed the right to appeal before being stripped of their livelihoods under a proposal championed by retiring Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10th), chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Workforce Development, at the behest of the Independent Drivers Guild of Illinois.
Uber and Lyft had no immediate comment on the proposed ordinance.
A so-called “Driver Resource Center” would be created to give drivers a forum to present their side of the story. If the “Deactivation Appeals Panel” rules a false accusation was made, deactivated drivers would be compensated for their lost wages plus 9% interest.
Sanchez now serves as executive director of the Independent Drivers Guild, an affiliate of the Machinists Union that advocates for drivers in Illinois and four other states.
He said he’ll never forget the deactivation nightmare that began when he heard the pop of a beer can and told his passenger to finish it quickly or throw it out when he pulled over. The rider finished the beer...
Dish Wireless LLC agreed to pay roughly $17 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, common law, and the Communications Act of 1934 relating to claims submitted to Fed...