Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has decried the alleged threat by Bolt Nigeria to permanently deactivate its members in Rivers State for demanding 50 per cent fare hike.

The group, in a statement by its National spokesperson, Jossy Adaraniwon, frowned on “the nonchalant threat” by Bolt Nigeria. The statement from Bolt reads “Any driver found to be charging riders outside the app or demanding extra payments beyond the agreed in-app fare will face immediate and permanent removal from the Bolt platform.”

Reacting to the threat, AUATON stated that blocking a driver in Port Harcourt would translate to blocking all Bolt drivers in Nigeria. It clarified that there was no pre-agreed or authorised in-app fare between Bolt and members of app-based workers. Instead, Bolt and other ride hailing apps have always undermined this major part which directly affects earnings and return on investment for their members. They have single-handedly set a ridiculous fare and a huge commission for themselves.

The second claim by Bolt was quoted as, “We would like to state unequivocally that this action is unauthorised and goes against Bolt’s operating policies. The Bolt platform already provides drivers with flexibility through the Price Bidding feature, which allows them to propose their own fares for each trip based on what riders are willing to pay. This ensures fair and transparent pricing for both drivers and riders without the need for any external fare adjustment or surcharge. AUATON views this as an attempt to mislead the general public, and goes against Bolt’s policy statement, which clearly states that Bolt is not a transport company, but a platform that connects drivers and riders.

“The union finds it oppressive, unfair and unacceptable for Bolt to continue fixing prices without authorisation of app-based workers. They believe that the drivers should be able to negotiate their commission with Bolt but have freedom to set their own prices.”

The union cited a transportation company like God is Good that also uses an app, which fixes its price, without an intermediary.

“It is important that Bolt, Uber and Indrive comes to the negotiation table towards this understanding, failure of which would definitely lead to members boycotting the app for lack of cooperation, disregard to call for a collective bargaining and move to a more market-friendly app endorsed by the union based on collective bargaining and collective decision-making that protect and promote our worker’s welfare and fair price to the riders.

“The union remains committed to protecting the rights of app-based workers across Nigeria, and we also call on members of the public, particularly our passengers, to stop being sympathetic to app companies’ oppressive trade practices and anti-worker practices that support the exploitation of app companies against drivers and render our members financially incapacitated,” it added. (The Guardian)