Hundreds of motorbike driver partners for ride-hailing and delivery apps are slated to hold a peaceful demonstration in Jakarta on Thursday to demand better work conditions and a firm legal standing.
The Two-Wheeler Action Movement (Garda) advocacy group announced in a statement on Wednesday that a rally was to begin at midday at the Merdeka Palace in Gambir, Central Jakarta, and move from there to the Gojek office in Petojo, Central Jakarta and then to the Grab office in Cilandak, South Jakarta.
Gojek and Grab are the two biggest providers of ride-hailing and food delivery services with super-apps that also offer digital payments and other on-demand services.
Driver partners located in the Greater Jakarta area will not take any food delivery, instant delivery or transportation orders during the protest, a statement issued by the National Online Drivers Coalition on Wednesday said.
“Due to the demonstration over Grab, Gojek, Maxim, Shopee and Lalamove’s unjust business [practices] toward online motorbike driver partners, we on behalf of Greater Jakarta online motorbike drivers [announce that we] will not accept any food [delivery], ride or package [delivery] orders on Aug. 29,” the coalition said in the statement.
Garda leader Igun Wicaksono said in its statement that 500 to 1,000 motorbike driver partners would attend the rally to demonstrate the solidarity of online motorbike drivers, who are “increasingly oppressed” by online delivery platforms amid the government’s failure to provide the proper legal framework to ensure drivers’ rights are fully protected.
“Until now, the legal status of online motorcycle taxis is still considered illegal without any legal standing in the form of a law,” Igun said in the statement.
He explained that absence of a legal standing for on-demand motorbike drivers meant the app operators could act arbitrarily without any pressure to provide a real solution and without strict sanctions from the government.
“We hope that ride-hailing companies also respect the opinions of their [driver] partners as a form of input that needs to be considered and that the government can also solve the problems that continue to resurface in the online transportation ecosystem,” he added.
The Manpower Ministry’s industrial relations and social security director general, Indah Anggoro Putri, said she had not received information about the planned action.
“I haven’t heard. Usually, if they want to demonstrate, they invite me,” she said on Wednesday, as reported by Detik Finance.
Asked about the drivers’ demands regarding their legal standing, Indah said the government recognized online motorcycle taxi driving as a legal job.
“I think [online motorcycle taxis] are legal […]. It’s legal. What’s illegal about it?” Indah said.
Gojek spokeswoman Rosel Lavina said the company was always open to driver partners’ aspirations and encouraged them to convey input in a conducive and orderly manner.
“On the other hand, we also regret any attempts to create the impression that some of our services will not operate due to planned demonstrations. We emphasize that Gojek operations will continue to run normally, and customers can continue to use Gojek services as usual,” she told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
She appealed to driver partners “not to be provoked and to continue operating as usual,” adding that Gojek would take firm measures “against individuals who take action that is detrimental to our customers or partners.”
Asia News Network (ANN)/The Jakarta Post
The Two-Wheeler Action Movement (Garda) advocacy group announced in a statement on Wednesday that a rally was to begin at midday at the Merdeka Palace in Gambir, Central Jakarta, and move from there to the Gojek office in Petojo, Central Jakarta and then to the Grab office in Cilandak, South Jakarta.
Gojek and Grab are the two biggest providers of ride-hailing and food delivery services with super-apps that also offer digital payments and other on-demand services.
Driver partners located in the Greater Jakarta area will not take any food delivery, instant delivery or transportation orders during the protest, a statement issued by the National Online Drivers Coalition on Wednesday said.
“Due to the demonstration over Grab, Gojek, Maxim, Shopee and Lalamove’s unjust business [practices] toward online motorbike driver partners, we on behalf of Greater Jakarta online motorbike drivers [announce that we] will not accept any food [delivery], ride or package [delivery] orders on Aug. 29,” the coalition said in the statement.
Garda leader Igun Wicaksono said in its statement that 500 to 1,000 motorbike driver partners would attend the rally to demonstrate the solidarity of online motorbike drivers, who are “increasingly oppressed” by online delivery platforms amid the government’s failure to provide the proper legal framework to ensure drivers’ rights are fully protected.
“Until now, the legal status of online motorcycle taxis is still considered illegal without any legal standing in the form of a law,” Igun said in the statement.
He explained that absence of a legal standing for on-demand motorbike drivers meant the app operators could act arbitrarily without any pressure to provide a real solution and without strict sanctions from the government.
“We hope that ride-hailing companies also respect the opinions of their [driver] partners as a form of input that needs to be considered and that the government can also solve the problems that continue to resurface in the online transportation ecosystem,” he added.
The Manpower Ministry’s industrial relations and social security director general, Indah Anggoro Putri, said she had not received information about the planned action.
“I haven’t heard. Usually, if they want to demonstrate, they invite me,” she said on Wednesday, as reported by Detik Finance.
Asked about the drivers’ demands regarding their legal standing, Indah said the government recognized online motorcycle taxi driving as a legal job.
“I think [online motorcycle taxis] are legal […]. It’s legal. What’s illegal about it?” Indah said.
Gojek spokeswoman Rosel Lavina said the company was always open to driver partners’ aspirations and encouraged them to convey input in a conducive and orderly manner.
“On the other hand, we also regret any attempts to create the impression that some of our services will not operate due to planned demonstrations. We emphasize that Gojek operations will continue to run normally, and customers can continue to use Gojek services as usual,” she told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
She appealed to driver partners “not to be provoked and to continue operating as usual,” adding that Gojek would take firm measures “against individuals who take action that is detrimental to our customers or partners.”
Asia News Network (ANN)/The Jakarta Post
