The Professional E-hailing Drivers and
Private Owners Association,
(PEDPA)
Lagos State,
Nigeria.
To The Entire E-hailing
Drivers Community,
Lagos State.
Dear Comrades,
RE: UNIONISM AND LEADERSHIP MENTORING: THE WAY TO GO FOR A BETTER E-HAILING TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA.
Transportation system is an integral part of economic development in every developing and Civilized society. Transportation has greatly facilitated the movement of goods, services and people from one point to the other thus increasing the State IGR and the Country’s GDP respectively!
With the advent of the E-hailing transportation system, People and Corporate bodies can now seat at the comfort of their homes and offices and request the services of a driver using their Mobile Phones. And within some few minutes, the driver is around to pick and drop the passenger from point A to point B.
In the city of Lagos State alone, there are well over 20,000 active drivers who has rendered well over 100 million active 5 star trips! This development has greatly eased the burden of transporation on the State government while also contributing greatly to the state IGR.
Laudable as this modern innovation may be, the right of the drivers has been grossly abused by the App Companies who ONLY deploy Application to facilitate the link between the Drivers and the passengers.
They have coerced the drivers to sign an agreement as an independent contractor and has also denied them the right to Unionize or join an Association.
They have also fixed a humongous commissions for themselves while their unhealthy rivalries has continued to slash the prices of the services without consulting the Service Providers, the drivers!
*EFFECT ON DRIVERS OR SERVICE PROVIDERS!
The fundamental rights of the Drivers has been trampled on as they have forced drivers to sign among other things a clause in their T and C that prohibited them to Unionize. This we refer to as Yellow Contracts and is a gimmick to circumvent the law and maximally exploit the drivers who has deployed their cars worth well over 2million, rendered several 5 star services to make their platforms viable.
▪️ Drivers account are also blocked indiscriminately without fair hearing. This has resulted in many drivers loosing the cars to their partners because they are no longer meeting up with their financial obligations.
▪️ Drivers now work longer hours than expected most times 15 hours behind the wheel daily. This is due to the poor fare that has failed to reflect the current economic realities. Yet the App Companies has fixed and maintained for themselves a humongous commission of 25% respectively. This development has badly impoverished the drivers and their cars now lacks proper maintenance because of lack of funds.
THE POWER OF UNIONISM.
As a Union body representing the collective interests of the entire E-hailing Drivers community in Nigeria, PEDPA under the leadership of Comrade Idris Oluwaseun Shonuga, the National President of the Union had risen to protect the interests of the drivers from exploitations on several occasions. Several proactive steps has been taken which includes but not limited to strike actions, and conversations with the government which also includes the Stakeholders.
In her determination to strengthen Unionism and tackle the irregularities in the E-hailing transportation sector, PEDPA under the Leadership of Comrade Idris Oluwaseun Shonuga has sponsored 21 members across various various LGA of Lagos and Ogun State to a 2 days leadership Training with Certification organized by the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
It has been a very intensive and informative leadership Training aimed at equipping affiliate members to protect the workforce and ensure adequate welfare incentives for the E-hailing drivers community, the sector that directly affects us!
In view of the foregoing, we herein tender our unreserved and profound appreciation to the TUC for this laudable initiative (Two days workshop). And as the affiliate body representing the E-hailing Transportation Sector in Nigeria, we are committed to ensuring that the entire E-hailing Drivers across board are helped to fall to a formation and better see the need to embrace Unionism for a better working environment.
Please accept our unreserved appreciation and love in the Spirit of Oneness and Comradeship.
✍️ COMRADE IDRIS OLUWASEUN SHONUGA
*PEDPA NATIONAL PRESIDENT*
