Happy Valentine’s Day. Thousands of Uber, Lyft and DoorDash drivers are set to cause chaos on today in Toronto and other cities across Canada and the US, during a mass strike for higher wages. The Valentine’s Day strike is expected in Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg, as well as dozens of cities across the US. and Europe. The drivers, who are considered independent contractors, have accused the platforms of taking disproportionately high amounts as commissions.

Drivers in 10 cities say they won’t be working between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time on Wednesday. It’s part of a nationwide effort among rideshare drivers trying to bring attention to problems they say they face on the apps, from low pay to having their accounts suddenly deactivated.

“We’re sick of working 80 hours/week just to make ends meet, being constantly scared for our safety, and worrying about being deactivated with the click of a button,” Justice for App Workers, a group representing 130,000 rideshare and delivery gig workers, said on its website about the strike.

The strike will target multiple major airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport outside of New York City as well as Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

The demonstrations are set to take place about a week after Lyft said it would guarantee weekly earnings for drivers, a first in the US ride-hailing industry as it looks to lure more drivers to its platform.

“We are constantly working to improve the driver experience,” Lyft said in a statement Monday.

“This is the biggest strike I’ve ever seen, thousands and thousands of drivers … it’s going to be nationwide,” Jonathan Cruz, a driver in Miami and part of the Justice For App Workers coalition, which represents more than 100,000 drivers.

The coalition says their demands include “living wages, a safe working environment, an end to unfair deactivation, quality healthcare benefits, reliable bathroom access, and the right to form a union.”

An Uber spokesperson downplayed concerns about the strike affecting customers, saying. “These types of events have rarely had any impact on trips, prices, or driver availability, and we expect the same tomorrow.”

“That’s because the vast majority of drivers are satisfied,” the spokesperson added, citing an estimate that Uber drivers made “about $33 per utilized hour” last quarter.

Uber said only a minority of its drivers participate in such strikes, which rarely have an impact on business.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said last week on an earnings call with analysts that drivers in the US earned about $33 per utilized hour in the fourth quarter.

While many drivers sign up with these firms to supplement their income from other jobs, some drive full time for the platforms.

“A year into algorithmic pricing, drivers have seen incredible decrease of our pay… whatever calculations and algorithms they’re using, it’s absolutely useless,” said Nicole Moore, president of the California-based Rideshare Drivers United union.

In 2023, Uber drivers’ monthly average gross earnings fell 17.1 percent, while those of Lyft drivers increased 2.5 per cent, according to Gridwise, which analyzes gig mobility data.

“By not paying drivers a livable wage, drivers are barely able to afford the bare necessities,” said Shantwan Humphrey, a driver in Dallas, Texas.

Uber Canada announced a number of changes last month, aimed at offering drivers more transparency about their earnings and better protection when they’re on the road.

Brice Sopher, vice-president of Canadian couriers and drivers group Gig Workers United, called the changes “window dressing,” meant to detract from how difficult it has become for people to make money on the platform.

Striking ride-share drivers in Toronto are planning to gather at Nathan Phillip’s Square on Wednesday morning before travelling around downtown in their vehicles.