Careem drivers in Jordan go on strike to protest unmet demands

Hundreds of Careem drivers in Jordan said they would go on strike on Sunday to protest their working conditions, Jordanian media reported on Saturday.

Strikers say the Careem rideshare company, which is based in Dubai, has failed to meet their demands despite repeated meetings with company representatives and with Jordan's Land Transport Regulatory Commission (LTRC), a government body regulating transport services in the kingdom.

One of the strikers' main demands is the reduction of commission fees for each trip from 20 to 15 percent. “The company deducts a percentage of our money, claiming that it is a government tax. We asked many authorities what this tax is, but to no avail," Mohammed Abu Mushref, a member of the Union of Captains of Smart Applications told the Jordanian daily Jordan News.

The strike was staged for three hours on Sunday, the first working day of the week in Jordan. “If no party makes a move, we will protest in front of the Ministry of Transport and the LTRC immediately,” Abu Mushref added.

Rideshare and delivery companies are facing a wave of worker backlash in the region.

Foreign food-delivery workers in the UAE staged rare strikes this month, calling for better pay and working conditions. The first strike, staged on May 1st and 2nd, successfully prompted London-based Deliveroo to walk back on planned pay cuts.

Talabat drivers staged a similar strike early last week, asking for a pay raise.