The Rivers state council of the Amalgamated Union of App-based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON) has rejected Bolt’s call for dialogue with drivers operating in the state, describing it as disrespectful.
This was disclosed by the State Council Chairman, Comrade Amos Omoruyi, in a chat with Technext.
Describing Bolt’s invitation, Comrade Omoruyi said earlier in June, the Rivers State Council of AUATON, officially wrote to Bolt through its secretary, requesting an open and inclusive dialogue to address drivers’ long-standing demands and welfare concerns.
However, rather than respond or at least officially invite the union to the round table, the company disregard the union, choosing instead to send invites to individual drivers. This, the union believes, is a disrespect to an organisation approved by the government to look out for the welfare of drivers.
“To our surprise, Bolt has now scheduled a meeting with drivers without any acknowledgement or courtesy response to the union’s correspondence. Worse still, this meeting appears to be organised through the back door—excluding the very union that initiated this dialogue on behalf of the drivers,” the union state chairman said.
Comrade Omoruyi noted that this isn’t the first time the company has held such a meeting with drivers. However, previous meetings have failed to yield results because drivers were not allowed to speak freely or be heard.
“That pattern must not repeat itself,” he said.
He believes Bolt’s idea of a round table is to force its bidding down the throat of drivers, which explains why it is afraid to engage the union.
Rivers AUATON demands of Bolt
Ahead of the dialogue scheduled to be held on Wednesday, July 23, the Rivers State Chapter of the union has insisted that it be recognised as the legitimate representative body of drivers in Rivers State.
It is also demanding unhindered participation of drivers with a platform to freely express their concerns in any dialogue involving any e-hailing app company, whether Uber, Bolt or inDrive.
They are further demanding a commitment to implement concrete outcomes from the meeting, rather than vague assurances.
Recounting the needs of the drivers that any dialogue must address, Comrade Omoruyi said the fares shown on the app no longer reflect reality. He pointed out that fuel prices have skyrocketed while vehicle maintenance costs have tripled.
Despite these, the fare structure has barely changed, and many drivers spend more on fuel alone than they earn per trip. This, he says, is not sustainable.
Another matter is the issue of account deactivation without a fair hearing, as the chairman pointed out how painful it was for drivers to lose their only source of income due to complaints that are unverified and, in most cases, not investigated.
Therefore, there must be a fairer process of resolution, as many drivers do not even know why they were deactivation.
Another important complaint is the commission demanded by Bolt, an overburdening obligation which the chairman says leaves nothing behind for the driver. He disclosed that many drivers run at a loss in the hope that the future would be better, even though it never is.
Other complaints include: the lack of effective communication and support when drivers are in distress, leaving many drivers feeling abandoned; and safety and security risks, as many drivers have been robbed and harassed, thereby making every trip a risk. This brings to mind the need for driver verification, emergency response systems, and in-app safety measures.
“These drivers are not just numbers on your dashboard; they are fathers, mothers, youths, struggling to make ends meet, and responsible Nigerians trying to earn a living with dignity. Yet every day on the road feels like a battle, with dwindling earnings, rising costs, and a system that increasingly feels one-sided,” the union said in a letter to Bolt.
Comrade Omoruyi, while expressing his hopes that the roundtable dialogue will produce meaningful results, warned that the union will no longer tolerate being sidelined in the future. Neither will it tolerate superficial engagements that do not improve the realities faced by drivers every day.
“We seek partnership, not patronisation. Dialogue, not tokenism,” he finished.
See also: How Bolt, Uber drivers in Abeokuta renegotiate app prices by over 100%
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