Uber driver Michael was assaulted by passengers. He says the platform’s response added insult to injury
Summary
Michael Thorn, an Uber driver in Australia, was punched by passengers and hospitalized, but Uber deactivated his account shortly after. Uber said safety is important and decisions to deactivate accounts are serious, but many drivers have complained about being unfairly removed without proper review.Key Facts
- Michael Thorn was assaulted by four passengers who were reportedly intoxicated.
- After the attack, Uber deactivated Thorn’s driver account but later reactivated it four days later following an apology.
- Thorn relies on Uber for his income, about $700 a week, to pay medical bills and fuel costs.
- Many drivers in Australia face deactivation due to automated systems and often struggle to get their accounts reinstated.
- Australian laws passed in 2024 protect gig workers like Uber drivers from unfair deactivation.
- A workplace tribunal has criticized Uber for quickly removing drivers without properly considering their side.
- Uber claims its deactivation decisions are “human-led” but admits not all cases get individual human review.
- Experts say Uber’s system lacks procedural fairness since drivers often don’t get a chance to explain before being deactivated.
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