Imagine this.
Australia. 2026.
Imagine being offered a job without being told exactly how much you will be paid. Imagine being expected to accept work without a transparent and consistent way of calculating your income. In almost any industry, this would be considered unacceptable. Yet many rideshare drivers say this is becoming their reality.
For years, drivers could estimate what a trip would pay using a predictable formula based on time and distance. Today, many drivers report that Uber’s trip base fares appear increasingly inconsistent. When they review the trip waybill, they see varying per-kilometre and per-minute rates rather than a clearly predictable calculation. As a result, drivers say they can no longer accurately estimate what a trip is worth before accepting it.
Many drivers believe this reflects a system that is already moving toward minimum-pay models in ways that suit the platform, while transparency for drivers has diminished. If that is the direction of the industry, then minimum standards must include more than minimum pay. They must also guarantee transparency, fairness, and informed decision-making.
At the same time, the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) is negotiating minimum standards for rideshare drivers. That work is important. But drivers are asking an increasingly urgent question: has Uber already implemented the parts of the new system that benefit the company, while drivers are still waiting for the protections they were promised?
Rideshare Drivers United (RSDU) is raising these concerns because of the many reports we receive from drivers. Since 2016, RSDU has been advocating for drivers and has grown into a community of close to 9,000 registered drivers across Australia and around the world. Every day we hear from drivers about declining earnings, reduced transparency, and increasing financial pressure.
The time for waiting has passed. Every month without meaningful reform leaves more drivers struggling. This is no longer a matter for endless discussion. It requires urgent action.
We call on the TWU to act with urgency and, if meaningful improvements to pay and transparency cannot be secured through negotiations, to consider lawful industrial action on behalf of the drivers it represents.
We would much rather stand alongside the union than have to lead where others remain silent. But if the TWU chooses not to act on the concerns drivers are repeatedly raising, RSDU will continue to organise drivers, campaign for genuine reform, and pursue lawful collective action to protect drivers’ livelihoods.
Australia deserves workplace standards that value transparency, fairness, and accountability. Drivers deserve to know what work they are accepting, how they are being paid, and that those representing them are prepared to act when it matters most.
