A message from Drivers Union Interim President Takele Gobena:

This week, many of us are celebrating important holidays: Ramadan is here and many families are fasting and praying. The season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday. There are Lunar New Year celebrations around the region. As we gather with our families and communities, I want to wish everyone a blessed time together.

Something I look forward to sharing with you in the coming months is a regular update on our union's wins and celebrations. While we know there is always more work to do, I want to ensure we pause to honor that special moment of finally achieving a goal. When we can celebrate together, it helps us keep up the energy to fight for what's right, even if it doesn't always come easily or quickly.

In that spirit, I want to share with you the experiences of two drivers who received good news and meaningful compensation this week, in their own words.

Rob picks up his Uber award check from Drivers Union Interim President Takele Gobena.

Name: Rob Whitlock
Issue: Deactivated by Uber
Case resolution: Reactivated + cash award for lost wages

What happened to your account? Uber accused me of something, I didn’t do, they claimed someone else was using my account. They never asked me anything. I was so upset with them.

What did you do in the meantime? I stayed active in the union—I recently went to the Waymo protest, it was fun to be part of.

What would you say to other drivers facing problems like this? Join the union, it’s worth it! And don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. It can take years, but it’s worth it.

Mamadou picks up his Uber award check from Drivers Union Interim President Takele Gobena.

Name: Mamadou Barry
Issue: Deactivated by Uber
Case resolution: Reactivated + cash award for lost wages

What happened in your case? I wake up one morning, go downtown to work, open the app and Uber was turned off. I called them, asked what happened. They said there was an issue with my background check, but I’d already been driving for 3-4 years at that time. They just kept saying they were still doing a background check. That day was very hard for me. My wife was pregnant.

How are you feeling today? First of all I want to say thank you to everyone at Drivers Union. I’m so happy! At the time this happened to me, I was so worried, but I still trusted in the union. And the union does a very good job.

What would you tell other drivers about your experience? Trust Drivers Union! They are here for every driver.

Thank you to Mamadou and Rob for sharing your stories! And they are not alone: Drivers Union has seen 2,058 drivers reactivated to date, and we fight for new drivers each day.

Again, I am wishing happy and holy time to all who are celebrating.