Since the Richmond News published a story about a driver who was denied pay from the ride-sharing service she worked for, five other drivers have come forward with similar stories regarding the same company.
Still, no action has been taken on the part of the provincial authority to shut down the allegedly abusive company.
Jas Johal, MLA for Richmond-Queensborough and member of the all-party ride-hailing committee, said it saddens him that this type of company is still operating when it should have been shut down a long time ago.
“It saddens me that immigrants who have difficulties with languages can be so easily abused...It’s a reminder that the (provincial government’s) Passenger Transportation Board (PTB) has to crack down on this even further, and PTB has to get better in regards to enforcement,” said Johal.
Ian Xie, a Chinese immigrant who worked for Udi Kuaiche, decided to step out of the shadow to share her experience after the company she work for failed to pay her wages.
Xie told the Richmond News that five drivers reached out to her within the past few weeks after coming across her story, sharing similar experiences. They hope provincial authorities will take action to bring the ride-hailing company to justice.
“Just like me, these drivers haven’t got their salaries. They are all immigrants who rely on this money to make a living -- to survive,” said Xie.
“Although they have been mistreated by their employer, they chose to remain silent. They are worried that their family members might be affected because of their ‘gig.’ A few of them want to file a complaint, but they don’t know who they should reach out to.”
The abuse of employees with these unregulated companies could be significant, according to Johal. But they can get away with it because they don’t have employment standards or even safety standards, he added.
Johal also noted that Xie’s story should be a “wake-up call” for PTB to take actions as these people are continually being taken advantage.
Xie adds, “I hope no one will fall into the same trap that I fell into.”
The News also reached out to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for further comment.
