Nearly one hundred Didi drivers gathered in front of the company office in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, on 8 June protesting its new “guarantee scheme.” The scheme, rolled out in April, claimed to provide drivers with a stable income but required them to work at least ten hours a day.
Didi then gradually reduced the orders for those drivers who refused to join the new scheme, sparking anger among drivers who wanted to maintain a more flexible work schedule. One driver said his income had fallen by 5,000 yuan as a result of the new system. After expenses, he said, he was left with just a few thousand yuan a month. Even drivers with a high customer rating found that they could not get orders without joining the new scheme.
When company representatives did not respond to their complaints, a group of drivers elected their own representatives and marched into the company office to demand negotiations. The company finally gave in and held talks with the drivers.