Indonesian motorbike drivers for food delivery and ride-hailing apps Grab and Gojek intend to hold nationwide protests if the merger talks between the two companies proceed without their input.
They're worried the merger could result in mass job terminations.
"We are concerned that a merger will result in the termination of drivers," said Igun Wicaksono, the head of workers union, Garda Nasional, for both Grab and Gojek drivers.
"If we are ignored, then our last resort will be to conduct mass demonstrations across Indonesia," said Wicaksano.
Grab and Gojek have both been fierce competitors to dominate the e-hailing industry, the e-wallet industry, and food delivery.
The merger would arguably impact ride-hailing drivers in Indonesia the most negatively. They're worried about what the merger could mean for their livelihoods.
Rightfully so, since their incomes were slashed in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the Southeast Asian region.
Garda Nasional stated that their drivers have recovered about 70 percent of their pre-COVID-19 income but thousands of them were evicted from their homes from May to July 2020.
Unions in Indonesia represent over a million drivers and they demand the government join in on the negotiations to protect them.
Only time will tell how the merger pans out or if it even pans out at all.
Read more about Grab and Gojek:
Grab and Gojek might stop competing with each other and merge forces
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Cover image sourced from Nikkei Asia
