"Bolt drivers urge better pay and recognition of workers’ rights", 30 October 2019

Drivers for...Bolt have staged a protest against what they describe as “unfair” dismissals and its alleged failure to pay workers at least the minimum wage and holiday pay.

The drivers... are seeking an increase in fares to £2 per mile (currently £1.25 in London) and for the company to recognise workers’ rights.

 The union has also accused the firm of “unfairly” dismissing drivers. It said Bolt “manipulates” algorithms so that inflated prices are displayed in the app to encourage drivers to move into certain geographical areas, but when they arrive in those areas jobs are offered only at standard rates. Drivers are then obliged to accept these jobs or they face dismissal if they decline a job after it has been “dispatched” by the app, it said...

...A Bolt spokesperson commented: “Driver pay and driver welfare are at the heart of Bolt’s business. This is why we charge up to 50% less commission than our competitors, which equates to 15% higher earnings for those using our platform...