A man was sleeping in his car in the parking lot of a San Francisco playground when someone tried to steal his wallet and then shot him to death.
Since that terrible night, the family of Yusufi has been desperate for answers, and now they are asking for help from the company. Mohammed, who goes by the name Ilyas and refers to Ahmad as a brother, wrote a letter to the company demanding access to his brother's account and $4 million in aid. Ilyas is a driver for the company.
The company initially responded to the murder by saying that the man appeared to be offline at the time of the shooting, and refused to give any logs or documentation of his activity with his family or the press.
One of the drawbacks of gig work is that it can be hard to find a job when you're offline. Ahmad was killed while driving for you. You lied to the press when you said he wasn't working for the ride-sharing company. He was in San Francisco. He had stopped for a break after working.
After helping the US military, Yusufi moved to California three years ago. The family is trying to get by through measures, but the wife and children are not.
Concerns about safety are growing.
Gig drivers in the US have a history of violent crime. A recent investigation by the Wall Street Journal revealed that the company declined to share statistics, but a report from the Markup in July showed that ride-share drivers have been carjacked more than any other group.
There are several new safety features that have been rolled out by the company, such as rapid access to dispatch, the ability to broadcast coordinates to police, and an audio recording option. The Independent Drivers Guild has accused the company of not doing enough to keep its workers safe, as this is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. Some people have begun to take matters into their own hands and even carry guns.
In San Francisco, where there is more demand for rides, there is more than 50% of gig workers who are immigrants. It's a common practice for drivers who can't afford a hotel to sleep in their car when they leave for work. A friend who was also a driver and present with Yusufi said they were resting in the car at the time of the shooting.
The move to allow drivers to stay active on the app for only 12 hours is meant to ensure safer riding conditions. Drivers will turn off their app during breaks and naps to maximize their time available for making money.
In the letter, Ilyas says that the low wages of the drivers make it hard for them to provide for their families.
What is work?
The company is in touch with the family and hasn't responded yet. The statement was made before the letter was released. Our hearts go out to his family.
The San Francisco Police Department has not responded to the questions of the family about the death of their brother. The account of Yusufi has been disabled by the person who tried to access it. He tried to reach out to the company about the issue, but they said it was against their policy.
On December 5, ABC10 reported that the ride-sharing company said that the shooter appeared to be offline.
The person in the phone conversation with MIT Technology Review said that the person was not active on the app from midnight to 5 a.m. on November 28, but was active on November 27. The associated times were not disclosed. The company refused to give documentation of the driving logs to MIT Technology Review due to privacy concerns.
The case of Yusufi cuts to the heart of the debate about whether gig workers are employees. Over the last few years, California state law has gone back and forth on the issue, and in 2020 the gig workers spent $200 million to lobby in favor of a measure that would exclude them from benefits such as paid breaks. A judge struck down the law because it was unconstitutional. Gig workers will not be affected by the appeals process.
It is irrelevant if he was using the app at the time of the shooting. They think that he was in San Francisco to drive for the ride-sharing company. We are refugees in this country. We don't have a lot of information. He says we are new. We don't have someone to back us up. They can do anything they want.
A previous version of the story referred to Ilyas as Ahmad's cousin. They are brothers.
