“I worked 17-hour days just to survive” – former Addison Lee driver supports legal claim for fair pay

Khalid Edah-Tally from Luton started working for Addison Lee in 2018.

Initially he found that the job was very flexible, and he enjoyed having the freedom to work when he wanted. But over time, and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, that flexibility came at an increasing cost.

The pay structure changed, and deductions taken by Addison Lee from drivers’ pay increased significantly. The result was that drivers’ take-home pay went down, after the various deductions.

Khalid explained that while greater deductions were introduced, the cost of living also increased significantly, so the only way to make ends meet was by increasing his hours.  

The increased hours meant that Khalid was not able to spend as much time with his family and impacted his ability to go to important family events.

Khalid stopped working there in 2024 and now works for the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), a grassroots member-led union that advocates for better working conditions.  

Khalid said:

“Mental health takes a hit – most drivers don’t talk about it but most of them are affected. A lot of them have families, and with rent going up it’s really difficult to handle.

“At one point I worked 17 hours in a day just to make ends meet – it was unsustainable. My health took a massive hit – there wasn’t much time to eat so I’d stick to fast food. It’s really important that Addison Lee drivers come together and push to make a difference. You can fight for your rights.”