The drivers organised the protest through social‑media groups, urging partners to stop taking bookings for two days. Their main grievance was that Grab’s fees and deductions were cutting into their earnings.

Grab responded by reminding drivers that they are free to log on or off the platform at any time and that no penalties, such as account suspension, will be applied unless a law or the company’s code of conduct is breached.

Lawyer Le Thi Thuy Trang of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association explained that, under Vietnam’s Labour Code, a strike only applies to employees with labour contracts who act through recognised unions. Because ride‑hailing drivers do not have such contracts, their collective log‑off is considered an individual business decision, not a legal strike.

At the same time, Vietnam’s National Competition Commission has started reviewing Grab’s fares, fees, commissions and other deductions after receiving complaints from drivers. The commission says drivers want clearer rules on how these charges are calculated and how changes are communicated.

The episode highlights a legal gap: platform workers are treated as independent partners, so labour‑law protections such as the right to strike do not apply, while consumer‑protection rules offer little guidance. Experts say Vietnam needs a specific framework for gig‑economy workers.