Uber Driver Protest

[tomdalton22]

https://www.cnet.com/news/uber-drivers-demand-better-pay-in-nation-wide-protest/

Joining the burger flippers demanding minimum wage of $15 per hour.

 

[Michchamp]

outrageous. that's almost as much as you make.

 

[Spartanmack]

https://www.cnet.com/news/uber-drivers-demand-better-pay-in-nation-wide-protest/

Joining the burger flippers demanding minimum wage of $15 per hour.

Aren't Uber drivers basically self-employed independent contractors? I don't use the service much, probably less than 10 times ever so I don't know much about it.

 

[sggatecl]

Aren't Uber drivers basically self-employed independent contractors? I don't use the service much, probably less than 10 times ever so I don't know much about it.

I thought it like a bidding thing and that's why taxi services hate them. I've never used it so I know less than you.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Aren't Uber drivers basically self-employed independent contractors? I don't use the service much, probably less than 10 times ever so I don't know much about it.

That was my impression, and it was my impression they could make bank.

 

[Spartanmack]

I thought it like a bidding thing and that's why taxi services hate them. I've never used it so I know less than you.

I used it for a trip from Dulles to Middleburg, VA in the summer - pretty sure the driver told me he doesn't know the fare until after the drive so I doubt it's auction based. The fare split is fixed but I don't think the drivers know the destination until you get in the car and the fare until the ride is over. I could be wrong about the driver not knowing the fare, but I'm pretty sure it's not based on driver bids. They definitely don't know the destination though - they usually call you to find out and if it's not a long enough drive, they just blow it off and get back in line - which indicates they probably don't know the fare right away either. Maybe it works differently in cities, but that's how it worked for rides from the airport at both ends - Dulles and Newark.

 

[tomdalton22]

The last time I used Uber it was from Santa Rosa Beach to Panama City Airport. That is about a $75 fare. I had a conversation with the driver to get a feel how it actually works. He said they don't know the fare or the destination when they accept. He said the fare system varies. If there are more requests in an area than drivers the fares go up. The drivers can see this on their app and typically they flock to that area to get the higher fares. The user also sees the fares go up...he suggested that if you see that....just wait a bit to let all of the drivers get to the "high traffic area"

Uber is great in areas that don't have good taxi service. Every driver I have talked to use it to keep busy or to make a little extra money. Every one I used in FL were older retired guys.

 

[elrod817]

Aren't Uber drivers basically self-employed independent contractors? I don't use the service much, probably less than 10 times ever so I don't know much about it.

That was my impression, and it was my impression they could make bank.

They're definitely 1099'd. I think they made bank at one point, but with the influx of drivers, it's my understanding that the more populated an area is, earnings are lower due to more Uber drivers on the road.

 

[Michchamp]

They're definitely 1099'd. I think they made bank at one point, but with the influx of drivers, it's my understanding that the more populated an area is, earnings are lower due to more Uber drivers on the road.

yeah, that's how ?ber has "innovated" and "disrupted" the taxi industry... basically they're paying drivers as contractors, even though these drivers fit more closely the definition of employees not independent contractors under US labor law. this allows ?ber to avoid having to pay overtime, unemployment, provide breaks, etc. and allowing them to undercut taxi fares.

it's why the company is fighting employment-related class action lawsuits challenging the independent contractor designation all over the country right now.

they also treat their employees pretty shitty from what I've read, while at the same time fighting any efforts to impose some basic public compliance and accountability on them. In Houston for example, they've opposed efforts to require them to conduct background checks on drivers regularly.

?ber is on the forefront of lowering the bar in so many ways. Or as they prefer to call it "challenging the status quo"

 

[tomdalton22]

yeah, that's how ?ber has "innovated" and "disrupted" the taxi industry... basically they're paying drivers as contractors, even though these drivers fit more closely the definition of employees not independent contractors under US labor law. this allows ?ber to avoid having to pay overtime, unemployment, provide breaks, etc. and allowing them to undercut taxi fares.

it's why the company is fighting employment-related class action lawsuits challenging the independent contractor designation all over the country right now.

they also treat their employees pretty shitty from what I've read, while at the same time fighting any efforts to impose some basic public compliance and accountability on them. In Houston for example, they've opposed efforts to require them to conduct background checks on drivers regularly.

?ber is on the forefront of lowering the bar in so many ways. Or as they prefer to call it "challenging the status quo"

provide breaks, overtime?? Don't the drivers determine their breaks and amount of time they want to work? The drivers can work when and where they want.

 

[tinselwolverine]

yeah, that's how ?ber has "innovated" and "disrupted" the taxi industry... basically they're paying drivers as contractors, even though these drivers fit more closely the definition of employees not independent contractors under US labor law. this allows ?ber to avoid having to pay overtime, unemployment, provide breaks, etc. and allowing them to undercut taxi fares.

You do know that taxi drivers are also not typically W-2 employees of the cab company, don't you?

Not only that - they're small business people who technically are customers of the taxi company.

They pay a fee to the cab co for the car - usually for a 12 shift - and they get to keep the money they get from the customers.

Or - they own their own taxis - not unlike Uber - and pay a fee to the cab company for dispatcher services.

Most New York taxi drivers own their own car, or they're subcontracting to an independent owner.

Plus they gotta purchase - I think from the city - something called a medallion - in order to be able to pick up passengers city wide.

In that case, often they subcontract their cabs when they take time off.

They're like stylists at a salon who rent a booth from the owner.

So they're not even 1099 contractors to the taxi company, like the Uber drivers are to Uber.

 

[Gulo Blue]

provide breaks, overtime?? Don't the drivers determine their breaks and amount of time they want to work? The drivers can work when and where they want.

It's not so much about that as it is about taxes. When you get a paycheck from a business, they pay business taxes and you pay income taxes. When you're 1099, you pay your regular income tax, plus an additional ~15% self-employment tax. Overall, it works out about the same with regard to revenue vs taxes if you consider both the business and the employee together, but if people are looking at what you make from the outside and are unaware you are also covering the employment part of it, they get the wrong impression.

 

[tinselwolverine]

It's not so much about that as it is about taxes. When you get a paycheck from a business, they pay business taxes and you pay income taxes. When you're 1099, you pay your regular income tax, plus an additional ~15% self-employment tax. Overall, it works out about the same with regard to revenue vs taxes if you consider both the business and the employee together, but if people are looking at what you make from the outside and are unaware you are also covering the employment part of it, they get the wrong impression.

Well...taxi companies are able to be regulated by local governments, and therefore are subject to fees and such, which thus far, because of its structure, has thus far been able to avoid, to an extent.

That's what the hue and cry is about.

So don't be fooled when anybody complains about the welfare of Uber drivers, or the welfare of taxi drivers, because it's a crock of shit - nobody gives a fuck about that.

The local governments want their cut - that's what it's all about.

EDIT: These striking Uber drivers in the link in the OP, they were probably hired by George Soros.

 

[Gulo Blue]

The local governments want their cut - that's what it's all about.

That and the people that have been giving the local governments their cut want to maintain the market rates where they are at. I read those medallions dropped in value from $1 M to $500 k as a reaction to Uber.

 

[tinselwolverine]

https://www.cnet.com/news/uber-drivers-demand-better-pay-in-nation-wide-protest/

Joining the burger flippers demanding minimum wage of $15 per hour.

As far as these Uber drivers go...they really didn't invest any money into going into business...and they knew they were classified as 1099 independent contractors/small business owners...so if Uber isn't stacking up to everything they thought it was going to be, maybe they should consider just getting into their cars, and instead of driving for Uber, they can just drive to a different job and do something else.

 

[tinselwolverine]

That and the people that have been giving the local governments their cut want to maintain the market rates where they are at. I read those medallions dropped in value from $1 M to $500 k as a reaction to Uber.

What can I tell you? - the value of buggy whip making equipment once dropped too.

Maybe as Uber drivers become disenchanted - which apparently many are - they'll get out of that business, and the values of the medallion will go back up.

EDIT: The "invisible hand" of the free market will likely end up working all this shit out for itself.

I don't take taxis or uber. I drive or I take public transit.

 

[tinselwolverine]

yeah, that's how ?ber has "innovated" and "disrupted" the taxi industry... basically they're paying drivers as contractors, even though these drivers fit more closely the definition of employees not independent contractors under US labor law.

I used to hear these advertisements on the radio from Uber attempting to recruit drivers. The ads were all narrated by Uber drivers; or voice over actors claiming to be Uber drivers; whatever.

One of the great things about Uber, the drivers, or alleged drivers say on the ad, is that a driver makes their own schedule - when they want to drive and become available to get fares they just log in, and when they want to stop, they just log out.

One guy on the ad says "I can make $40 a day; I can make $400 a day - it's up to me."

They provide the capital for their own means of production - ostensibly, their own car - I guess they get app from Google.

Now to me, this doesn't seem anything like a W-2 employee job - it sounds to me like a person's own small business.

 

[Michchamp]

I used to hear these advertisements on the radio from Uber attempting to recruit drivers. The ads were all narrated by Uber drivers; or voice over actors claiming to be Uber drivers; whatever.

One of the great things about Uber, the drivers, or alleged drivers say on the ad, is that a driver makes their own schedule - when they want to drive and become available to get fares they just log in, and when they want to stop, they just log out.

One guy on the ad says "I can make $40 a day; I can make $400 a day - it's up to me."

They provide the capital for their own means of production - ostensibly, their own car - I guess they get app from Google.

Now to me, this doesn't seem anything like a W-2 employee job - it sounds to me like a person's own small business.

in Ca a court found they fit enough of the definitions of an employee to be qualified as employees. It's been a while since i read up on it so i will have to find the ruling.

From what I remember, ?ber exercises control over drivers in more ways than that. yes they can set schedules, and have to provide their own cars, but there's more to the test than that.

 

[Spartanmack]

provide breaks, overtime?? Don't the drivers determine their breaks and amount of time they want to work? The drivers can work when and where they want.

this is correct, they don't fit the the definition of an employee under US labor laws. turd is just an idiot. my uber driver in VA was a software engineer who programs and writes a tech blog from home and he checks uber throughout the day and takes a break from coding if there is a fare and he feels like taking it.

 

[Spartanmack]

Well...taxi companies are able to be regulated by local governments, and therefore are subject to fees and such, which thus far, because of its structure, has thus far been able to avoid, to an extent.

That's what the hue and cry is about.

So don't be fooled when anybody complains about the welfare of Uber drivers, or the welfare of taxi drivers, because it's a crock of shit - nobody gives a fuck about that.

The local governments want their cut - that's what it's all about.

EDIT: These striking Uber drivers in the link in the OP, they were probably hired by George Soros.

totally true - they don't give a shit about Uber drivers or what the it is doing to cab drivers. about 10 years ago NYC mandated that all taxis have to accept credit cards and in car TVs with options for a satellite map tracking your ride or choice to watch half a dozen channels of pre-recorded programming (local news, variety crap, music, etc). they gave an exclusive contract to one supplier for the in-car systems which cost almost half as much as a new crown Victoria, plus a monthly service fee. the guy that got the contract was the largest medallion holder in the city - had like 900 of them. that's how Turd's big government Dems take care of the working class folk.

edit: even crony corporatism couldn't save the guy with all the medallions - apparently he's filing bankruptcy and citing Uber destroying his business as the reason.