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Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California

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Re: Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California

#31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I’m interpreting the sarcasm incorrectly, but I think the grandparent means the drivers, not the Uber employees.

The drivers (and customers) are the hostages. Uber should've been spending the last few months preparing for the possibility of this ruling being enforced. (I suspect they have been, and "oh we'll have to shut down!" is a negotiating tactic.)

Yeah, I’m totally with the drivers on this. Far too often “disruption” actually is a very predatory undertaking, with far too little benefit to society. The organizations behind this are typically very low on FTE, and maximizing shareholder value and profits and “democratizing” the suppliers (ie a race to the bottom for the drivers).

You see it all over the place, and I for one hope that this trend is reversed in the next decade. It’s not good for society as a whole.

Re: Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California

#33
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like a great outcome for the people who are relying on that work for income right now.

Yeah, it seems like Uber should have had a plan B in place for if they lost this case. Unless "take what you can carry then shut down in CA" was the plan.

I thought that their longer-term plan had been not to need any employees or contractors as drivers in any jurisdiction, and that they were counting on their self-driving technology having matured before this inevitable face-off happened. Although if they had succeeded with introducing something workable, perhaps the state would have blocked it with regulation or legal injunctions in light of the political ramifications of it displacing cab drivers from the job market.

Re: Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California

#34
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, I'm sure they have. They fundamentally disagree with the outcome, and so they will just not operate in California. Nobody will because the business model won't allow you to pay people enough money without charging too much. I also fundamentally agree with Uber and others here. They created a platform for someone to make a few bucks. If I sell something on Etsy they don't have to all of a sudden pay for my healt…

I am just waiting for the lawsuits for when they shut down from drivers but also politicians threatening to jail the executives for taking that course. This just isn't about Uber and Lyft but they were targets because some very big money was getting hurt by their existence.

It’d be a very American thing to do to sue for the government enforcing labor rights through legislation and judicial action. Push that throttle forward further while racing to the bottom.

Perhaps put that time into advocating for a living wage and universal healthcare instead of embracing Stockholm Syndrome with gig platforms. They might not be around much longer, but your government will be.

Re: Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California

#35
post #17
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If Uber hasn't been preparing internally for the possibility of losing this suit, they've been irresponsible in the hopes that California would go "oh shit, they're gonna shoot the hostage".

Well, I'm sure they have. They fundamentally disagree with the outcome, and so they will just not operate in California. Nobody will because the business model won't allow you to pay people enough money without charging too much. I also fundamentally agree with Uber and others here. They created a platform for someone to make a few bucks. If I sell something on Etsy they don't have to all of a sudden pay for my healt…

comparing uber and etsy is dishonest at best.

The only freedom an uber contractor has is "when to work". All the pricing and trips are decided by uber, and they can't even reject properly. They are in fact an employees in everything but legal status.

In etsy, you choose your prices, what you sell, and even to whom you sell to, it's definitely a market place.

Re: Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California

#36
post #24

Golden opportunity for the taxicab industry to get its act together and compete on a semi-level playing field.

The corruption here is incredible - the taxi cab industry had insurance of like $20K per accident (talk to the women who got brain damage), would never pickup in bad areas AND paid their workers as.... independent contractors!! You think your taxi driver is a W2 employee - please think again. The number of carve outs in this new "principled" rule is incredible, and more industries keep asking for them (freelance writ…

Sadly I've noticed Uber drivers have a system to avoid nasty area pickups (but they can't do that with drop-offs).

It seems like given enough time the ridesharing industry is adopting all the bad habits of the Taxi industry.

Re: Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California

#37
post #14
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And also sounds great for those that now have to wait for an hour+ for a taxi or maybe not have a ride at all.

This was the killer feature for those too young to remember a life before Uber. Back when I used to drink at bars it was so frustrating to call different cab companies and have them all say they're "5 minutes away." I felt and continue to feel no sorrow for those cab companies that Uber decimated.

I also remember the extremely poor customer service provided by taxi cabs. Dirty cars, rude drivers who acted as if they were doing you a favor instead of engaging in a business transaction. The taxi cartels are no better than Uber and Lyft corporations for sure.

Re: Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California

#38
post #17
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If Uber hasn't been preparing internally for the possibility of losing this suit, they've been irresponsible in the hopes that California would go "oh shit, they're gonna shoot the hostage".

Well, I'm sure they have. They fundamentally disagree with the outcome, and so they will just not operate in California. Nobody will because the business model won't allow you to pay people enough money without charging too much. I also fundamentally agree with Uber and others here. They created a platform for someone to make a few bucks. If I sell something on Etsy they don't have to all of a sudden pay for my healt…

Oh cmon, in every country uber operated/operates in they are against the law.

Just because you make a new app and don't follow the rules in the hope you get to big to fail doesn't mean it works.

Uber specifically displays the current problem with new startups, they don't make things more effective, or cheaper.

They borrow money, set low prices and don't follow the law and then lobby to change them.

Uber is a taxi service I don't know why anybody would think otherwise.

You compare uber to etsy, but uber sets a price and does not even list the name of the driver till you order to pay.

One is comparable to a bazar, the other is a taxiservice with a nice app.

Re: Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California

#39
post #26
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like a great outcome for the people who are relying on that work for income right now.

Same could be said about human traffickers and crack dealers. Won't somebody think of these "workers?"

This doesn't make sense. It sounds like you are equating Uber drivers to human traffickers and crack dealers.
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