Even though it won't be as expensive for Uber/Lyft as AB5, it will be interesting to see how much they end up spending on driver healthcare and the other new benefits
Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
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Re: Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
#22We just learned that it takes only $200m to buy a law in the state of California. The state legislature said these workers are employees. The state judicial system said these workers are employees. These companies wouldn't accept that as an answer so they turned to funding the most expensive proposition battle in history with 90% coming down on the one side. This is also in addition to all sorts of free marketing the…
AB5 was a shit law that should never have passed and destroyed independent contracting in California. I’m only annoyed that this ballot measure only affects certain gig workers instead of fixing it for the rest of us.
So I wouldn’t read too much into this bill passing.
Re: Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
#23This link doesn't deserve a post, as it contains only rumors, not any actual news. The specific line in question that clearly states this is: "according to projections from NBC News"
You can see the votes for yourself:
https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CA/Santa_Clara/1060...
Re: Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's nothing wrong with this. What's a more American way to clarify a disagreement than to put the topic on a ballot and let the voters decide?
If it comes down to which side spends more money, then there's something wrong with it.
California has a long and happy history of badly-conceived but very-well-funded propositions going down in flames. Prop 33 in 2012 comes to mind, losing badly despite $17m for and only $275k against: https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_33,_Automobil...
Re: Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
#25Thank you to everyone in California who voted for it. This means that as a retired computer programmer, I can keep part-time Uber/Lyft driving. It's a good thing for me and the people I pick up.
Re: Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
#26We just learned that it takes only $200m to buy a law in the state of California. The state legislature said these workers are employees. The state judicial system said these workers are employees. These companies wouldn't accept that as an answer so they turned to funding the most expensive proposition battle in history with 90% coming down on the one side. This is also in addition to all sorts of free marketing the…
I think this is an unnecessarily cynical take. Money certainly matters in politics, but it can't buy enough votes to win on its own. The contingent of people who genuinely dislike AB5 was very motivated, and clearly sizeable
I doubt that AB5 was itself the target of much particular care.
Prop 22 is viable this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the dire straits so many are in. It's supported by those who need any source of income they can lay claim to, no matter its quality, and by those who know someone like that, and so on. In a year (or a society) in which fewer people were so desperate, I would very much like to believe that this perverted lawbuying would be shot down by a wide margin.
Re: Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
#27I hope that this ties the legislature's hands so thoroughly that they have to pass a whole raft of laws making the idea of "independent contractor" a lot less attractive.
I'm tired of big companies shrugging off employment law and legal liability by outsourcing to "contractors". It's time that companies have to allocate benefits regardless of whether they are paying an employee or a contractor.
Re: Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think this is an unnecessarily cynical take. Money certainly matters in politics, but it can't buy enough votes to win on its own. The contingent of people who genuinely dislike AB5 was very motivated, and clearly sizeable
I doubt that AB5 was itself the target of much particular care. Prop 22 is viable this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the dire straits so many are in. It's supported by those who need any source of income they can lay claim to, no matter its quality, and by those who know someone like that, and so on. In a year (or a society) in which fewer people were so desperate, I would very much like to believe that t…
That's an interesting observation. I didn't really think about the fact that a lot of people may be quite desperate and that Uber/Lyft just going away (which they wouldn't dare--but that was the threat) immediately might be quite bad for a lot of people right now.
Re: Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
#29Thank you to everyone in California who voted for it. This means that as a retired computer programmer, I can keep part-time Uber/Lyft driving. It's a good thing for me and the people I pick up.
That's what I thought, it should just mean more options overall. I don't understand the downside if it's always an at-will employment opportunity. Workarounds exist if one doesn't pay enough. Some people act like one app taking advantage is the end of civilization.
Re: Uber and Lyft expected to prevail in CA ballot measure
#30We just learned that it takes only $200m to buy a law in the state of California. The state legislature said these workers are employees. The state judicial system said these workers are employees. These companies wouldn't accept that as an answer so they turned to funding the most expensive proposition battle in history with 90% coming down on the one side. This is also in addition to all sorts of free marketing the…
media coverage on prop 22 & gig cos has been almost universally against. voters chose to vote the way they did. how is this buying a law? seems like some people call any political outcome they don't like corrupt in some way.
money can buy advertising but to believe it can literally buy votes means you don't believe people are capable of making up their own minds. it's incredibly paternalistic and demeaning.