The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
1–10 of 47 posts
Re: The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
#2From the article: " But it would ameliorate one of the worst problems with the 1099 economy without fundamentally quashing the business model, namely pay that works out to less than the minimum wage."
The entire purpose of labor law is to quash that "business model".
Unions. The people who brought you the weekend.
Re: The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
#3Is this a joke?
We do not need a new category of worker just because a few corporations decide that they do not want to provide their workers with benefits. The benefits that come with the employee designation are the bare minimum. A company that cannot afford to provide those to employees should not exist.
Re: The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
#4The more I learn about Uber, the less I want an Uber Economy.
Re: The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
#5Is this a joke? We do not need a new category of worker just because a few corporations decide that they do not want to provide their workers with benefits. The benefits that come with the employee designation are the bare minimum . A company that cannot afford to provide those to employees should not exist.
Most retail places have been doing this sort of "just in time" hiring for years now. This just takes it one step further. :(
Re: The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
#6Is that category a robot?
Re: The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
#7From the article: " But it would ameliorate one of the worst problems with the 1099 economy without fundamentally quashing the business model, namely pay that works out to less than the minimum wage." The entire purpose of labor law is to quash that "business model". Unions. The people who brought you the weekend.
There's one area where hourly wages are way below minimum wages in a country you wouldn't expect: Animators in Japan. It's not uncommon for them to make ~$2/hour because they're paid "per sheet" that they draw.
(I think minimum wages are 800 yen per hour, or roughly $6.50)
Re: The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
#8I don't see anyone besides Uber winning in the Uber economy. It's right in the name. Forcing Uber and other ride-sharing companies to classify their resources as employees will only give them further incentive to automate. Once that happens (5 years, 10 max) it will be a moot point how a driver would be classified.
Very few people wake up in the morning and say "Gee, I'm so excited to drive for Uber today! I don't need the extra money, I just love it!" The sharing economy is only possible because of income inequality. Granted, ride-sharing is letting a tiny drip of income back into the driver's wallets, but it's temporary.
Re: The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
#9From the article: " But it would ameliorate one of the worst problems with the 1099 economy without fundamentally quashing the business model, namely pay that works out to less than the minimum wage." The entire purpose of labor law is to quash that "business model". Unions. The people who brought you the weekend.
There's one area where hourly wages are way below minimum wages in a country you wouldn't expect: Animators in Japan. It's not uncommon for them to make ~$2/hour because they're paid "per sheet" that they draw. (I think minimum wages are 800 yen per hour, or roughly $6.50)
Seeing that makes me wince. It was not long ago that you would have instead typed "or roughly $10". I'm not sure to what extent that's affected minimum-wage workers in Japan though, if at all.
Re: The Uber Economy Requires a New Category of Worker
#10The downside of "the employee designation" for the business is having to pay the employee (the overtime, the insurance, etc). The downside for the employee is ... "far less workplace flexibility". Yeah, those things are totally equal. Tell you what: if it is important for a company to tap the segment of workforce that values "workplace flexibility", it can provide that flexibility on top of the benefits. Offer them less in terms of the salary if you have to and see if anyone bites. ("But I already don't plan to pay them more than minimum wage" Tough luck)