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'Leave them stranded': Rideshare drivers shut off apps at Atlanta airport, boycott for hours
(www.fox5atlanta.com)
this post was submitted on 24 Dec 2023
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...which everybody with half a brain knew already over a decade ago when that stuff started.
I do understand that you guys have shittier taxi service over there than we generally do have in Europe, and it was tempting to go for something new - but there's a service like this has fixed costs, including car maintenance, and giving a higher cut to the app company than you was doing during taxi times where you was hardly getting by doesn't really work, once the venture capital dries up, and they try to make a profit.
Since everybody was running after uber like sheep you my end up with the actually sustainable transport destroyed - fortunately regulation saved us from the worst over here, though uber did have some negative impact.
On the positive side Uber finally got some digitalization into the process here in Europe (what also helps preventing being screwed over by the driver). But yeah, screwing over the drivers is bad.
Therein lies the problem. They're self-employed. Unless Atlanta is specifically different, rideshare drivers are almost always considered independent contractors, so they don't actually work for Uber/Lyft/whoever. It's hard to make demands for better pay when your boss is you.
I imagine this is an intentional design choice by gig employers, as well.
Officially but not actually. Falsely classifying employees as independent contractors is a common trick corporations use to be able to treat them like shit.
Exactly. If they actually were independent contractors, they could charge whatever price they want for a ride. But they can't, Uber decides how much a ride costs and how much the driver gets of that cost. Independent my ass.
I agree that companies sometimes misclassify employees but I'm not sure this is the case here. The drivers choose when and where to work and provide their own resources to complete the jobs they choose to accept.
Within parameters set by the company with strict penalties if you don't obey them. So no, they don't really choose.
Like with school teachers, who are also employees, that's exploitation, not independence.
Again, while fulfilling mandatory quotas, meaning that there's a high risk of having to accept fares they would prefer not to, as per the rules of their EMPLOYER Uber/Lyft.
Technically though if you are your boss and an independent contractor you should easily be able to set your own wage.
You don't see plumbers and electricians being told they have to work for a certain wage by the building owner. They set their wage and if it's too high the owner tries to find a cheaper one.
These drivers aren't actually contractors though, they are employees being screwed over by being falsely classified a contractors. If they all collectively decide to charge $25 / hour, than as independent contractors they should be allowed to and Lyft wouldn't have any other options other than to try and find drivers who charge less.