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C Moon

(12,180 posts)
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 02:14 AM Sep 2014

Uber Defends Slashing Drivers’ Rates Amid LA Protest

Source: CBS Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A spokesperson for popular ride-sharing service Uber has defended the company’s decision to cut its drivers’ rates in more than half as they gathered in protest Tuesday.

More than 50 Los Angeles-based Uber drivers assembled in a North Hollywood parking lot Tuesday night to voice their displeasure with continued cuts in their take-home pay.

“None of us have anything against the app. We love the app,” said driver Aya Valilar, who has been working with the company a year-and-a-half.

“I’ve experienced four cuts since I started. It was $2.50 a mile when I started a year-and-a-half ago, and now we are at $1.10 a mile. You can’t make a living off of that,” she said.

Read more: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/09/02/uber-defends-slashing-drivers-rates-amid-la-protest/



A small gathering, I know (of only 50), but I hope these folks can put a stop to what sounds like greed on Uber's part.
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Uber Defends Slashing Drivers’ Rates Amid LA Protest (Original Post) C Moon Sep 2014 OP
Only 50... but you gotta start somewhere rpannier Sep 2014 #1
German Court Bans Uber Service Nationwide jakeXT Sep 2014 #2
So, they're skirting the law to begin with, now... TreasonousBastard Sep 2014 #3
"Skirting the law" is mild..... to begin with their drivers don't have CDL groundloop Sep 2014 #7
I know in California they don't need a CDL ripcord Sep 2014 #10
There was a ride share app christx30 Sep 2014 #15
And who could blame them? Blue_Tires Sep 2014 #18
There are some times that I would have loved christx30 Sep 2014 #19
Sounds like they need a union, heh heh stuffmatters Sep 2014 #4
Sounds like you're right. marble falls Sep 2014 #12
I have never figured out what is supposed to be so great about this, Sen. Walter Sobchak Sep 2014 #5
Another neo-liberal "startup" company with the backing of Goldman-Sachs coyote Sep 2014 #6
Could someone help me understand how this thing works? I don't understand. JVS Sep 2014 #8
All payment goes through their app, the "ride sharing" claim is a fraud groundloop Sep 2014 #9
That is exactly it. Marrah_G Sep 2014 #11
weird... bongo_x Sep 2014 #13
A former colleague works for their main competitor, Lyft. KamaAina Sep 2014 #14
They are. philosslayer Sep 2014 #20
That's the other way around KamaAina Sep 2014 #21
Uber is a master of Newspeak Retrograde Sep 2014 #16
+1 C Moon Sep 2014 #17

jakeXT

(10,575 posts)
2. German Court Bans Uber Service Nationwide
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 03:23 AM
Sep 2014

LONDON — The most popular service of the ride-hailing company Uber has been barred from operating in Germany in one of the most severe legal restrictions the company has faced since it was founded five years ago.

The move, the first nationwide ban of an Uber service, is the latest in a number of legal setbacks that the company, based in San Francisco, has faced in Europe and North America as it tries to expand its car service globally.

In Frankfurt, a state court banned Uber’s low-cost UberPop product, which connects drivers with potential customers, from operating in the country until a hearing this year on whether it unfairly competes with local taxis. A temporary injunction was ordered last week but became public on Tuesday.

Uber, which allows people to use their smartphones to book rides with freelance drivers, said it would continue operating in Germany and would appeal the court’s decision.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/uber-banned-across-germany-by-frankfurt-court/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
3. So, they're skirting the law to begin with, now...
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 03:31 AM
Sep 2014

they're screwing their employees to break even? (And pay their legal bills?)

Give it up, already

groundloop

(11,482 posts)
7. "Skirting the law" is mild..... to begin with their drivers don't have CDL
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 07:29 AM
Sep 2014

Driver's carrying passengers without being properly licensed, cars not properly insured.... what could possibly go wrong?

ripcord

(5,037 posts)
10. I know in California they don't need a CDL
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 10:03 AM
Sep 2014

And they have a million dollars in insurance coverage, I just left driving part time to pick up some extra cash because of the latest cuts.

christx30

(6,241 posts)
15. There was a ride share app
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 02:09 PM
Sep 2014

that was based in Austin a couple of years ago. The city banned them from operating. They only give out so many taxi licenses per year and the app people were cutting into the business of the taxi service.

Blue_Tires

(55,445 posts)
18. And who could blame them?
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 02:56 PM
Sep 2014

In most major cities the medallions are incredibly expensive, and there are a ton of legal requirements to be met before even being eligible...

christx30

(6,241 posts)
19. There are some times that I would have loved
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 03:43 PM
Sep 2014

to find another way of getting a ride. It was 31 degrees out, rainy, and midnight. I used my cell to call a cab, and waited. I called them 10+ times over the course of 2 hours. They never showed up, and my cell phone died. I ended up walking 9 miles home. I would have gladly gone to a app before I went through all of that.
And when I contacted them the next day, they acted like it was no big deal. I haven't used them since that night.

 

Sen. Walter Sobchak

(8,692 posts)
5. I have never figured out what is supposed to be so great about this,
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 03:52 AM
Sep 2014

Every time I have looked into it an ordinary black car service would have been cheaper, and one time a helicopter might have been cheaper too.

 

coyote

(1,561 posts)
6. Another neo-liberal "startup" company with the backing of Goldman-Sachs
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 04:27 AM
Sep 2014

The sole remaining 'moral virtue' instilled in citizens/peons under neoliberal corporate oligarchies is that they must always find the lowest unit price.

They should never, never stop and think: but what cost to my fellow citizens, what cost to society, surely there must be other considerations?

No: just find the lowest price, and consider yourself both virtuous and fortunate.

JVS

(61,935 posts)
8. Could someone help me understand how this thing works? I don't understand.
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 08:05 AM
Sep 2014

From what I've heard so far this company uses an app to help people coordinate transportation. I'm not clear on how the payments work. Wouldn't the obvious solution be for drivers to negotiate a price with the passengers?

groundloop

(11,482 posts)
9. All payment goes through their app, the "ride sharing" claim is a fraud
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 09:29 AM
Sep 2014

They claim their app simply facilitates ride sharing, in reality it's a taxi service using people's private vehicles, drivers who aren't licensed to work for hire, and with no insurance for commercial use of their vehicles.

bongo_x

(49 posts)
13. weird...
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 01:53 PM
Sep 2014

Quasi legal Libertarian tech company is not really looking out for the workers? Weird. And it’s almost as if they’re business plan doesn’t really work in the real world. People do love this fantasy though.

Retrograde

(10,063 posts)
16. Uber is a master of Newspeak
Wed Sep 3, 2014, 02:19 PM
Sep 2014

It's "ride sharing", something that sounds nice and friendly, like when I give my carless friend a ride home, rather than "running an unlicensed cab company". It's "small businessmen" rather than "drivers who we reluctantly have to pay so we'll continue to get our cut".

The statement quoted (In response to Tuesday’s protest, an Uber spokesperson sent CBS2/KCAL9 the following statement, reading in part: “Drivers are making more money now due to higher demand than they did before the price cut. We will continue to work with them individually to ensure their small businesses thrive.”) comes down to "yeah, you're getting paid less per hour but look on the bright side: you're working longer hours!"

It's a great business model from Uber's perspective: the drivers pay for maintenance, gas, insurance, etc. and Uber gets 20% off the top.

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