Grapefruits Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Uber drivers are commonly referred to as workers in the “on-demand” economy. But on Monday, weeks after Uber announced that it was slashing prices for rides in cities across the country, hundreds of drivers gathered at the New York City headquarters of the ride-hailing service with a demand of their own: restore prices or face a backlash. Tsering Sherpa, a Queens resident who said he drove for Uber six days a week, eight hours a day, predicted the fare cuts would force him to work 10 to 14 hours a day to make his rent and car payments. “New York City just keeps getting more and more expensive,” Mr. Sherpa said at the rally. “How are we supposed to survive with less money?” “They call us partners,” he added. “But they’re treating us like slaves.” It was a sentiment shared by others in the crowd but one that Uber officials called unfair on Monday. The company has released data that it said proved the rate cuts — 15 percent for an average ride — ultimately benefited drivers “Every city has busy months and slow time,” the company said in a statement on Monday. “In New York, things tend to be quieter after the holidays. So we lowered prices to get more people using Uber, which is good for drivers because it means less time waiting around for trips.” Uber said that when it cut prices previously, the amount of time drivers spent waiting for fares fell, meaning drivers did more business and ultimately earned more money. But outside the Uber headquarters in Long Island City, Queens, Bhairavi Desai, the executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, a taxi drivers’ union, said the unilateral move to cut prices did not take into account the opinions of the drivers on whom the company relied. “They didn’t ask them for input,” Ms. Desai said. “It gives the message that those fares are binding, and nonnegotiable. They gag you, and then they starve you.” The fare cut is not exclusive to New York City. In early January, when Uber announced the news, the company said that the move would apply to 100 cities in the United States and Canada. The mood of the rally was far different from the one at City Hall in July, when Uber drivers gathered to oppose an effort by the administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio to limit the number of Uber vehicles operating in New York. In that case, Uber rolled out a campaign to marshal political and public opposition to the plan, and the city backed down. Mohsin Alvi, 28, said he has driven for Uber for three years. He said the fare cuts had come at a particularly inconvenient time: Last month, the city was hit by a huge snowstorm, which meant fewer rides for drivers. “Nobody in America wants to work more and earn less,” Mr. Alvi said. “It just doesn’t make any sense.” Mr. Alvi said he would turn off his phone for the rest of the day, refusing to drive for Uber. Other drivers, he added, had pledged to turn their phones off for three days. “That’s how we hurt Uber,” he said. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/02/nyregion/uber-drivers-in-new-york-city-protest-fare-cuts.html ------------------------------------------------------------------- LOL! Whats next? They're going to want rules and regulations going forward? Pretty sure we've gone down this road in the past. If only I could remember with who... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianLoonie Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Err...maybe they can start their own service if they don't like to work with Uber... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jägermeister Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 God I hate Uber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 There is always "Johnny Cab"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Building Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 I've had nothing but excellent experiences with Uber. Friday night? Major US city? 3 minute wait for a ride? Yeah, I'll pay a bit extra for that convenience if I really want the ride thank you very much. Still, the tone of the driver revolt is amusing. If you don't like it, you don't have to drive! I will laugh if they form/join a union though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucklehead Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 1 hour ago, Alflives said: There is always "Johnny Cab"! That's a good point, he will be here in a few short years. But then many low and medium skill jobs will also be lost to technology. What then? Have the architects of the brave new world considered the unrest they are creating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 33 minutes ago, nucklehead said: That's a good point, he will be here in a few short years. But then many low and medium skill jobs will also be lost to technology. What then? Have the architects of the brave new world considered the unrest they are creating? Luddite. Take a "Soma" tablet and relax. . The more we scrutinize, the more meds we need. It's a vicious cycle of eye opening, pill popping, head in the sand delirium. Trust me. "Soma" is the way to ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offensive Threat Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Theres already enough Uber drivers saying they dont even make minimum wage out there after taking gas and car upkeep into account. and they want to lower that further. Around here anyways it would be on the very low end of desirable jobs to have I would think. No job security, no chance of any advancement of any kind, Might as well work in the fast food industry, oh wait, they can become managers. Its worse than the fast food industry. If your young and have no prospects then it would be OK for a temporary thing at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucklehead Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 59 minutes ago, Alflives said: Luddite. Take a "Soma" tablet and relax. . The more we scrutinize, the more meds we need. It's a vicious cycle of eye opening, pill popping, head in the sand delirium. Trust me. "Soma" is the way to ... Look if you're uninformed and incapable of intelligent discussion don't try to entice me join you in the sandbox of ignorance. The world is changing and fast. The robots are coming for your job whether you care to see it or not. Even some high skill jobs are at risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caboose Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 2 hours ago, Offensive Threat said: Theres already enough Uber drivers saying they dont even make minimum wage out there after taking gas and car upkeep into account. and they want to lower that further. Around here anyways it would be on the very low end of desirable jobs to have I would think. No job security, no chance of any advancement of any kind, Might as well work in the fast food industry, oh wait, they can become managers. Its worse than the fast food industry. If your young and have no prospects then it would be OK for a temporary thing at best. I would think the service is intended for people looking to make a bit of cash on the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 8 hours ago, nucklehead said: Look if you're uninformed and incapable of intelligent discussion don't try to entice me join you in the sandbox of ignorance. The world is changing and fast. The robots are coming for your job whether you care to see it or not. Even some high skill jobs are at risk. Most live As robots already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimberWolf Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 11 hours ago, nucklehead said: That's a good point, he will be here in a few short years. But then many low and medium skill jobs will also be lost to technology. What then? Have the architects of the brave new world considered the unrest they are creating? If you don't like it you can get your ass to mars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offensive Threat Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 4 hours ago, riffraff said: Most live As robots already. So much cynicism. "Everybody has a secret world inside of them. I mean everybody. All of the people in the whole world, I mean everybody — no matter how dull and boring they are on the outside. Inside them they've all got unimaginable, magnificent, wonderful, stupid, amazing worlds... Not just one world. Hundreds of them. Thousands, maybe" -Neil Gaiman, The Sandman Vol 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffraff Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 1 minute ago, Offensive Threat said: So much cynicism. "Everybody has a secret world inside of them. I mean everybody. All of the people in the whole world, I mean everybody — no matter how dull and boring they are on the outside. Inside them they've all got unimaginable, magnificent, wonderful, stupid, amazing worlds... Not just one world. Hundreds of them. Thousands, maybe" -Neil Gaiman, The Sandman Vol 5. I agree. nevertheless. Rat race bro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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