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Uber loses licence to operate in London, will still operate while appealing

(www.bbc.com)
256 points reubensutton | 2 comments | 25 Nov 19 10:19 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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thinkindie ◴[25 Nov 19 14:49 UTC] No.21628527[source]▶
have you ever wondered what makes services like Uber affordable? 1) underpaid drivers 2) VC money dropped into an otherwise unsustainable business

I'm pretty sure Uber will raise prices the moment it kills the competition

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ApolloFortyNine ◴[25 Nov 19 15:05 UTC] No.21628683[source]▶
> underpaid drivers

This is and always will be a matter of opinion.

Uber is not putting a gun to anyone's head. If it's not profitable for you to drive, you don't have to.

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dls2016 ◴[25 Nov 19 16:00 UTC] No.21629286[source]▶
> Uber is not putting a gun to anyone's head.

But their platform has a near-monopoly in many markets, which they use to set prices while simultaneously classifying drivers as independent contractors.

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ApolloFortyNine ◴[25 Nov 19 16:11 UTC] No.21629433[source]▶
>while simultaneously classifying drivers as independent contractors.

They are independent contractors. There's no time you have to be at work. There's no amount of time you have to work a given day of the week, or during the whole week. If they were forced to turn them into employees, that would all go away.

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1. dls2016 ◴[25 Nov 19 17:15 UTC] No.21630292{3}[source]▶
I understand, but in certain jurisdictions your viewpoint is being challenged. See: AB 5 in California or an announcement from the state of New Jersey that Uber owes $640 million in back taxes and fines for misclassifying employees.

I personally have a moral problem with drivers not being allowed to charge their own rate while simultaneously being labeled independent contractors.

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2. ApolloFortyNine ◴[25 Nov 19 18:36 UTC] No.21631248[source]▶
There are many countries where free speech is regularly challenged, that doesn't make it right.

Especially in New Jersey's case trying to retroactively tax them. California at least is just changing a law.