<story><title>CEO of Uber: Gig Workers Deserve Better</title><url>https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/10/opinion/uber-ceo-dara-khosrowshahi-gig-workers-deserve-better.html</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>undecisive</author><text>Most people are looking at this cynically, and I agree that it&amp;#x27;s a stall for time, he&amp;#x27;s trying to justify paying people the minimum because otherwise all the other greedy pigs would undercut him, etc etc.&lt;p&gt;However, my cynicism goes a level deeper. It is in Uber&amp;#x27;s best interests for laws to change and make the scene more complicated, so that all operators in this space - including Uber - have to pay more to their workers and have more encumbrances.&lt;p&gt;Why? Well, Uber is an established operator. They have made their bucketloads of money off the back of underpaying their workers, got themselves out of startup status in a way that - if they play their cards right - no other gig operator will be able to replicate. Less competition, less disruption.&lt;p&gt;I think there is an argument that says that &amp;quot;gig economy&amp;quot; should be enveloped in laws that protect the gig worker rights and ensure fair pay and a safety net, without introducing laws that enforce restrictions on the workers. Governments should work to simplify the burdens on individuals, without creating new loopholes for the wealthy. &amp;quot;It&amp;#x27;s hard&amp;quot; is a valid statement, but not a reason to reject the concept.&lt;p&gt;But I would continue to be fully cynical of any solution that has the top gig economy CEO&amp;#x27;s seal of approval.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>asn0</author><text>Didn&amp;#x27;t Uber disrupt an industry that was already very well protected by government regulation, and seems much more exploitative?&lt;p&gt;It costs around $100,000[1] to be allowed (by the city) to drive a taxi in New York ($1.3MM in 2014), for a job that pays on average $43,000[2] per year - which involves driving an average of 70,000 miles per year - which at an average speed of 4.7mph[3] works out to $3&amp;#x2F;hr (not counting waiting time).&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#x27;s still not a living wage, but making $9&amp;#x2F;hr[4] just by owning a decent car seems like progress.&lt;p&gt;[1] &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;citylimits.org&amp;#x2F;2019&amp;#x2F;11&amp;#x2F;30&amp;#x2F;need-to-know-taxi-medallions-in-new-york&amp;#x2F;&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;citylimits.org&amp;#x2F;2019&amp;#x2F;11&amp;#x2F;30&amp;#x2F;need-to-know-taxi-medallio...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;[2] &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.salary.com&amp;#x2F;research&amp;#x2F;salary&amp;#x2F;benchmark&amp;#x2F;taxi-driver-salary&amp;#x2F;new-york-ny&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.salary.com&amp;#x2F;research&amp;#x2F;salary&amp;#x2F;benchmark&amp;#x2F;taxi-driver...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;[3] &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.latimes.com&amp;#x2F;nation&amp;#x2F;la-na-new-york-traffic-manhattan-20180124-story.html&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.latimes.com&amp;#x2F;nation&amp;#x2F;la-na-new-york-traffic-manhat...&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;[4] &lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.thestreet.com&amp;#x2F;personal-finance&amp;#x2F;education&amp;#x2F;how-much-do-uber-lyft-drivers-make-14804869&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;www.thestreet.com&amp;#x2F;personal-finance&amp;#x2F;education&amp;#x2F;how-muc...&lt;/a&gt;</text></comment>
<story><title>CEO of Uber: Gig Workers Deserve Better</title><url>https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/10/opinion/uber-ceo-dara-khosrowshahi-gig-workers-deserve-better.html</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>undecisive</author><text>Most people are looking at this cynically, and I agree that it&amp;#x27;s a stall for time, he&amp;#x27;s trying to justify paying people the minimum because otherwise all the other greedy pigs would undercut him, etc etc.&lt;p&gt;However, my cynicism goes a level deeper. It is in Uber&amp;#x27;s best interests for laws to change and make the scene more complicated, so that all operators in this space - including Uber - have to pay more to their workers and have more encumbrances.&lt;p&gt;Why? Well, Uber is an established operator. They have made their bucketloads of money off the back of underpaying their workers, got themselves out of startup status in a way that - if they play their cards right - no other gig operator will be able to replicate. Less competition, less disruption.&lt;p&gt;I think there is an argument that says that &amp;quot;gig economy&amp;quot; should be enveloped in laws that protect the gig worker rights and ensure fair pay and a safety net, without introducing laws that enforce restrictions on the workers. Governments should work to simplify the burdens on individuals, without creating new loopholes for the wealthy. &amp;quot;It&amp;#x27;s hard&amp;quot; is a valid statement, but not a reason to reject the concept.&lt;p&gt;But I would continue to be fully cynical of any solution that has the top gig economy CEO&amp;#x27;s seal of approval.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>athenot</author><text>That&amp;#x27;s usually referred to as &amp;quot;building a regulatory moat&amp;quot;.</text></comment>