Ripping off tourists is quite a lure tbh.
Uber lose battle in Supreme Court on drivers right
- Thread starter Bald-Eagle22
- Start date
Ripping off tourists is quite a lure tbh.
Well as employees surely UBER will be telling them WHEN they can log into the app. UBER gets to call more shots now.
So basically uber drivers are now zero-hours employees now (until the next court case) with their hours set not entirely by them, or the company but by demand from customers.
Pretty sure that if only counting the time on job then they were already earning well over min wage + holiday + pension anyway.
GMB union is celebrating it as a big win - not sure if they're gaslighting their members here tbh...
It is potentially a win for the union and other non-driver members if they can use it as precedent in some other case to actually make a tangible difference but for the uber drivers themselves, I'm not sure it changes much in the grand scheme of things. There was nothing stopping them from putting some of their money into a pension or putting some aside as "holiday pay" in the first place... all this change has done is diverted some of the payouts they'd have been due from uber to do this for them, it's not like there was some magical money tree here where they've suddenly got a pension or holiday pay on top of their previous regular earings as opposed to simply taken from them.
Seems there is some uncertainty re: deductions too - if they're employees now does that make much difference re: costs/deductions for them?
Would love to see a poll of drivers now these changes have been announced - how many of them actually want this.
Yup, no reason why, at the moment, they can't work for a local mini-cab firm and uber or have uber + lyft and log in/out of each app depending on how quiet it is etc..
Well surely either they win the next court case or they have to make further changes* or just leave the UK or some legislators perhaps need to look at making UK employment law a bit more flexible to allow for a bit more innovation, new ways of working etc..
*could have drivers working shifts and sack the ones that don't earn their keep, could stop drivers from being able to reject jobs, can restrict the number of drivers working at less busy times etc... I don't think the majority of drivers would actually like many of the changes needed to make this workable.
Pretty sure that if only counting the time on job then they were already earning well over min wage + holiday + pension anyway.
GMB union is celebrating it as a big win - not sure if they're gaslighting their members here tbh...
It is potentially a win for the union and other non-driver members if they can use it as precedent in some other case to actually make a tangible difference but for the uber drivers themselves, I'm not sure it changes much in the grand scheme of things. There was nothing stopping them from putting some of their money into a pension or putting some aside as "holiday pay" in the first place... all this change has done is diverted some of the payouts they'd have been due from uber to do this for them, it's not like there was some magical money tree here where they've suddenly got a pension or holiday pay on top of their previous regular earings as opposed to simply taken from them.
Seems there is some uncertainty re: deductions too - if they're employees now does that make much difference re: costs/deductions for them?
Would love to see a poll of drivers now these changes have been announced - how many of them actually want this.
Yup, no reason why, at the moment, they can't work for a local mini-cab firm and uber or have uber + lyft and log in/out of each app depending on how quiet it is etc..
Well surely either they win the next court case or they have to make further changes* or just leave the UK or some legislators perhaps need to look at making UK employment law a bit more flexible to allow for a bit more innovation, new ways of working etc..
*could have drivers working shifts and sack the ones that don't earn their keep, could stop drivers from being able to reject jobs, can restrict the number of drivers working at less busy times etc... I don't think the majority of drivers would actually like many of the changes needed to make this workable.
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If the courts overrule the changes Uber have made then only one of two things can happen. Either the consumer has to pay a lot more for their taxi fares (uber will never want this), or a lot of Uber 'workers' are about to find themselves out of a job. I wonder if those who took this to court have really thought this through.
Sadly, when the militants get involved, they rarely think it through to the logical conclusion or have the support of their peers.
Does seem like a strange thing to be fighting for. I think that having the option to be classed as an employee of Uber is a good thing but I think you should also be able to opt out if you want to. Part of the allure of Uber was that you could make it fit around whatever you wanted and didn't have to put in time when you didn't want to. Being an employee kind of blows that out of the water.
It wouldn’t suit your agenda, but when it WAS worth driving a Black Cab, the vast, vast majority of drivers, including myself, just took the fare by the quickest route, got paid, then sought the next fare, but the old canards are the best.
As for the present time, tourists, what tourists?
Indeed. If Uber are forced to pay drivers minimum wages from when they log on then Uber will dictate how many drivers they have logged on in each are and the times and they will have targets to hit or they lose their employment.
I agree I dont think a lot of Uber drivers are going to be happy with the outcome.
Pretty much
Uber: OK you have workers rights and holiday pay. Here's a 40hr a week contract & your rota.
Driver: but I want to work when I want.
Uber: well now your employed so these are the terms of your employment. Take it or leave it.
Driver: buttttttt..........
About having the pros without the cons...
Uber provides cheap transport by dodging costs but mainly by losing billions of investors money every year. If it stops being able to sell the dream the entire company implodes and every lost case pecks at that bubble.
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That’s a fantastic work example. I’ll use that in future. 
Soldato
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What has your silly picture got to do with quoting me? Do you have any input or do you just post an image and run?
People have always wailed that any level of labour rights will be disastrous, they’ve rarely been correct. My shares in Uber are up 60%. I think they are going to be ok, and if they aren’t, good, I don’t want workers to not get a living wage in this country.
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Overall employment rights are a good thing but it depends on the situation. Whilst I would suggest that there should be a mechanism ensuring there is not an oversupply of drivers to ensure all gig workers can enjoy enough jobs whilst working as a taxi driver and therefore a reasonable opportunity to make a fair wage, forcing changes such as those imposed by the court in recent days, will, it would seem lead to a lot of job losses or the consumer being shafted.
Not sure how that is going to be a good thing? Nice for those who get to stay on in the job and earn just for being logged into the app but disastrous for those who find themselves surplus to requirements and out of a job.
Or Uber will just make slightly less profit due to not being able to get away with paying below minimum wage. If prices go up, then I’m sure a competitor will arrive that will be able to operate within the confines of our workers rights legislation saving the consumer.
As plenty of us have said, companies should have to offer full time employment and workers rights but they should also allow people to opt out of it. Uber works as a bit part for some people. They don't work set hours. They pick up a few fares, do some other stuff, pick up a few fairs etc. They don't want to worry about a company looking over their shoulder asking them about why they aren't working X hours or picking up enough fares.
I don't think you get it - the point he was making was about an oversupply of drivers, currently, the drivers choose when to log in.
Prices aren't the issue here. You don't solve the issue of drivers logging in when they want by increasing prices.
All that will happen is there will be even less money when demand drops to pay all the drivers. They all lose their jobs and go back to being self employed with local minicab firms. Just like black cab drivers for reference.