sharing economy apps

[Dr Gloom 21924]

we all love apps like uber and deliveroo because they make our convenient and cheap but it increasingly looks like these companies can provide what we want by shafting their workers. i've read a few reports that suggest many drivers struggle to make the living wage and are employed on per drop contracts - bit like zero hours contracts - with no protection, holiday pay or union rep because the sharing economy companies call them contractors, not workers. 

 

why are uber's prices artificially low? well, they're funded by venture capital, so they can run at a loss because there are no shareholders to answer to, for now. will they eventually raise prices once they've forced the world's taxi cartels out of business and they have a monopolistic situation? 

 

i'm reluctant to stop using these apps so i guess i'm a hypocrite. in the short term at least, short of boycotting, the best thing to do is pay generous tips to the drivers, who are almost certainly being stiffed. 

 

i wonder if this will lure CT out of the shadows 

[Dr Gloom 21924]

whoops posted this in the wrong forum. can a mod please move over to general? thanks

[ewerk 30611]

They did make a profit in the UK last year.

 

Is it exploitation? To me it's similar to the BA mixed fleet cabin crew strike. They were well aware of the conditions before accepting the 'job'. Had Uber come in and changed the pay and conditions of existing workers then I would be more sympathetic.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

is the gig economy exploiting workers? if they're paying less than the living wage and not even recognising unions - let alone listening to reps' demands for collective bargaining, then i'd say, yes. 

[ChezGiven 0]

The business strategy is to go driverless so they don't give a shit about the drivers.

[Park Life 71]

2012 wants its thread back.

[ewerk 30611]

is the gig economy exploiting workers? if they're paying less than the living wage and not even recognising unions - let alone listening to reps' demands for collective bargaining, then i'd say, yes. 

 

They will have to ensure that drivers get the minimum wage in the future. They aren't yet obliged to recognise any union. And as Chez says, the ultimate aim is to do away with drivers altogether.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

2012 wants its thread back.

 

i'm not just talking about uber. i might be wrong but i don't recall a thread examining the sharing economy more broadly, whether it's taskrabit, deliveroo, or whatever

Edited December 16, 2016 by Dr Gloom

[Dr Gloom 21924]

The business strategy is to go driverless so they don't give a shit about the drivers.

 

not sure how that'll work in the case of deliveroo. robots collecting the food from the restaurants is quite a way away. until that happens, the drivers are being screwed. 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37905425

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3894]

not sure how that'll work in the case of deliveroo. robots collecting the food from the restaurants is quite a way away. until that happens, the drivers are being screwed. 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37905425

 

Drone delivery.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

uber drivers also won a recent case to be recognised as employees instead of contractors, which could have implications for the rest of the gig economy. 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37802386

[Gemmill 44881]

I'm sat on the bus right this second. It's my new jam. I'm a blue collar hero.

[Monkeys Fist 42449]

I'm sat on the bus right this second. It's my new jam. I'm a blue collar hero.

Since we're in 2012....

[Gemmill 44881]

Better to be on the bus than driving that tart mobile.

[David Kelly 1245]

I know a lad who used to work for Blueline for years and switched to Uber a year or two ago.  He tells me he's making much more for Uber and his hours are much better.

[wykikitoon 20146]

A mate of mine told me about a documentry about DPD.  It is a joke how they basically just abandon their vans to deliver and a mate said this documentry highlighted why.  They were making something like 30p a drop and when you added it up they were getting paid below minimum wage.

[Gemmill 44881]

I'm too evolved for status symbols.