Uber CEO Calls For 'Benefits Funds' for Gig Workers

[CrimsonTider]

they take a percent of the transaction just like the other platforms i named...yet no one thinks people listing their service on thumbtack or house on airbnb should be employees...they are contractors who give up a percent of revenue in order to make some money from the service they're offering.

no one with sense thinks these drivers are employees, most drivers don't think they are either nor want to be. this is all an optics play...let's keep painting everything as exploitative if it doesn't match yesterday's model even tho without it, there'd be less opportunities for people to make money. reminds me of the people complaining about streaming payout vs album sales 30 years ago

AirBnB makes money by charging a service fee to both the customer and property owner

thumbtack makes money buy charging businesses a subscription for access to customer looking for services

This is not Ubers business model.

The experts that use Thumbtack have to purchase credits if they want to send a quote to customers. So essentially you’re paying to contact customers. The company calls this compensation for each quoted framework. Each lead that experts get costs a certain amount of credits. The number of credits is determined based on what service the expert is offering. The credits are sold individually and in various bundles.

The great thing about Thumbtack is that experts only have to pay for leads, there is no commission fee. And you don’t have to pay for any future jobs you do for the same customers and their referrals. But now the cost of credits, or leads, does differ quite a bit. Single credits cost $1.50, but bundles can cost anywhere from $17.99 to $84.99.

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

AirBnB makes money by charging a service fee to both the customer and property owner

thumbtack makes money buy charging businesses a subscription for access to customer looking for services

This is not Ubers business model.

they are all market places that charge a fee to host the transaction - uber's fee is a piece of the ride, doordash is a piece of the sales from the restaurant...the exact fee structure doesn't matter, the underlying business model is a marketplace matching supply with demand. are ebay sellers ebay employees now?

 

[CrimsonTider]

they are all market places that charge a fee to host the transaction - uber's fee is a piece of the ride, doordash is a piece of the sales from the restaurant...the exact fee structure doesn't matter, the underlying business model is a marketplace matching supply with demand. are ebay sellers ebay employees now?

No matter what you say Uber is not a tech company managing an app or a marketplace

they are a taxi company

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

No matter what you say Uber is not a tech company managing an app or a marketplace

they are a taxi company

no matter what you say, they're a marketplace. just because it's a market place for rides doesn't override it being a marketplace

 

[mr. smoke weed]

No matter what you say Uber is not a tech company managing an app or a marketplace

they are a taxi company

Yerp don't see how this is debatable.

 

[mr. smoke weed]

no matter what you say, they're a marketplace. just because it's a market place for rides doesn't override it being a marketplace

lmfao

 

[943oh5]

The idea that Uber is just an "app" facilitating transactions falls apart when they take a cut of the fee they charge customers, "screen" (read: hire) drivers, but eschew labor laws by calling drivers "contractors". Have any of you been in an accident while in an uber due to driver malfeasance? Or the victim of sexual assault while in an uber? Or know someone who has? Would you be comfortable with the "app" that matched you with a reckless driver, someone who assaulted you, etc. telling you that there's nothing they can do because the driver was an independent contractor?

 

[Atlrocafella]

The debate between @dora_da_destroyer and @CrimsonTider is pretty good

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

The idea that Uber is just an "app" facilitating transactions falls apart when they take a cut of the fee they charge customers, "screen" (read: hire) drivers, but eschew labor laws by calling drivers "contractors". Have any of you been in an accident while in an uber due to driver malfeasance? Or the victim of sexual assault while in an uber? Or know someone who has? Would you be comfortable with the "app" that matched you with a reckless driver, someone who assaulted you, etc. telling you that there's nothing they can do because the driver was an independent contractor?

Care.com screens the people who list on their site, yet they’re not employees of care.com. When I was right out of college and temping, I had to be screened by temp agencies, but I wasn’t their employee. Since when did background checks = employee

temp agencies also take a piece of the rate you’re paid, that’s why they ask you your desired hourly wage, so they can tack their fee on top and charge the client...all of your arguments are falling apart when contractors in other industries and sites are subject to the same thing Uber does

 

[the cac mamba]

The idea that Uber is just an "app" facilitating transactions falls apart when they take a cut of the fee they charge customers, "screen" (read: hire) drivers, but eschew labor laws by calling drivers "contractors". Have any of you been in an accident while in an uber due to driver malfeasance? Or the victim of sexual assault while in an uber? Or know someone who has? Would you be comfortable with the "app" that matched you with a reckless driver, someone who assaulted you, etc. telling you that there's nothing they can do because the driver was an independent contractor?

you're all overcomplicating this

what will be the reaction if these democrat AGs force uber and lyft out of their states?

 

[duckbutta]

this is what's pissing me off about this

its not like uber is a rich company sitting on its billions and withholding health insurance because its greedy its very easy to look up the fact that uber loses money as-is

and we have Mass Health in my state for people to buy into. i thought there was Obamacare. cant uber drivers get the same insurance as anyone who doesnt get it through their job? dont most uber drivers NOT even drive full time? its not even marketed as your full time job

why attack this industry thats wildly popular with the entire country?

How does Uber lose money ?

 

[the cac mamba]

How does Uber lose money ?

i dont even know ive always wondered that myself

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

How does Uber lose money ?

The cost of rides is much more than they charge customers. They used VC money to subsidize the cost, now that they’re public, they burn their own money because pretty much no one would use it if they actually raised the price to what it should be

 

[duckbutta]

The cost of rides is much more than they charge customers. They used VC money to subsidize the cost, now that they’re public, they burn their own money because pretty much no one would use it if they actually raised the price to what it should be

Why is the cost of rides so high ?

And who is dictating what the cost of a ride even is ?

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

Why is the cost of rides so high ?

And who is dictating what the cost of a ride even is ?

Likely just a standard $/mile and/or amount they have to pay drivers plus the markup they need for profit (which hasn’t happened)