Texas is an improbable place for a new type of strike. On
Friday, “UberBlack” drivers turned off their Uber apps and have refused to pick
up rides since then. UberBlack is the premium segment of the ride-market.
UberBlack drivers typically buy black SUVs or limos—expensive luxury vehicles—
in the hope that they’ll pay-off their investment and make more money. However,
Uber’s policy compels them to accept cheaper rides under the basic UberX
platform. In this article, reporter
Robert Wilonsky writes: “As we noted Friday and again yesterday, UberBlack
drivers who say they spent $40,000 to $50,000 on luxury SUVs and town cars are
protesting a company directive forcing them to pick up passengers who wanted
the cheaper UberX service, which bills itself as ‘everyday cars for everyday
use.’ They say they didn’t sign on to
Uber to make pennies on the dollar and work 14 hours a day to compete with
drivers using their own cars who work when they want.” I note that the
Dallas drivers sound more like employees than entrepreneurs.
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