5 ms·

I find this perspective a little chilling, to be honest. In what way is Uber going to "make an example of" the UK? Companies follow laws, laws do not follow com

I find this perspective a little chilling, to be honest. In what way is Uber going to "make an example of" the UK? Companies follow laws, laws do not follow companies and that's the way it should be. Corporate interests are already extremely over-represented in Government, Government should be looking out for the people not the companies.

walshemj 10y ago
They are looking after the people working in the gig economy
- SolaceQuantum 10y ago
  If I interpret correctly, Uber is doing no such thing to those working in the gig economy. That's why they're getting prosecuted.
huhtenberg 10y ago
This case was brought up by Uber drivers, not the UK government. If Uber is to cease its UK operations, then it will ultimately be because drivers went to court, so it should give others a pause when considering doing the same. The bottom line that the UK drivers wanted to have a cake and eat it, bit the hand that feeds them, etc. If Uber lets this slide, it creates a bad precedent for them.
- FussyZeus 10y ago
  Nothing you're saying is incorrect, but the underlying problem is that Uber drivers provide a needed service with a market and are not being compensated properly, and this goes for a lot of the gig economy. We can argue all day about this but I don't think it's unreasonable for people who provide a service that people want to demand in exchange a livable wage for their work, regardless of what the work happens to be. There's been a trend in our society the last 30 years or so that paints a picture of everyone who does manual labor for a living as being a lesser person, and it's damaging us. Yes, automation will save us from a lot of our current burdens but we're not there yet, and until we are we still need people to unclog our drains, pave our streets and maintain the sewers. It's not glamorous and not skilled but it is desperately needed, and we can't just say "well low wages come with shitty jobs" and walk away like not having garbagemen is an option.
  - anuberaway 10y ago
    If everybody in society deserves a living wage, then society should pay for it instead of regulating productive activity out of business.
    - hythloday 10y ago
      If your business model relies on you paying people less than a minimum wage, there's no particular reason that a society who's decided that's a bad idea should allow you to limit your liability to losses.
CapitalistCartr 10y ago
"Companies follow laws, laws do not follow companies and that's the way it should be. Corporate interests are already extremely over-represented in Government" As your second part notes, corporations do indeed often change laws. Laws and reality go hand-in-hand, both ways. Many laws change because they're not working well, to include offending a politician's bigger donors. Companies are a major part of politics, regardless of our preferences.

walshemj 10y ago

They are looking after the people working in the gig economy

SolaceQuantum 10y ago
If I interpret correctly, Uber is doing no such thing to those working in the gig economy. That's why they're getting prosecuted.

huhtenberg 10y ago

This case was brought up by Uber drivers, not the UK government. If Uber is to cease its UK operations, then it will ultimately be because drivers went to court, so it should give others a pause when considering doing the same. The bottom line that the UK drivers wanted to have a cake and eat it, bit the hand that feeds them, etc. If Uber lets this slide, it creates a bad precedent for them.

FussyZeus 10y ago
Nothing you're saying is incorrect, but the underlying problem is that Uber drivers provide a needed service with a market and are not being compensated properly, and this goes for a lot of the gig economy. We can argue all day about this but I don't think it's unreasonable for people who provide a service that people want to demand in exchange a livable wage for their work, regardless of what the work happens to be. There's been a trend in our society the last 30 years or so that paints a picture of everyone who does manual labor for a living as being a lesser person, and it's damaging us. Yes, automation will save us from a lot of our current burdens but we're not there yet, and until we are we still need people to unclog our drains, pave our streets and maintain the sewers. It's not glamorous and not skilled but it is desperately needed, and we can't just say "well low wages come with shitty jobs" and walk away like not having garbagemen is an option.
- anuberaway 10y ago
  If everybody in society deserves a living wage, then society should pay for it instead of regulating productive activity out of business.
  - hythloday 10y ago
    If your business model relies on you paying people less than a minimum wage, there's no particular reason that a society who's decided that's a bad idea should allow you to limit your liability to losses.

CapitalistCartr 10y ago

"Companies follow laws, laws do not follow companies and that's the way it should be. Corporate interests are already extremely over-represented in Government" As your second part notes, corporations do indeed often change laws. Laws and reality go hand-in-hand, both ways. Many laws change because they're not working well, to include offending a politician's bigger donors. Companies are a major part of politics, regardless of our preferences.