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> I dont see how Lyft gets off calling this fraudulent. The workers are "defrauding" Capital out of greater-than-substance wages. It's bullshit, and they'll t
by ardy42 7y ago
> I dont see how Lyft gets off calling this fraudulent.
The workers are "defrauding" Capital out of greater-than-substance wages. It's bullshit, and they'll try to re-frame in in terms of customers, but that's essentially their view.
- richardknop 7y agoWell, Lyft drivers are supposed to be contractors, it's normal for contractors to set their rate so I don't see how this is fraudulent.
- eropple 7y ago'ardy42 is presenting the part of the argument that Lyft and Uber can't say aloud but almost certainly believe. Lyft and Uber have a vested interest in making their objection seem "pro-consumer," when they're primarily anti-worker; lower prices to the consumer pumps up the demand curve and Lyft makes more money.
- rayiner 7y ago> Lyft and Uber have a vested interest in making their objection seem "pro-consumer," when they're primarily anti-worker; Given that Lyft and Uber are losing money, there is no difference between the two. Uber and Lyft are just vehicles (hah) for consumers to make taxi drivers work for less than what taxi drivers used to make. People use Lyft and Uber because it’s cheaper than taxis. Since Uber and Lyft don’t make any money, those savings are coming out of the pockets of drivers.
- eropple 7y agoI mean, fair cop. Though a lot of my Uber and Lyft use is with the endless discounted ride offers I get, which seems to just be a transfer from investors to...well...me.
- matz1 7y agoFrom the perspective of Lyft it is fraudulent.
- rayiner 7y agoContractors can set rates. They cannot make agreements with other contractors to not accept jobs for below a certain rate.
- klyrs 7y agoMusicians, actors, screenwriters, etc., belong to guilds which do exactly that. And, oh hey, it looks like there's already an independent drivers guild: https://drivingguild.org/ https://drivingguild.org/
- Jeff_Brown 7y agoNot exactly. The percentage that Lyft takes is the same, so Lyft actually makes more money from these price-hikes. The ones suffering are the passengers.
- eropple 7y agoThis assumes an inelastic demand curve. DCA has other options, such as taxis. (edited s/elastic/inelastic - I dun goofed. Thanks, Erik!)
- ErikVandeWater 7y ago*inelastic Great point - they could be loosing a lot of passengers to taxis
- deleted 7y ago[deleted]
- Jeff_Brown 7y agoThe existence of other options implies a more elastic supply curve, but implies nothing about demand. That passengers suffer from a price surge does not assume an inelastic demand, or even a downward-sloping one. If you pay a higher price, you're suffering more, even if somehow it leads you to buy more of that thing.
- eropple 7y agoEh--"suffering" seems a bit dramatic; as economic transactions go, the up-front price quote by Lyft and Uber makes it pretty transparent and the options available to depart DCA put an upper bound on costs. But I was more referring to how Lyft and Uber make more money off of shorter, cheaper rides. They do make more from longer rides, because of percentages, but my understanding is that volume makes them much more money and that higher prices do depress volume.
- 7y ago
- bobwaycott 7y agoI believe you mean subsistence, not substance.