I don't exactly agree with your conclusions but I upvoted you anyway because you got me realizing what about the whole arrangement of Uber/Lyft really makes me

I don't exactly agree with your conclusions but I upvoted you anyway because you got me realizing what about the whole arrangement of Uber/Lyft really makes me uncomfortable with the "independent contractor" definition: the companies actively impede the self-sufficiency of drivers to cultivate a client base. This would be like if a massive home improvement company which subcontracted all of its labor to smaller outfits had the workers wear some kind of monitoring to watch every step the on site guys did, make sure the sub company wasn't promoting its own signage, or doing any custom work above and beyond to satisfy the client. That doesn't fly in my book. If you subcontract work, your value add is the market penetration that gets the clients in the door, and that's it. If the outfit doing the work is not an employee, then the relationship ends with the fee paid upward. If you believe that business entities have rights, which I am sure Uber's board does, why should it be legally binding in a contract for a business to sign those away any more than an individual can sign away his own?