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This is simple case of a Scab breaking down the power of the union and the union fighting back against it. Violence is wrong and this is not ok. However, Uber

This is simple case of a Scab breaking down the power of the union and the union fighting back against it. Violence is wrong and this is not ok. However, Uber should be more aware of what they're 'disrupting'. Strong unions see this as a foreign company threatening their livelihoods and there will be push back.

collypops 13y ago
That was my point, as subtly as I hinted it. Some people just don't have a sense of humour though. Or maybe I'm not funny. Or maybe they're too attached to what I'm poking at. Who knows. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7049636 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7049636
rmc 13y ago
However, Uber should be more aware of what they're 'disrupting'. Strong unions see this as a foreign company threatening their livelihoods and there will be push back. Yeah, this isn't USA. There are actual employment rights and strong trade unions here.
- onli 13y ago
  But also criticism of taxis. Have a look at http://transports.blog.lemonde.fr/2014/01/12/pourquoi-je-nai-plus-envie-de-prendre-le-taxi/ http://transports.blog.lemonde.fr/2014/01/12/pourquoi-je-nai... for an example.
- david927 13y ago
  I'm also in France and I am very happy that workers actually have rights here (as opposed to my native land, the USA). But you always must keep diligence, because unions can devolve into a mafia. The taxis here in France are an example of that. I have never had a single ride that was the correct price, and after many attempts I gave up. I'm certainly not alone. People have been trying to disrupt and get around them for ages but they fight as mafia do: fiercely.
  - faster 13y ago
    I'm also an American living in France, and I have never even been able to get a taxi in Paris, on the street, at marked taxi stands, or asking directly in a bar where the taxi drivers hang out while they are 'working'. Fortunately I don't live in Paris. It seems that taxi companies are more mafia than union in the US also, but at least they will pick you up. This is because the government won't give them money if they don't work. I appreciate that France has a strong social safety net, but this is one of the downsides of that; it's easy to abuse.
    - Jacqued 13y ago
      This seems quite disingenuous to say the least. I'm a French living in Paris, and have never had any trouble getting a cab, unless I happened to be in one of those neighborhoods that are completely deserted at night. In that case you'd have to call one up. Maybe the cabs you were trying to get already had customers on board. Hint : if a taxi is free, the light on top of it is green. If it's red, there's already a customer on board.
      - rmc 13y ago
        Heh, I wonder if it's because it's an American looking for a taxi in France, as opposed to a French person looking for a taxi. When travelling around Europe, I put big Irish stickers on my motorbike. You can get Scottish flag stickers for your car that say "Scotland" in French[1], so the French drivers don't think you're English. [1] http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotland-Ecosse-Sticker-Number-Saltire/dp/B0055BNOMA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1389619165&sr=8-4&keywords=car+sticker+scotland+ecosse http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotland-Ecosse-Sticker-Number-Salti...
        faster 13y ago
        I never experienced the kind of hate that some Americans attribute to French people. As far as the French hating the English, have you ever listed to any Roald Dahl childrens' stories? They pretty much ensure that good English kids are raised to hate the French. I used to know an English family who played Roald Dahl CDs for their kids whenever they were in the car. It was frightening. So a little reflection of that isn't too surprising.
- jsnk 13y ago
  Strong trade unions are dandy and employment rights are okay too. Threats, violence and vandalism of someone else's property are not okay.
- rtpg 13y ago
  it's slightly ironic that the unions in France are strong despite low participation rates , and in the US there's much more participation. One could argue that , because of collective bargaining, there might not be that many advantages to joining a union in France (the biggest union ends up representing you anyways).
yummyfajitas 13y ago
We had similar problems in the US. Various organizations would start legitimate businesses and engage in violence against competitors - garbage collection, construction and importing Italian foods (olive oil in particular) were quite popular. They would also extend "protection" to favored businesses, and use violence against businesses which did not accept "protection". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Mafia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Mafia We've had great success using laws such as RICO against them. Perhaps France can ask our law enforcement agencies for some tips.
- cdavid 13y ago
  The massive infiltration of union by mafia is quite specific to the US, so I fail to see how it is relevant.
  - yummyfajitas 13y ago
    I wasn't referring to the mafia infiltrating unions at all. I was referring to organizations who use violence against competitors, run protection rackets and corruptly influence politicians. In the US the Mafia was such an organization. In France it appears their taxi driver unions are.

collypops 13y ago

That was my point, as subtly as I hinted it. Some people just don't have a sense of humour though. Or maybe I'm not funny. Or maybe they're too attached to what I'm poking at. Who knows. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7049636 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7049636

rmc 13y ago

However, Uber should be more aware of what they're 'disrupting'. Strong unions see this as a foreign company threatening their livelihoods and there will be push back. Yeah, this isn't USA. There are actual employment rights and strong trade unions here.

onli 13y ago
But also criticism of taxis. Have a look at http://transports.blog.lemonde.fr/2014/01/12/pourquoi-je-nai-plus-envie-de-prendre-le-taxi/ http://transports.blog.lemonde.fr/2014/01/12/pourquoi-je-nai... for an example.
david927 13y ago
I'm also in France and I am very happy that workers actually have rights here (as opposed to my native land, the USA). But you always must keep diligence, because unions can devolve into a mafia. The taxis here in France are an example of that. I have never had a single ride that was the correct price, and after many attempts I gave up. I'm certainly not alone. People have been trying to disrupt and get around them for ages but they fight as mafia do: fiercely.
- faster 13y ago
  I'm also an American living in France, and I have never even been able to get a taxi in Paris, on the street, at marked taxi stands, or asking directly in a bar where the taxi drivers hang out while they are 'working'. Fortunately I don't live in Paris. It seems that taxi companies are more mafia than union in the US also, but at least they will pick you up. This is because the government won't give them money if they don't work. I appreciate that France has a strong social safety net, but this is one of the downsides of that; it's easy to abuse.
  - Jacqued 13y ago
    This seems quite disingenuous to say the least. I'm a French living in Paris, and have never had any trouble getting a cab, unless I happened to be in one of those neighborhoods that are completely deserted at night. In that case you'd have to call one up. Maybe the cabs you were trying to get already had customers on board. Hint : if a taxi is free, the light on top of it is green. If it's red, there's already a customer on board.
    - rmc 13y ago
      Heh, I wonder if it's because it's an American looking for a taxi in France, as opposed to a French person looking for a taxi. When travelling around Europe, I put big Irish stickers on my motorbike. You can get Scottish flag stickers for your car that say "Scotland" in French[1], so the French drivers don't think you're English. [1] http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotland-Ecosse-Sticker-Number-Saltire/dp/B0055BNOMA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1389619165&sr=8-4&keywords=car+sticker+scotland+ecosse http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotland-Ecosse-Sticker-Number-Salti...
      - faster 13y ago
        I never experienced the kind of hate that some Americans attribute to French people. As far as the French hating the English, have you ever listed to any Roald Dahl childrens' stories? They pretty much ensure that good English kids are raised to hate the French. I used to know an English family who played Roald Dahl CDs for their kids whenever they were in the car. It was frightening. So a little reflection of that isn't too surprising.
jsnk 13y ago
Strong trade unions are dandy and employment rights are okay too. Threats, violence and vandalism of someone else's property are not okay.
rtpg 13y ago
it's slightly ironic that the unions in France are strong despite low participation rates , and in the US there's much more participation. One could argue that , because of collective bargaining, there might not be that many advantages to joining a union in France (the biggest union ends up representing you anyways).

yummyfajitas 13y ago

We had similar problems in the US. Various organizations would start legitimate businesses and engage in violence against competitors - garbage collection, construction and importing Italian foods (olive oil in particular) were quite popular. They would also extend "protection" to favored businesses, and use violence against businesses which did not accept "protection". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Mafia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Mafia We've had great success using laws such as RICO against them. Perhaps France can ask our law enforcement agencies for some tips.

cdavid 13y ago
The massive infiltration of union by mafia is quite specific to the US, so I fail to see how it is relevant.
- yummyfajitas 13y ago
  I wasn't referring to the mafia infiltrating unions at all. I was referring to organizations who use violence against competitors, run protection rackets and corruptly influence politicians. In the US the Mafia was such an organization. In France it appears their taxi driver unions are.