5 ms·

What were these people doing before Uber and Lyft came around?

fizzled 6y ago
That's like offering someone who is starving a shit sandwich: "What, it's a sandwich, eat it. Or do you like starving?" Capitalism frequently tries to (and succeeds) exploit the poorest citizens: they are desperate. Laws like this exist to protect the weakest from exploitation.
- twblalock 6y ago
  Giving someone a job they want is not exploitation. If gig workers wanted to be unemployed they could easily do that instead, but they chose to look for a job, someone offered them a job, and they took it. Why should the state interfere in that arrangement and take that job away?
- chasd00 6y ago
  "Laws like this exist to protect the weakest from exploitation." maybe that was the intent but, in reality, you just destroyed your poorest citizen by taking what little they did have away. I get it, passing a law was the easiest thing for you to do because it shifts all responsibility but don't think too high of yourself.
runarberg 6y ago
Taking similar gig in other industries, such as gardening, constructions, telemarketing and support, pet care, beauty industry, etc. The gig economy did not start with Uber or AirBnB.
- apta 6y ago
  Except now with AB5, those populations are at risk too.
  - lefrenchy 6y ago
    I don't disagree, the current politicians need to find a solution to provide people with meaningful opportunities to protect them from the fallout of these changes. I think the danger of allowing this exploitation to continue, if we examine the precedent of the previous decades, is too large though and we need to act before the erosion continues.
  - runarberg 6y ago
    I’m not familiar with the proposition, but lets say that you are right for the sake of argument: Now we have two possibilities: a) We could fight against it and try to get it revoked. Go back to the status quo where those workers keep working—potentially underpaid—without getting any of the benefits full-time workers rely on. b) We could ask for a new proposal that would give gig workers these benefits and guarantee them a minimum wage.
  - renewiltord 6y ago
    Nah, they're not. In the undocumented economy, there are lots of things you do that don't show up. It's not like you're filing taxes when you drive up to Lowe's and ask the guys waiting in the parking lot to help you with some construction. That shit is going straight cash-to-cash. Those jobs are shittier (that's why people drive instead of doing them) but they will still exist.
    - apta 6y ago
      Just go to upwork or similar sites and see how people are refusing to hire workers (including programmers) in CA because of AB5. This affected way more people than just drivers.
      - runarberg 6y ago
        Let me rephrase that: So they are refusing to hire workers because they are not allowed to misuse contractors to circumvent giving fair wages and benefits?
        6y ago

That's like offering someone who is starving a shit sandwich: "What, it's a sandwich, eat it. Or do you like starving?" Capitalism frequently tries to (and succeeds) exploit the poorest citizens: they are desperate. Laws like this exist to protect the weakest from exploitation.

twblalock 6y ago
Giving someone a job they want is not exploitation. If gig workers wanted to be unemployed they could easily do that instead, but they chose to look for a job, someone offered them a job, and they took it. Why should the state interfere in that arrangement and take that job away?
chasd00 6y ago
"Laws like this exist to protect the weakest from exploitation." maybe that was the intent but, in reality, you just destroyed your poorest citizen by taking what little they did have away. I get it, passing a law was the easiest thing for you to do because it shifts all responsibility but don't think too high of yourself.

runarberg 6y ago

Taking similar gig in other industries, such as gardening, constructions, telemarketing and support, pet care, beauty industry, etc. The gig economy did not start with Uber or AirBnB.

apta 6y ago
Except now with AB5, those populations are at risk too.
- lefrenchy 6y ago
  I don't disagree, the current politicians need to find a solution to provide people with meaningful opportunities to protect them from the fallout of these changes. I think the danger of allowing this exploitation to continue, if we examine the precedent of the previous decades, is too large though and we need to act before the erosion continues.
- runarberg 6y ago
  I’m not familiar with the proposition, but lets say that you are right for the sake of argument: Now we have two possibilities: a) We could fight against it and try to get it revoked. Go back to the status quo where those workers keep working—potentially underpaid—without getting any of the benefits full-time workers rely on. b) We could ask for a new proposal that would give gig workers these benefits and guarantee them a minimum wage.
- renewiltord 6y ago
  Nah, they're not. In the undocumented economy, there are lots of things you do that don't show up. It's not like you're filing taxes when you drive up to Lowe's and ask the guys waiting in the parking lot to help you with some construction. That shit is going straight cash-to-cash. Those jobs are shittier (that's why people drive instead of doing them) but they will still exist.
  - apta 6y ago
    Just go to upwork or similar sites and see how people are refusing to hire workers (including programmers) in CA because of AB5. This affected way more people than just drivers.
    - runarberg 6y ago
      Let me rephrase that: So they are refusing to hire workers because they are not allowed to misuse contractors to circumvent giving fair wages and benefits?
      - 6y ago