An absurd piece by Uber that merits a thread. The core argument here is to—like every Uber PR push over the past few weeks—conflate independent contractor status with flexibility & argue drivers can only achieve both with Uber's model. Is that true? 1/9 https://twitter.com/dkhos/status/1294328949137215489

The "forced system" doesn’t exist, but let's say it did—what is Uber offering to substantially change such a system? How does non-discrimination, a health fund, & $1350 measure up to min wage, overtime, workers comp, social security, PTO, unemployment, organizing rights, etc. 2/9

This is, again, not how Uber works. Uber substantially overhired at great cost to drivers to satisfy a level of demand that never materialized. This also ignores the vast majority of trips are done by a core of full-time drivers sensitive to Uber's constant price experiments. 3/9

Uber’s degree of control is UNUSUAL. Drivers are managed by algorithmic overseers. They’re often fired for arbitrary reasons without appeal. And this later argument against paying drivers for their time is absurd—overhiring and low pay forces drivers to constantly be online. 4/9

Uber’s work structure is already rigid. Look at their New York City quota system that was suspended THE DAY I published a report about it. In response to a minimum wage law, Uber was conditioning access to the app on unrealistic quotas, forcing drivers to sleep in their cars. 5/9

This point merits the same points as the previous tweet and there’s another important omission. Uber has an incredibly high attrition rate—most drivers are not still driving after six months, let alone a year. In 2017, only 4 PERCENT of drivers stayed on after one year. 6/9

@veenadubal has done an exhaustive review of surveys where drivers expressed a desire to be flexible and remain contractors and found that drivers "uniformly desire" employee benefits but felt anxious about treatment as employees GIVEN UBER/LYFT'S OWN WORKING CONDITIONS 7/9

Again, this isn’t true. Uber overhired not to provide MORE drivers with incomes/jobs but to SUPPRESS fares & wages. Uber’s proposals protect the overhiring without exploding labor costs. They care about their ability to sell a profitability narrative, not protecting drivers. 8/9

This IS a bogus argument! Uber is an unprofitable taxi company that has done massive harm (and will do more) because the law interfered with its ability to do things like achieve a monopoly & exploit workers. Do not let them hold drivers hostage over this shit! 9/9