That's not really how this works...
Uber can't afford to pay drivers more. They're already losing money. If they raise wages, then that means YOU pay more. Guaranteed more. But with tipping, it gives you the option to pay more for good service. If you don't want to tip, then it doesn't matter.
I've driven for Uber before. It's barely even worth it with tips. It absolutely isn't worth it without.
You are saying 2 things that contradict themselves.
If you don't want to tip, then it doesn't matter.
I've driven for Uber before. It's barely even worth it with tips. It absolutely isn't worth it without.
In my opinion Tipping and need and then reliance on it as a form of income is not workable.
Having to earn extra random amounts money, from random people to supplement a salary (basically relying on the good grace, wealth of others), is demeaning and not a way to budget your household income.
If Uber cannot afford to do business (pay drivers properly) with their model of undercutting the market and making initial losses (those losses due to investment, which are slowly being recouped anyway over time), then they should not run (or be allowed to run) such a business.
This is the diseased modern day mentality that we are all being programmed, to feel empathy and love for a corporation that cares nothing for the consumer, or it's employees and only it's shareholders. Yet we still want the cheapest prices possible at any cost.
If the fares need to be higher to ensure worker get paid appropriately to meet the standard of living in the region they operate, then make fares higher and not hide behind billions of £'s / $'s investment to soak up the initial losses to then reap the benefits in the long term.
I use Uber because of the convenience and would pay a higher fare (or same as a local company), just because I do not have to call some random Taxi company and be promised a car in 5 minutes, only for it to arrive in 15, or not at all.
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You are paying the employee one way or the other. You can have a $50 dinner and tip a great waiter $20 or you can have a $70 dinner and have a waitron. Math is the same in each case. Service might be a tad different. Of course, maybe in your case, you'd have a $50 and just stiff the waiter to teach the restaurant owner a lesson. Yes, that'll teach 'em!
Of course in the case of Uber and Lyft, the driver is not an employee, he or she is an independent contractor. They own the car, pay for the gas, etc. In effect, they are working for themselves. Hard to give yourself a raise. Uber and Lyft are both usually less expensive than a taxi unless surge pricing is in effect. They could raise fares to taxi rates instead of allowing tips, but then many of those drivers might be out of work soon.
This is just the usual manipulation, use and abuse of employment rights / laws. Something that was being addressed in a successful ruling in the UK in October 2016 - that its UK minicab drivers should be treated as employed workers with rights to the minimum wage and sick pay. However, it is unsurprising that UBER have been granted appeal as of April this year.
Do you really buy into the reasoning that - "Uber in London is a mosaic of 30,000 small businesses linked by a common ‘platform’,” ? Also that - “Drivers do not and cannot negotiate with passengers … They are offered and accept trips strictly on Uber’s terms.”
Sounds like an employer / employee relationship to me.