Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Lyft and Uber Unionize in Seattle

In a day and age where Uber and Lyft are slowly starting to dominate the Taxi industry, huge news has come from Seattle.  Seattle's city council has voted to allow drivers of both Lyft and Uber to unionize, giving them more control over negotiating their pay and work.  This is significant as they are the first city to vote to allow this.

There have been many complaints throughout the Lyft and Uber community that Corporate is getting huge profits while many drivers don't make much after they calculate in the gas, mileage, and wear and tear in the car.  However, there is also another side to the coin.  While this could mean improvements for drivers, it may cost the passenger more.

Lyft and Uber have been known to drive each others prices way down to the point where many drivers quit, since it was not worth their time.  However, with such low fares and an increase in popularity, passengers for these services have seen continual growth.  If drivers are going to be given higher wages, this could have an effect on the amount the passengers pay and it will be interesting to see how many people stick to these services over the classic cab.


WSJ Article

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