UPDATE JUNE 21: Uber's CEO was forced by investors to resign yesterday. Make no mistake -- public pressure drove this change.
But there are still many reasons to #DeleteUber and keep campaigning.
Uber’s notorious business model is built on bending the law, bullying the competition and treating its employees like dirt. But finally, a massive popular resistance is turning back the tide on this Silicon Valley outcast.
Uber is making a reputation for itself as one of the world’s worst employers. Some Uber drivers make less than $10 per hour—and when one driver complained, Uber's CEO Travis Kalanick personally insulted him. Even worse, one engineer’s viral blog post alleged that Uber fosters a culture of sexual assault in its head offices.
But movements like #DeleteUber, which forced Uber to backtrack on its role in Donald Trump’s business advisory council, are scoring huge wins. Even Uber’s president, second only to CEO Kalanick, resigned late last month after learning the troubled company’s problems were worse than he thought.
Uber’s horrible, world-famous record as a shady employer starts with its CEO. Fire Travis Kalanick now.
Far too often, the story is the same: move into a new location, ignore local regulations, promise huge salaries to potential drivers and win over consumers with free rides and even free ice cream. But don’t ask Uber to pay labor tax, sick leave or even minimum wage -- it claims it doesn’t have to.
In some markets, once Uber has become dominant it jacks up its commissions and bottoms out its fares--often while still avoiding the laws and regulations that have kept taxi passengers safe for decades. Then it’s on to the next city: lather, rinse repeat.
But people are finally starting to figure out that Uber is one of the most irresponsible, reckless and destructive corporations around. The #DeleteUber movement has been one of the most inspiring counter-corporate campaigns of the year so far — that arguably cost Uber its president. People power even forced Kalanick to resign from Trump’s business advisory council -- but it’s not enough. Kalanick must go.
Tell Uber it’s time to grow up: Fire CEO Travis Kalanick now.
More information
Washington Post. 1 March 2017.
ReCode. 19 March 2017.
Gizmodo. 19 February 2017.