That’s pretty typical, honestly. When working regular jobs, I’ve been paid one way, and not paid for time not working. The term is “waiting to engage”, versus “engaged to wait”. That is, if they want me to sit around to be available at a moment’s notice, they pay me for that time. If I can go off and do other stuff and be vaguely available with whatever delay, then I don’t get paid, because I’m not working and I’m not losing any of my own time.
I don’t really think Uber should pay for time back directly, but they should definitely increase the cost of longer runs, especially to lower-volume areas where the driver might not have a fare in the other direction. (The driver is also not required to take any particular fare at all, so if they feel they’d lose money on it, they shouldn’t take it.)
Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 week ago
That sounds reasonable and still a massive upgrade for drivers.
picoblaanket@lemmy.ml 1 week ago
If you wait 10 minutes for a fare… give a 20-minute ride to some suburban house… and then drive 20 minutes back to the city…
your pay would be $10.83 (with this new deal).
…that’s very different from $32.50 per hour.
Does an airline baggage-handler only get paid for the “specific minutes” when he is lifting luggage?
Does a cashier only get paid for “specific minutes” when there are customers in her line?
The original goal of this lawsuit was to classify drivers as employees under state law…
And that goal was ignored completely.
NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 6 days ago
What’s actually tragic is similar things like this do happen in the air industry
Flight attendants for example are typically paid only for hours on the plane. All the time getting to the plans through security screeninfs doesnt count. All the work they do at the gate before and after doesn’t count. It’s only hours in the plane.
LordCrom@lemmy.world 6 days ago
Don’t give them any ideas. If they could pay luggage people only during times lifting luggage they would. They just don’t know how to yet
Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 week ago
I’m not arguing that this is a good deal or met whatever goal. I’m just saying it’s an upgrade. Also, as a former uber driver, there are strategies to make the best use of your time. If this new wage applied to my location I would buy a car and make a killing. That said, I’m in the minority that prefers to run their own business rather than be an employee so if I have to be a wage slave again then no thanks.
picoblaanket@lemmy.ml 6 days ago
Okay…
Give me the math of how this new wage would help you “make a killing”.
And before you say “I’ll just maximize the minutes when I have a customer in the vehicle”…
this wage wouldn’t kick-in for that scenario…
…it merely sets a floor for those specific-minutes when you have a fare.
bitchkat@lemmy.world 6 days ago
But why wouldn’t you try and pick up a fair before driving 20 minutes back to the city?
Pacmanlives@lemmy.world 6 days ago
I mean in Denver going from the airport or across the city is 20-40 minutes airport can be an hour at times
chiliedogg@lemmy.world 6 days ago
What you’re talking about is “waiting to be engaged” versus “engaged to wait.”
The drivers are not on set schedules and have no obligation to the company except for the time between accepting a fare and dropping them off. If the drivers were required to return to a staging area and wait for a call the they’d need compensation. But they’re not. They can do whatever they want at that point.
When I worked retail I wasn’t paid for the time between my shift’s end and the next one beginning, but that’s what you’re arguing for in this case.
petrol_sniff_king@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 days ago
What else do you imagine they’re doing, though?
I mean, Uber has constructed a model where “waiting for your next fare” and “going home to your partner” look the same in a spreadsheet, and that then becomes the justification for not paying them. It’s sleight of hand.
picoblaanket@lemmy.ml 6 days ago
The central feature of their business IS having drivers WAITING when a ride is requested.
So yes - it would be fair if they included some “waiting time” for each ride (maybe up to 15 minutes of actual waiting time).
These apps ONLY have value if there are drivers WAITING when a ride is requested.