The Quebec Government vs UBER: Who will be the first to flinch?
UBER has once again threatened the Quebec Government to leave the province by October 14, 2017 if the Government imposes a few new conditions on UBER that the company seems to have a problem with.
The new conditions? Mainly an increase of training for the drivers from the current 20-hour requirement to 35 hours.
That’s it? Really? What’s the big deal? Is it too much to ask UBER to invest another 15 hours of training for safety’s sake? Is the company worried that it won’t find new drivers willing to invest an additional 15 hours into training for no compensation? The company that does not even invest a nickel into their so-called partner/employees is not even willing to cough up an insignificant amount and keep everyone happy? Obviously not.
To start as a driver/partner in the province of Quebec, Canada, the driver must pay for all costs (Inspection of vehicle $55, Health evaluation $110, extra 4c permit obtained by the Motor vehicle department (SAAQ) + test $30) a total of about $200.00. A driver must also provide a vehicle that is 10 years or less and a mobile smart phone and data plan at their own expense. The driver supposedly receives 75% of the before tax revenue for each trip, although this is not very clear as the company intentionally makes it practically impossible to verify this amount. As per one driver, an accountant that drives part time for the company “I had to verify my take for the trip by getting the passenger, a friend of mine, to send me a copy of her
invoice and comparing it to what I was paid for the trip. When I did the math, I received 72%”
As per part of a letter sent to all driver/partners today, they claim that:
“Over the last year, Uber has been operating in Quebec as part of a pilot project. Thanks to you, this pilot project has been a huge success. Hundreds of thousands of riders have taken millions of safe rides because of our amazing driver community and the technology that makes the Uber app such a reliable way for Quebecers to get around their communities”.
I would presume that would mean that they made a lot of money in the province. So why aren’t they willing to pay that small amount to keep everyone happy?
Are they really willing to walk away from millions of dollars of profit, lay off all employees and drivers, let down all the clients that were so happy to be freed from the grips of the government taxi system and willing to give up a little piece of their global empire? Especially after everything they went through by operating illegally for a few years just to penetrate the market and practically destroy the taxi industry. Are they afraid that if they meet the government’s demands it may give other governments a reason to demand additional requirements from the company? Why are they threating the Quebec Government to leave? Is this because they think that the Government maybe afraid that they will lose millions of dollars in revenue from the taxes and fees that UBER pays? Or that maybe voters maybe upset that this great system that many have been accustomed to may cease and they may be voted out?
This is a bold move by the privately owned global powerhouse that has revolutionized the people moving industry, especially in light of the fact that they will no longer will be allowed operate in London, England, a decision that they plan to appeal.
Instead of willingly “biting the bullet” and paying up a little for a change, they’re threating to walk away from it all. It just goes to show the audacity of this company that is owned mainly by bankers with unlimited funds. It also shows the mentality of what these greedy capitalist pigs really are all about. Control. Over their employees, drivers and even governments. Even though UBER claims they supposedly losses billions of dollars, the bankers know the value of this company (about 70 billion dollars) and know that they will all be cashing in soon. Personally, I think it’s a bluff. So who will flinch first?
By Van Justice