More Than 100 Uber Drivers Strike In New York City

<p><em style="line-height: 1.6;">Photo courtesy of Thinkstock</em></p><p><em style="line-height: 1.6;"></em></p><p>Uber is one of myriad innovations that celebrates its increasing share of the market while also wading through a great deal of disgust from its own drivers. Monday was one such day, with many of the service's New York drivers bringing light to some of their issues with Uber's business model, such as falling fees.</p><p>As <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/02/01/uber-strike-fare-cuts/" target="_blank">CBS New York</a> reports, about 100 Uber drivers went on strike to bring attention to the company's slashing of fares. According to the report, Uber cut its prices by 15 percent last week, saying the fare reduction would "mean more work for drivers."</p><p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://up.anv.bz/latest/anvload.html?key=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" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640">##</iframe></p><p>As one of the drivers in the above video intimates, fares have been cut for riders while Uber's commission has been unharmed. For the driver, this leads to a severe cut in the value of each ride.</p><p><strong>READ MORE: <a href="http://www.travelpulse.com/news/impacting-travel/taxi-drivers-in-budapest-put-an-end-to-demonstration-against-uber.html" target="_self">Taxi Drivers in Budapest Demonstrate Against Uber</a></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.travelpulse.com/news/business-travel/uber-heats-up-winter-with-annual-price-drop.html" target="_self">Our recent article</a> on its annual price cut showed Uber's willingness to increase demand for such rides by specifically issuing a reduction in fares. Ballyhooed by riders, that same cut is what is drawing the ire of its workforce.</p><p>Social media is understandably abuzz over the protest:</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">An Uber strike that could last for 3 days. The latest at noon on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nbc4ny?src=hash">#nbc4ny</a> <a href="https://t.co/9BTeAJDcU9">pic.twitter.com/9BTeAJDcU9</a></p>- Lori Bordonaro (@Lori4NY) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lori4NY/status/694194979846111232">February 1, 2016</a></blockquote><p><InvalidTag async src=" " charset="utf-8">##</script></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Shutdown Uber!" Driver protest and strike kick off happening now in Queens. <a href="https://t.co/GT807zJiPJ">pic.twitter.com/GT807zJiPJ</a></p>- Yasha Levine (@yashalevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/yashalevine/status/694215472951226368">February 1, 2016</a></blockquote><p><InvalidTag async src=" " charset="utf-8">##</script></p><p>Then there was this tweet, which shows, if true, how fluid even the most ardent strikes can be:</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Uber has dropped prices in New York leading some drivers to strike.. leading to surge prizes causing striking drivers to get back out there.</p>- Joe Machi (@joemachi) <a href="https://twitter.com/joemachi/status/694200388212375552">February 1, 2016</a></blockquote><p><InvalidTag async src=" " charset="utf-8">##</script></p><p>For Uber's part, the company's New York general manager, Josh Mohrer, spoke to CBS New York specifically about demand that is up thanks to the cut prices: "That can go down enough. The lower fare's not going to matter. That's basically what we'll be looking for. And also since we cut prices last time, our outer-borough business has more than doubled."</p><p><strong>READ MORE: <a href="http://www.travelpulse.com/news/business-travel/uber-heats-up-winter-with-annual-price-drop.html" target="_self">Uber Heats Up Winter With Annual Price Drop</a></strong></p><p>Uber is an enormous enterprise that continues to gobble up the old establishment. It's important to remember that there are two sides to this very innovation. When one important entity, its drivers, suffer then there will be growing pains felt throughout the company. </p>

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