Another speed bump for Uber in Pittsburgh (Wall, Penn: health insurance, purchase)

[Strelok]

But the ceasefire didn't last long. Peduto said Monday, in a statement targeting Uber, that economic disruptors have a moral obligation to provide societal benefits.

"One hundred years ago, Pittsburgh was the original economic disruptor. We created air dangerous to breathe, water poisonous to drink and the greatest disparity between the haves and have nots in American history," Peduto said, referencing the city's steel industry. "We stand on the shoulders of our parents and grandparents who sacrificed to guarantee workers the chance at the American dream. We are committed to build from that base so that our new economy benefits our workers, our environment and the city we love."

Peduto told the Wall Street Journal that he would demand Uber sign a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to better working conditions for Uber drivers, services for elderly Pittsburgh residents and fuel economy improvements.

Today, Pittsburgh has no say in what Uber does with the self-driving car data. And Uber isn't sharing the data with Pittsburgh, which will limit how well its government can serve citizens.

Pittsburgh Controller Michael Lamb described to CNNTech earlier this year how the data could be used for public safety. What if video footage from Uber's fleet was used to help try and locate a missing person?

"They've created this fleet of robots, collecting data about our city," Lamb said. "Are they going to be able to market that data to other interested parties? And do we have some say over that? Do we profit from that? These issues probably should've been negotiated."

Pittsburgh's rocky relationship with Uber takes another turn - Apr. 4, 2017

Great to hear this from Peduto. It's about time politicians stand up to companies like Uber.

[Enough_Already]

Originally Posted by Strelok

Pittsburgh's rocky relationship with Uber takes another turn - Apr. 4, 2017

Great to hear this from Peduto. It's about time politicians stand up to companies like Uber.

I think it is obvious Uber is a dirty company. However, this statement sounds like it should be coming from the leader of a communist country. Peduto is bad for the hardworking people of this area.

[Strelok]

Originally Posted by Enough_Already

I think it is obvious Uber is a dirty company. However, this statement sounds like it should be coming from the leader of a communist country. Peduto is bad for the hardworking people of this area.

It's clear from the statement that Peduto cares about protecting the people of this city which includes curbing economic and environmental harm. He's right, there should be checks on job destroyers like Uber especially as we are already subsidizing them by taxes.

I'm all for a sharing economy and technological advancements but only if they benefit all of us rather than just a few that pocket the profits, letting the environment and local economy go to ruin. There should be a gradual implementation rather than letting a free integration in the economy then retroactively regulate once the harm has been done.

Nothing Peduto says comes remotely close to being characterized as "communist". I'd also like to know what Peduto is doing that is "bad for hardworking people".

[Enough_Already]

Originally Posted by Strelok

It's clear from the statement that Peduto cares about protecting the people of this city which includes curbing economic and environmental harm. He's right, there should be checks on job destroyers like Uber especially as we are already subsidizing them by taxes.

I'm all for a sharing economy and technological advancements but only if they benefit all of us rather than just a few that pocket the profits, letting the environment and local economy go to ruin. There should be a gradual implementation rather than letting a free integration in the economy then retroactively regulate once the harm has been done.

Nothing Peduto says comes remotely close to being characterized as "communist". I'd also like to know what Peduto is doing that is "bad for hardworking people".

It is the definition of "socialism". If Peduto wants to attack a company who sucks hundreds of millions out of the area with their pricing, he should start with Giant Eagle.

Like I said, I am not a supporter of Uber. They are clearly a dirty company. Companies exist to earn returns for stockholder by doing business legally and paying the legally required amount of taxes. Peduto's words smack of socialism.

Read the Constitution!

[Enough_Already]

Originally Posted by Strelok

It's clear from the statement that Peduto cares about protecting the people of this city which includes curbing economic and environmental harm. He's right, there should be checks on job destroyers like Uber especially as we are already subsidizing them by taxes.

I'm all for a sharing economy and technological advancements but only if they benefit all of us rather than just a few that pocket the profits, letting the environment and local economy go to ruin. There should be a gradual implementation rather than letting a free integration in the economy then retroactively regulate once the harm has been done.

Nothing Peduto says comes remotely close to being characterized as "communist". I'd also like to know what Peduto is doing that is "bad for hardworking people".

I guess UPMC and Highmark are not doing as much damage to the area as Uber?

[Strelok]

You said Peduto was bad for hardworking people, so please provide the evidence to support the claim and we can discuss it. I'm not asking this because I disagree, but I am interested in what leads you to asserting it.

[MountainDewGuy]

When it comes to Pittsburgh and Uber, Bill was living in a fantasy world for a little while. He thought that Pittsburgh was going to become the mecca of the self driving car, like Detroit to the motor vehicle, and that Uber would assist him getting to this utopia. Uber saw Pittsburgh as an easy test ground where they could easily and cheaply pick off CMU professors and get their self driving cars on the road quickly, which is exactly what happened.

[stburr91]

Originally Posted by Strelok

Pittsburgh's rocky relationship with Uber takes another turn - Apr. 4, 2017

Peduto told the Wall Street Journal that he would demand Uber sign a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to better working conditions for Uber drivers, services for elderly Pittsburgh residents and fuel economy improvements.

Great to hear this from Peduto. It's about time politicians stand up to companies like Uber.

Peduto has no legal, or moral authority to make such demands.

The mayor needs to stay out of how companies run their business.

[erieguy]

Bike lane Bill sounds more and more like he has a personal vendetta towards them.

[Joe Magarac]

Peduto is pandering and grandstanding. He should ignore Uber and do the job that his voters (I'm one of them) elected him to do.


In Peduto's public statement, he says that "In Pittsburgh we have a saying - if it's not for all, it's not for us." I have lived here for most of my life, and I've never heard anyone say that, ever.


In an interview with the Post Gazette, Peduto "said he was drafting an agreement requiring Uber to allow drivers to purchase health insurance on a group plan, and to treat them as employees, rather than independent contractors." He's a mayor, which means he has no authority to make Uber treat its drivers as employees and/or pay for their health insurance. In Pennsylvania, only the state government can do that.


It's not like Peduto doesn't have real, mayor-y things to do with his time: the water authority is an unholy mess; there are roads and hills collapsing on the South Side; the city still doesn't have a funding deal with nonprofits like UPMC; et cetera.


I wish Mayor Peduto would do his job instead of pandering and grandstanding.