Seattle Democrats and special interest groups have a vendetta against innovative car-share companies like Uber and Lyft. Through regulations and false allegations, the far-Left has attacked the ride-share industry in hopes of diminishing its ability to survive in Seattle.
Liberals are only too willing to admit its vendetta against the ride-share industry. A recent article in lefty magazine the American Prospect reads:
Working together, [far-Left groups] changed the way Seattle residents perceived Uber. No longer was it the White Knight vanquishing the hated yellow-cab monopoly. Instead, Uber became the bully, and 16 of the 18 candidates for council seats endorsed an unprecedented For-Hire Drivers’ Bill of Rights designed to give collective-bargaining rights to all drivers.
Why, according to liberals, is Uber “the bully”? Apparently, because it is an evil company launched by big, bad venture capitalists. Again, the American Prospect reads:
For all the drama surrounding Uber’s invasion of America’s cities, this battle in Seattle is unique because the Teamsters aim to build a union that unites what are usually two opposing groups or workers. Their goal is to build one union that wields power for all the for-hire drivers, not an association without bargaining rights or worker power. The battle was made possible by the Seattle region’s progressive movement, which, during the 2015 City Council elections, mobilized environmentalists, union members, and immigrants to make regulating Uber the linchpin of progressive city politics…
The “battle” referenced refers to far-left Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien’s partnership with Teamsters Local 117 to pass legislation allowing independent contractors, such as Uber drivers, to unionize. The bill — passed by the Seattle City Council — forces for-hire vehicle companies to collectively bargain with organizations representing drivers.
Bracing for an inevitable intense legal fight, O’Brien insisted that the law would withstand a court challenge. Of course, it may not be as easy as the far-Left councilmember believes. The Seattle Times reported:
“The NLRA puts the federal government, not city and state governments, in charge of regulating collective-bargaining rights and union organizing for most employees.
“San Francisco lawyer Stephen Hirschfeld, CEO of the Employment Law Alliance, said he can’t see the courts allowing O’Brien’s legislation to stand.
“‘Federal law is supposed to govern,’ he said, warning that the alternative would open ‘a massive Pandora’s box.’ …
“Garden said the legislation might violate the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, which forbids collusion between contractors except in certain circumstances.”
It’s not a surprise that Democrats in Seattle side with special interests against innovative companies like Uber. Democrats have proven — time and time again — that they are more than willing to implement stifling regulations that hurt innovation in order to benefit the unions that heavily fund their campaigns
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