Black cabs in London have staged a protest against Uber in central London. Parking their cabs on the roads between Downing Street and Transport for London Headquarters on Victoria Street in central London; the streets were blocked for hours as they parked their cabs after recently rejecting an offer from Uber to allow them to pick up Uber customers with no fee taken from their fares for up to a year.
The black cabbies feel the private firm is taking advantage of Uber drivers and pushing down prices with calling them self employed, thus avoiding large overhead costs, as well as taking large fees from them, requiring them to work long hours to make up the difference and pushing costs down all around.
They insist the company is corrupt as well as the mayor of London as they have continued to allow a light touch when it comes to regulation of the private sector.
The protest raises a few valid points, i.e., fairness with regard to employment. For example: having so many minicabs on the road is driving down fares, and with little to no regulation, many of the drivers are being exploited.
Black cabs in London are known worldwide for their extensive training and how difficult it is to become one, as well as their extensive knowledge of London. But with the advances of technology, like satellite navigation, and a Londoner’s need to get around quickly and affordably as possible, it’s no wonder Uber is taking over.
This is a dilemma that is ongoing, but as long as there continues to be consumer demand for Uber and companies like it, then these sorts of protests will continue.
As technology, free enterprise and the old way of doing things collide, it will really be up to the Millennials to decide what they want their future to look like.
