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| Bill de Blasio rejects Uber debate offer and warns: don't 'dictate to government' | Bill de Blasio rejects Uber debate offer and warns: don't 'dictate to government' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| New York City mayor Bill de Blasio warned that Uber was not taking a “wise course” in its dealings with New York City and said that “people will reject” the online taxi service if it continued to act as if it could “dictate to government”. | New York City mayor Bill de Blasio warned that Uber was not taking a “wise course” in its dealings with New York City and said that “people will reject” the online taxi service if it continued to act as if it could “dictate to government”. |
| The latest missive in de Blasio’s ongoing fight with the multibillion dollar company, which is facing regulatory hurdles in major cities around the world, came shortly after the mayor rejected an open invitation for a debate with the company officials that would have been streamed online to discuss the Democratic mayor’s issue with the company. | The latest missive in de Blasio’s ongoing fight with the multibillion dollar company, which is facing regulatory hurdles in major cities around the world, came shortly after the mayor rejected an open invitation for a debate with the company officials that would have been streamed online to discuss the Democratic mayor’s issue with the company. |
| “I don’t debate with private corporations,” he said. He is supporting a proposal that would ban Uber from New York streets while the city conducts a study on the impact the service would have on congestion. | “I don’t debate with private corporations,” he said. He is supporting a proposal that would ban Uber from New York streets while the city conducts a study on the impact the service would have on congestion. |
| De Blasio was at the Vatican on Tuesday to participate in a discussion on climate change and modern-day slavery. He used a speech at the conference to highlight New York’s goals of drastically reducing its climate footprint. | De Blasio was at the Vatican on Tuesday to participate in a discussion on climate change and modern-day slavery. He used a speech at the conference to highlight New York’s goals of drastically reducing its climate footprint. |
| Related: Mayor Bill de Blasio pledges to cut New York carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 | Related: Mayor Bill de Blasio pledges to cut New York carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 |
| He apparently also used it to have a good old-fashioned moaning session about Uber with the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who also attended the meeting of mayors and apparently also thinks the company is a pain. | He apparently also used it to have a good old-fashioned moaning session about Uber with the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, who also attended the meeting of mayors and apparently also thinks the company is a pain. |
| Asked about their chat by a reporter, de Blasio said: “She is having a very similar experience.” | Asked about their chat by a reporter, de Blasio said: “She is having a very similar experience.” |
| “I think it’s clear that as a corporation, as a multibillion dollar corporation, Uber thinks it can dictate to government. I remind them that the government represents the people and the people’s larger interest, and that is more important than any one company’s needs.” | “I think it’s clear that as a corporation, as a multibillion dollar corporation, Uber thinks it can dictate to government. I remind them that the government represents the people and the people’s larger interest, and that is more important than any one company’s needs.” |
| He said the situation in New York was playing out in Paris in a similar way as it was in New York and London. | He said the situation in New York was playing out in Paris in a similar way as it was in New York and London. |
| “I think in each case that people of our cities don’t like the the notion that those who are particularly wealthy and powerful dictating terms to a government elected by the people,” he said. “So I think that is not a wise course and that ultimately the people will reject it.” | “I think in each case that people of our cities don’t like the the notion that those who are particularly wealthy and powerful dictating terms to a government elected by the people,” he said. “So I think that is not a wise course and that ultimately the people will reject it.” |
| On Monday New York taxi drivers held a rally in support of de Blasio’s proposal. The rally, which took place on the steps of the City Hall, included local union representatives and progressive groups like Communities for Change. One of the main complaints is that Uber classifies its drivers as contractors, not employees. | On Monday New York taxi drivers held a rally in support of de Blasio’s proposal. The rally, which took place on the steps of the City Hall, included local union representatives and progressive groups like Communities for Change. One of the main complaints is that Uber classifies its drivers as contractors, not employees. |
| “If Uber thinks it can exploit communities of color in New York City as part of some cynical marketing strategy, it can think again,” said Bertha Lewis, executive director of the Black Institute. “New Yorkers want real economic development, not a predatory business model that classifies full time employees as contractors to cheat them out of benefits.” | “If Uber thinks it can exploit communities of color in New York City as part of some cynical marketing strategy, it can think again,” said Bertha Lewis, executive director of the Black Institute. “New Yorkers want real economic development, not a predatory business model that classifies full time employees as contractors to cheat them out of benefits.” |
| Uber has implied that the mayor’s support of a temporary ban was influenced by his loyalty to taxi companies, which the company said had first proposed such a ban. | Uber has implied that the mayor’s support of a temporary ban was influenced by his loyalty to taxi companies, which the company said had first proposed such a ban. |
| In response to de Blasio’s plan to limit its services, Uber released an update last week in which users could select a “De Blasio” option, which showed fewer to no cars available nearby. The company also released a TV ad featuring Uber drives, which accused the mayor of destroying 10,000 jobs. | |
| In an op-ed published in the New York Daily News, de Blasio said the city was on the verge of being flooded with “tens of thousands” of more cars, which would overwhelm the city. | In an op-ed published in the New York Daily News, de Blasio said the city was on the verge of being flooded with “tens of thousands” of more cars, which would overwhelm the city. |
| In Paris, the company has been the subject of major protests by taxi drivers, who see the company as a threat to their livelihoods. | In Paris, the company has been the subject of major protests by taxi drivers, who see the company as a threat to their livelihoods. |
| The protest attracted attention all around the world after a celebrity – Courtney Love – was apparently caught up in a “mob of taxi drivers” throwing rocks at her car as she made her way from Charles de Gaulle airport. | The protest attracted attention all around the world after a celebrity – Courtney Love – was apparently caught up in a “mob of taxi drivers” throwing rocks at her car as she made her way from Charles de Gaulle airport. |