From rssfeeds@jmason.org Fri Oct 4 11:02:03 2002 Return-Path: Delivered-To: yyyy@localhost.example.com Received: from localhost (jalapeno [127.0.0.1]) by jmason.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A53A016F67 for ; Fri, 4 Oct 2002 11:01:37 +0100 (IST) Received: from jalapeno [127.0.0.1] by localhost with IMAP (fetchmail-5.9.0) for jm@localhost (single-drop); Fri, 04 Oct 2002 11:01:37 +0100 (IST) Received: from dogma.slashnull.org (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by dogma.slashnull.org (8.11.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id g9480PK08797 for ; Fri, 4 Oct 2002 09:00:25 +0100 Message-Id: <200210040800.g9480PK08797@dogma.slashnull.org> To: yyyy@example.com From: boingboing Subject: Why is it so hard to get a cab in San Francisco? Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2002 08:00:24 -0000 Content-Type: text/plain; encoding=utf-8 X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-818.8 required=5.0 tests=AWL,T_NONSENSE_FROM_40_50 version=2.50-cvs X-Spam-Level: URL: http://boingboing.net/#85519806 Date: Not supplied A San Francisco cabbie -- generally a well-educated and firm-opinion-holding class of person -- has an essay about a subject near and dear to my (non-car-owning) heart: Why is it so damned hard to get a cab in San Francisco? In fact, no cab company ever tells a driver to pick up anyone. When you phone a cab firm in San Francisco, your call is treated not as an order, not as a binding oral contract, but simply as a request... So, why don't cab companies ensure that we pick you up on time-or at all? In a nutshell, labor law states that if a cab company actually commands a driver to carry out a specific action, that constitutes an employer-employee relationship. But if a company farms its work out to independent contractors, it can rid itself of costly expenses such as disability and social security taxes. It also means that the contractor drivers can't unionize. Link[1] Discuss[2] (_via CamWorld[3]_) [1] http://www.bradnewsham.com/articles/why_so_hard.shtml [2] http://www.quicktopic.com/boing/H/eXFeCJHgnP4 [3] http://www.bradnewsham.com/articles/why_so_hard.shtml