[s73v3r_]

"It actually is the same as killing Uber. Paying a guaranteed above-minimum-wage plus benefits would kill Uber's business model and either drive the company out of business or force it to act just like the cab companies. Either way, many customers and Uber drivers would be worse off."

I fail to see the problem. If you cannot give that to your employees, then you do not deserve to be in business, full stop.

[jpetso]

Also note that killing off unsustainable businesses (by whatever definition of unsustainable, which, to a degree, we impose on the business via laws for minimum standards), it's possible for sustainable businesses to grow and prosper. The alternative is not a collapse in jobs and profit, but a different way of providing these because the void will be filled by something or someone.

[glenra]

That's the "...and then a miracle occurs" theory of economics.

Keep in mind that Uber solved a HUGE REAL PROBLEM that cabs didn't - Uber cheaply serves neighborhoods where it was previously near-impossible to get a cab. Increasing "minimum standards" tends to make it illegal to serve low-income communities. Just as high "minimum standards" on housing price low-income people out of the housing market, high "minimum standards" on transit jobs price low-income people out of the transit market. The market alternative here is illegal "gypsy cabs" which also didn't provide unemployment insurance or a minimum wage income.

[s73v3r_]

"Increasing "minimum standards" tends to make it illegal to serve low-income communities."

That is a flat out lie. There is absolutely nothing preventing Uber from adhering to those standards while providing the same level of service they currently do.