By Rachel Goldfarb, originally published on Next New Deal
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Socialize Uber (The Nation)
Roosevelt Institute Fellow Mike Konczal and Bryce Covert present a way to transform Uber into a company that would truly be part of a "sharing economy": make it a worker cooperative.
Cutting through the marketing BS of Silicon Valley is a good goal for everyone, but the left in particular should debunk its definition of a “sharing economy.” Sharing, in this case, doesn’t mean “lending someone the use of something for free.” It also doesn’t match the Silicon Valley description of creating a large number of small-scale entrepreneurs or independent business owners.
Instead, what we see is the creation of a low-wage workforce under the ownership of tech companies. At Uber, this arrangement means that drivers have to pay for their own cars, maintenance and gas, while management sets the rates and terms of their labor, taking a hefty cut in the process. A crucial first step for reform is to get these drivers recognized as actual workers, with proper rights and proper insurance.
Follow below the fold for more.
My Talk to the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network (On The Economy)
Jared Bernstein gave the keynote at the Campus Network's 10th anniversary party. He's published his talk, which was on the need to combine head and heart in economic policy-making.
Wall Street’s Revenge (NYT)
Paul Krugman says that Wall Street has so heavily funded the Republican party in order to get back on Democrats for Dodd-Frank financial reform, and this spending bill is only the first step.
- Roosevelt Take: Roosevelt Institute Senior Fellow Richard Kirsch and Fellow Mike Konczal each wrote about the rollback of Dodd-Frank in the cromnibus last week.
Pension Bill Seen as Model for Further Cuts (WSJ)
John D. McKinnon says some on the left worry that the pension-cutting measure in the spending bill could create precedent for even more pension cuts, possibly even to Social Security.
Obama's Left-Side Headache (Bloomberg Politics)
Margaret Talev and Michael C. Binder suggest that one of the biggest challenges the president will face from the incoming Congress will be from progressives like Senator Warren.
The Devalued American Worker (WaPo)
Jim Tankersley explains how the past three recessions, by breaking previous patterns of post-recession job growth, have cut middle-skill jobs and lowered wages for many.
Thanks to Labor Board Ruling, You Can Now Use Company Email to Organize a Union (In These Times)
Overriding a 2007 decision, the National Labor Relations Board has decided that email functions more like the water cooler than as high-cost company equipment, reports Moshe Z. Marvit.